New Pre-School Television programme- opinions needed!

[Munchkinsugarpie]

Hi mumsnetters, I need your help with getting some research together! I'm raising funds to make a pilot for a brand new television programme aimed at what I believe to be a largely uncatered for pre-school child. I'd be so grateful, if you find this subject of interest, to hear your invaluable feedback on the following:-

1. Does anybody else feel that there is a definite gap in programming for our children aged approx. 18months to 2.5 ish years old? i.e. After 'teletubbies' they're not quite ready for a more advanced 'tweeny' type show. What can they watch?

2. If you could choose the content of a programme aimed at this age group, what would you like your children to see?

3. Also, please let me know if you disagree with me and believe that all pre-school stages are catered for - and with what.

I look forward to your responses!

The baby fimbles voice irritates me in a Tweenie Jake sound of way. Yuk. Big Fimble sounds like a well spoken Bella. And one of them does a really bad Jane Horrocks impression.

Like the bird, and the sum up at the end, and all the bubbles, nice set.

Can see the merchandise rolling out for Christmas, everywhere, everywhere.

So after one days viewing I dont think its fantastic, but my two year old, really liked it, and his first words to Daddy this morning were "I want to watch the Fimbles". Daddy took a while to figure out that new word!

PS: Im a Teletubbie fan but not a Tweenie fan.

I was rather hoping for a new tellytubbies but seems closer to a new Tweenies - too much narrative to keep my 11-month old interested for more than 10 seconds.

I quite enjoy tellytubbies, I find it quite soothing (well apart from the dreadful Funny Lady), but I find Tweenies et al brash and hard work - i.e. I don't want to sit and be with dd while it's on.

Watched it yesterday for the first time (Fimbles and Balamory - can you tell I wasn't feeling up to much ) dd seemed to enjoy both of them, Balamory a bit more than the Fimbles maybe. Time will tell. I liked Balamory, its like The League of Gentlemen for kids!

I agree with Ems re Fimbles merchandising - I'vr been reading lately about how BBC Worldwide have been found to use aggressive marketing towards youngsters. I only caught a glimpse of the Fimbles but it looked okay.

The opening credits to Balamory remind me of El Dorado.

I have to confess I love Balamory, and so does dd. Why? Because it is the only childrens programme I have ever come across filmed in our part of the world (Scottish Islands) - Balamory is Tobermory, the main town on the Isle of Mull - not where we stay, but like enough. It gets dd all excited. It is references she can understand, and in a decent accent most of the time anyway.
AND! Rod, who plays Spencer, is a friend of ours so dd gets exceptionally excited when she sees him, but cant figure out why he has changed his name!
So I'll fight to the death for Balamory, it's US!

susanmt, I love the scenery on Balamory - shame they make the houses such bright colours.

Ionesmum - the houses ARE those colours! Its quite typical for West Coast towns to do it - Portree in Skye looks like that too. Think its cos you need something to cheer you up when the weather is dreadful!!!

Susanmt, thanks for telling us where Balamory is filmed, I've been trying to find out since day one!

I was in Swansea at the weekend and all the houses in one of the streets there were also painted in bright, garish colours!

Saw Fimbles for the first time today, and can't say I was massively impressed - bird thing in particular's only rival in the 'irritating' stakes must be Poppy from Playdays (maybe I've a thing against cod regional accents). Nice show, but just not quite right. Dd loves the bubbles at the start though, and it is sweet, so time will tell

In the meantime, we're sticking with gritty real-life drama's like Balamory. Particularly Archie the Inventor. I'm already harbouring secret fantasies about going to live in a pink castle in Scotland, and wondering if dh could cope with wearing a pink jumper (answer 'no way'. Not sure about the thing with arms he's got on the wall though - what is it meant to be - I can only think it's a relative that's got stuck in a priest hole or something.

The scarey thing is, for island life, Balamory IS a real life gritty drama. People her eactually say 'What's the Story?' when they see you!
I was sad though that they covered up the great Gaelic signs with boring English signs. My dd loves it when she sees the nursery - she shouts 'Its the Croligean!!' (Gaelic for Nursery! My only word of Gaelic!)

That settles it, Susanmt. I'm off to Tobermory to find that pink castle. And I agree with you about the signs - after all, it's obviously in Scotland, and, seriously, I'd have thought it would be a great idea for children to see the different languages. When we visit my parents in Wales, dd loves hearing the different words for things too - and there must be an argument for representing cultural identities/ developing linguistic skills etc, etc. I wonder why they did cover them up? They could have had the two languages side by side, or something. Am very impressed by your dd's gaelic, btw!

great responses mumsnetters - thanks. I haven't seen Balamory yet, but think it's aimed at an older age group than 2-4 yr olds maybe? Yep - the Beeb have poured more than five million pounds into Fimbles (including ads, merchandising, promos etc) and I think it'll pay off as well.

I found them a bit too slow and boring. Thought they were a bit static, but adored the colours and the set. Liked the rolling mole or whatever it was - the lilac and lime creature.

I'm still convinced there is a gap in viewing for children between teletubbies/tweenies. Tweenies will be brash andlouder cos it's aimed at older toddlers and will have to keep them hooked.

Fimbles is nice and gentle, but I got the feeling I'd seen it all before .........

susan - is the castle REALLY that bright ?!

There's another beautiful pink castle, in Aberdeenshire - Craigievar. It's a real fairytale place! There are two small difficulties; 1, it's own by the Nat Trust for Scotland and 2, it has no electricty!!

Have a look at Craigievar on this website. I want it!!!!

Also, I can't wait to get home for Xmas and see these new TV programmes. I don't think I can bear another minute of TV here - I promise I'll never complain about UK TV again!

That is one gorgeous castle, Suedonim. Bet it's child heaven inside (and parental nightmare, too). Imagine the pitfalls: "Now darling, I really think you should climb out of that priesthole before you get stuck in the secret passageway that leads to the well". You could lose a child for weeks. It's sounding good.....wonder if the National Trust would notice if I snuck up there and secretly took over a wing of it or two?

Oh, does anyone else like 'Binka'. We love it.

I like Binka. I like Binka a lot.

I love Binka too! As soon as I saw this I had the tune going through my head for ages!!

I also like Whatisname - the big red dog! I can sing the tune, can't remember his name!

Clifford the Big Red Dog!

Given that dd is only 7 mo and is just as happy watching Attheraces as she is CBeebies, I think my knowledge of pre-school telly is slightly worrying.

LOL @ ionesmum!
We have Clifford the Big Red Dog pj's, and clifford is dd's imaginary friend half the time.
All together now 'I love Clifford, the BIG RED DOG .....'

We also love Binka and Clifford. Where did you get the Clifford pjs from susanmt?? They would be an enormous hit in our house.