Play School
This television show for children aims to encourage viewers to wonder, to think, to feel and to imagine. The program shows two warm, caring presenters taking the time to be with one child. They address the child directly and personally. Into this relationship are woven the stories, songs and activities that form the fabric of Australian children's culture. Play School is successful because it satisfies our basic human need to interact with other people and to be valued by them. Play School aims to extend the child's interest and it encourages participation. Each program contains a story, some songs (both traditional and new) and a variety of play ideas with things to make and do. Each week has a theme which is developed in different ways depending on the day. The daily format usually includes the Clock and a look outside Play School via the Windows. More recently the Play School projector is also used for a mindfulness segment asking viewers to stop, look and listen. Until 2010, the calendar would display the day of the week, but was not continued as naming the weekday became confusing once children were able to watch programs any time, on demand.
- 1966-2026
- 61 seasons
- Family
- TV-Y
This television show for children aims to encourage viewers to wonder, to think, to feel and to imagine. The program shows two warm, caring presenters taking the time to be with one child. They address the child directly and personally. Into this relationship are woven the stories, songs and activities that form the fabric of Australian children's culture. Play School is successful because it satisfies our basic human need to interact with other people and to be valued by them. Play School aims to extend the child's interest and it encourages participation. Each program contains a story, some songs (both traditional and new) and a variety of play ideas with things to make and do. Each week has a theme which is developed in different ways depending on the day. The daily format usually includes the Clock and a look outside Play School via the Windows. More recently the Play School projector is also used for a mindfulness segment asking viewers to stop, look and listen. Until 2010, the calendar would display the day of the week, but was not continued as naming the weekday became confusing once children were able to watch programs any time, on demand.
Season 45 Episode Guide
45 Episodes 2010 - 2011
Episode 1
Adventure - Pirates
25 mins
Aka series258 ep1. Justine and Alex take Little Ted and Big Ted to a treasure island, make a volcano and play on the adventure playground. Through the windows people visit a park. The story is 'My Dad' by Chae Strathie.
Episode 2
Adventure - 4WD
25 mins
Aka s258.2 Georgie and Hugh take a cardboard doll family for a four wheel drive adventure and tell the story of 'Little Ted's Car'. They make paper boats and race them in a water tray. Through the windows there is bush tucker.
Episode 3
Adventure - Sport
25 mins
Aka s258.3 Karen and Teo peg people for a soccer match, decorate hats with feathers for Jemima and Meeka and tell the story of 'Big Ted's Excellent Adventure'. Through the windows is a bike track.
Episode 4
Adventure - Boats and Buggies
25 mins
Aka s258.4 Abi and Andrew make space buggies for Little Ted and Jemima, cardboard boats and tug boats for themselves and a wooden spoon puppet theatre. They perform the story 'The Farmer's Friends'. Through the windows is the navy.
Episode 5
Adventure - Gardens
25 mins
Aka s258.5 Alex and Hugh make a garden with a sock caterpillar and cardboard tube snail. They make mud pies. The story is 'The Runaway Stroller' by Jeff Truman. Through the windows we see wetlands.
Episode 6
Seasons - Summer
25 mins
Aka series259 ep1. Justine and Alex make melon balls which they enjoy on sun loungers with a glass of water. They make a fan and a summer painting. Through the windows is the beach. The story is 'Piglet and Granny' by Margaret Wild.
Episode 7
Seasons - Autumn
25 mins
Aka s259.2 Essie and Rhys play in autumn leaves. Rhys goes for a walk in the bush and Essie dresses as different Australian animals. Eggs are dyed. The story 'The Red Kite' is performed. Through the windows it is autumn at Mount Tomah.
Episode 8
Seasons - Winter
25 mins
Aka s259.3 Karen and Alex pretend the toys are skiing and sledding in the snow. They make a winter picture with white paint on black card. The story is 'You Can Do It Sam' by Amy Hest. Through the windows people are skiing.
Episode 9
Seasons - Spring
25 mins
Aka s259.4 Karen, Sofya and Rhys set up a market with food (making spring rolls), plants (making plant pots) and flowers (making flower garlands), as well as a fruit and vegetable stand. The story is 'Danny's Duck' by June Crebbin. Through the windows people pick apples.
Episode 10
Seasons - All Four
25 mins
Aka s259.5 Karen and Teo play a seasonal dress up game, make Tutti Fruiti men and a rainbow painting. Through the windows are vegetable markets. The story 'Ellie's Birthday' is performed.
Episode 11
Again and Again - Fast
25 mins
Aka series260 ep1. Karen and Andrew make star shaped crayons, run paper goannas up a tree and look through the windows to see a bed race. The story is 'Is Your Grandmother a Goanna?' by Pamela Allen.
