Reminiscing on the Magic of Lambchop’s Play-Along

Rating: TV-Y
Target Audience: preschooler-young kids
Episode length: 30 min
Network/Schedule: Unfortunately, Lambchop’s Play Along ended in 1997

When I watch the television shows that are available to young children today, it always makes me miss the shows that were on and popular when I was a little girl. We also had the classics like Mr. Rogers and Sesame Street, but in my opinion shows back then were a little more creative (Cookie Monster actually ate cookies-go figure!!). Today there doesn’t seem to be as much of a variety of shows, they all seem to be cartoons that focus on one form of education. The shows that always standout the most in my memory from my childhood, are the ones that were live action with real people and/or real puppets. One of my favorite shows was and still is Lambchop’s Play-Along.

For those of you not familiar with or can’t quite remember Lambchop’s Play-Along, the show ran from 1992 to 1997 and starred Shari Lewis and her puppet Lambchop, an adorable and very spunky little sheep. You may remember it better as the show that introduced us all to “The Song that Never Ends.” In each episode Shari would help Lambchop and her fellow puppets Charlie Horse and Hush Puppy ( all of whom Shari provided the voices for) learn valuable lessons while they also had a lot of fun telling stories and jokes and having crazy adventures. The lessons were basic and what you would expect from any children’s show; ranging from learning not to be afraid to being polite. For example, I found part of an episode on youtube (thank you technology!) where Lambchop tells Shari she doesn’t want her to go out that night because she will miss her too much. Shari tries to explain that everyone needs alone time sometimes, but when Lambchop refuses to believe that, Shari promises her that they will spend the entire next day together describing “we’ll be so close, when you sneeze, I’ll have to wipe my nose!” Then it goes into a little montage of the next day and all the things Shari and Lambchop do together. By the end of the day Lambchop admits that maybe she does believe that everyone needs their alone time, but she would rather have Shari around. It’s really a sweet clip that not only teaches Lambchop and other children an important lesson, but also shows the vulnerable side of Lambchop that viewers don’t always get to see. Most of the time she’s very sarcastic and a little rebel that Shari constantly needs to keep an eye on. She’s Fantastic!!! :)

Just thinking about Lambchop’s Play-Along takes me back to the days when I was a little girl and developing my imagination. It’s the shows like Lambchop that are able to take a basic sock puppet and make you believe that it is a person with all the innocence, imagination, and energy of an actual child. You believe in these shows and these characters and they become a part of who you are. You’re constantly learning and growing with them without really realizing it because you’re having so much fun at the same time. On top of that, it’s not only entertaining for small children, but there is a lot of humor there that adults can enjoy as well which makes the show that much more special. It’s definitely a show that will remain in my heart forever.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find an official website for Lambchop’s Play-Along, but for more info on the show you can visit:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0166048/

Above picture from: tv.msn.com

“Wiggly Fun” with The Wiggles

Rating: TV-Y
Target Audience: Preschoolers
Episode Length: 30 minutes
Network/Schedule: 11:30 am Mon-Fri. & 7 am Sat-Sun on Playhouse Disney

(Check local listings)


I was first introduced to The Wiggles by my older brother a few years ago (he always seems to find the most unusual shows). To be quite honest, the first time I saw the show I thought it was the scariest thing I ever saw!!! I mean, four grown men singing and dancing all over the place in bright clothing and with a giant dinosaur and a pirate seems extremely strange to me!! However, after watching the show a little more and thinking about it from a different perspective, I’ve come to have a different opinion of The Wiggles.

The Wiggles can be seen on Playhouse Disney during the week at 11:30 and on weekends at 7 am. It’s an Australian show that stars Anthony Field (Blue Wiggle), Murray Cook (Red Wiggle), Jeff Fatt (Purple Wiggle), and Sam Moran (Yellow Wiggle) who took over for the original Yellow Wiggle, Greg Page, who had to leave the show for medical reasons. The men as well as Dorothy the Dinosaur, Captain Feathersword along with many other friends use song and dance to entertain children and their parents. While looking at The Wiggle’s website I also found out that many of The Wiggles also have a background in children education. Anthony, Murray and Greg originally met while studying Early Education at a University in Sydney and then started writing children’s music together. After that, they brought in Jeff and the rest is history!!!

While The Wiggle’s main goal seems to be to entertain children, in my opinion their songs and other segments seem to help children grow in memory and problem solving skills as well. For example, I’ve noticed that in many episodes that I’ve watched, they use some of the same songs, for example “The Farmer in the Dell.” By repeating the songs multiple times children are able to remember them so that the next time they hear those songs they can sing along with them. They also have a segment I’ve seen a few times now where Anthony comes out dressed in a clown outfit and Sam is trying to figure out what he is dressed as. They go through every part of the outfit from the hat to the shoes, with Sam constantly asking the audience for help. This gets the children involved and gets their minds working to figure out what Anthony could be dressed as. Even their clothing (besides helping kids recognize some of the primary colors) can help develop children’s memories by allowing them to associate the color the Wiggle is wearing with their name (Anthony is always blue for example).

The Wiggles really is a very fun show. It has a lot of energy with fun songs that children and parents can enjoy and sing together. I said earlier that I originally thought the show was a little scary, but that my opinion has changed since. The reason for this is that, as I have been watching this show and watching these characters with all their enthusiasm, I can see how much they really care and believe in what they are doing. It takes a lot for any grown person to get on television and do anything that to others may seem crazy or over the top. Now when I watch The Wiggles, I think of it more as what lengths a father would go to entertain and teach his child; and that, in my opinion is a very noble act of love. So thank you to all the loving daddies and mommies out there, and also, thank you to The Wiggles!!

If you would like to find out more about The Wiggles, you can visit their website at :

http://www.thewiggles.com.au/us/home/

(above picture found at website too!!)

Laughing and Learning with Charlie and Lola

Rating: Tv-Y
Target Audience: Preschoolers
Episode Length: 30 mins (consists of two stories)
Network/Schedule: Playhouse Disney 11/10c (check local listings for your area)

My yearly family vacation to Ocean City New Jersey is not only a time for my family to relax and work on our sunburns, but also our chance to catch up on children television programming (since it’s the only time of year when we’re all up before 10 in the morning for something other than school or work). Of course we watch the essential Sesame Street and Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, but a few summers ago we were introduced to what is now one of our favorite kids’ shows, Charlie and Lola.

Charlie and Lola is based off of books by Lauren Child and is shown on Playhouse Disney. Each animated show is about fifteen minutes long and follows 4 year old Lola and her 7 year old brother Charlie as they face many issues that we have all had to deal with; from eating foods we hate to not getting our dream role in the school play.

I’m sure it seems weird that a 21 year old college student would be so enthusiastic over a children’s show, but believe me, it’s the cutest show you will ever see!!! What makes the show so special and unique is the way the characters are designed and how they handle the issues brought forth. Charlie and Lola is an animated show, but unlike many other animated shows, it looks like a storybook. The characters are drawn one dimensionally as if in pencil. The colors are bright and sometimes go out side of the lines, as if a child had colored it—as if Lola had colored it. The characters also speak with little British accents that are so adorable.

Each episode begins with Charlie saying, “I have this little sister Lola. She is small and very funny…” Lola is this little blonde ball of energy who’s imagination always seems to be working it’s hardest. Charlie is probably the perfect big brother; he is always understanding and patient with Lola, even when her imagination gets the best of her. I think that’s my favorite thing about this show, is the relationship between Charlie and Lola. Growing up with two older siblings, I know how frustrating it can be to feel like they don’t understand you or think you’re too little to understand them, but with Charlie and Lola, they just understand each other. For example, in one episode Lola says she would “never, not ever eat a tomato,” but Charlie, being the clever big brother he is, tells Lola that the tomato is not really a tomato, but a "moonsquirter" from outer space. So, of course, Lola eats it and finds out that she loves them!! The stories are so clever, yet they deal with issues that we have all faced, some people still face even as they get older (my brother still won’t eat certain foods—maybe we should try Charlie’s methods). But it’s not just Charlie helping Lola; Lola also helps her big brother. In another episode, Charlie is supposed to perform a song he and his friend Marv wrote at school, but when Marv doesn’t show up because he is sick, Lola comes to Charlie’s rescue and performs with him instead.

Each show focuses on a different issue, but also always goes back to the emphasis on the strong relationship between a brother and a sister. The show really serves as a great example for all children on how to solve certain problems or overcome fears, but also how to treat other people, whether they are your best friend or sibling. I know the show has definitely strengthened my relationship with my big brother and sister!!! :)

To Find out more about Charlie and Lola, visit the show's website at :

http://www.charlieandlola.com/

or

http://atv.disney.go.com/playhouse/charlieandlola/index.html