Episode 12
Again and Again - Dance and Balance
25 mins
Aka s260.2 Jolene and Teo play a knock knock game with the door, print elephants onto an apron and make a fruit stack snack. The toys are dressed up as animals for a party. Through the windows is line dancing. The story is 'One, Two, Cockatoo!' by Sarah Garson.
Episode 13
Again and Again - Air and Water
25 mins
Aka s260.3 Jolene and Andrew make balloon puppets and take Meeka and Dan for a swim on a water slide and pool noodles. Through the windows is a water park. The story 'The Little Red Hen' is performed.
Episode 14
Again and Again - Bubbles and Stars
25 mins
Aka s260.4 Karen and Alex blow bubbles, dress up as an astronaut and tell the story of 'Dan's Garden' with the toys. Through the windows children visit the observatory.
Episode 15
Again and Again - Robots and Tasks
25 mins
Aka s260.5 Karen and Alex make busybots from foil, spoons and tea strainers. Sponges are used as stamps. 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' is performed with the toys. Through the windows is a baby elephant.
Episode 16
Music - Percussion Music
25 mins
Aka series261 ep1. Justine and Teo make shakers and play percussion with the toys. Greg helps perform songs and accompanies the story 'Bim Bam Boom' by Margaret Wild. Through the windows is a hip hop class. The Conservatorium High School Orchestra play percussion. Peter, Greg, Justine and Alex perform Turn the Beat Around.
Episode 17
Music - Violins
25 mins
Aka s261.2 George helps Justine and Jay sing different nursery rhymes joining in with his violin. The story is 'Moon Rabbit' by Natalie Russell. Through the windows is a pianola. The Conservatorium High School Orchestra plays string instruments.
Episode 18
Music - Woodwinds
25 mins
Aka s261.3 Sandy plays her flute and saxophone for Teo and Justine. The presenters make different musical notes by blowing on bottles filled with water. They paint a mural to music. The story of 'Alexander's Rag Time Band' is performed. The Conservatorium High School Orchestra play woodwind instruments. Through the windows there is Ukrainian dancing.
Episode 19
Music - Bass
25 mins
Aka s261.4 Steve plays Double Bass and Tuba. The Conservatorium High School Orchestra plays bass instruments. Justine and Alex perform the story of 'Miss Thistle's Whistle'. Through the windows is a Fijian choir. The toys are dressed up in tuxedos to make a band.
Episode 20
Music - Bands
25 mins
Aka s261.5 Peter helps Alex play piano, Justine plays guitar, Jay plays ukulele and Abi plays percussion. The presenters sing the theme song. Through the windows Karen is recording the song 'R-O-B-O-T' for the album 'Let's Play Together'. The toys record music in a pretend recording studio. The story of 'The Grumpy King' is performed by the presenters. The Conservatorium High School Orchestra performs.
Episode 21
Once Upon a Time - Prince and Princess
25 mins
Aka series262 ep1. Essie and Teo make crowns for the toys. They make muesli. The story of 'The Princess and the Pea' is performed. Through the windows we see people going to bed.
Episode 22
Once Upon a Time - Mermaids and Fairies
25 mins
Aka s262.2 In the Once Upon a Time Storybook Emma the mermaid has an underwater adventure. Karen and Andrew use Meeka to tell the story 'Meekapunzal'. Through the windows are tropical fish. Karen and Andrew make fairies with tulle wings.
Episode 23
Once Upon a Time - Magic
25 mins
Aka s262.3 Essie and Teo make colourful banners, paint a picture and perform 'Emperor Big Ted's New Clothes'. Through the windows there is a book parade. The Storybook features a wizard, genie and horse who enjoy a cup of tea from a Magic Teapot.
Episode 24
Once Upon a Time - Unicorns and Dragons
25 mins
Aka s262.4 Karen and Teo dress up as dragons and unicorns. The story is 'The Dudgeon is Coming' by Lynley Dodd. Through the windows is ice skating. The Once Upon a Time Storybook has a horse asking a wizard to turn him into a unicorn.
Episode 25
Once Upon a Time - Banquets and Feasts
25 mins
Aka s262.5 Karen and Andrew perform the story 'Snow White and the Five Dwarves'. Through the windows are lanterns. They make apple turnover. King Wally and Queen Shirley throw a party for all the storybook characters.
Episode 26
Up - Building
25 mins
Aka series263 ep1. Abi and Karen build boxes into a giraffe and clock. They make a box street with shops for the toys. Through the windows washing is hung out. The story is 'Clancy and Millie and the Very Fine House' by Libby Gleeson.
Episode 27
Up - Helicopters and Bridges
25 mins
Aka s263.2 Justine and Alex make a cardboard bridge, helicopter and a doctor's case for Jemima. The story of 'Up, Up and Away' is performed. 'Miss Polly' animation is shown. Through the windows there is a split bridge.
Episode 28
Up - Outer Space
25 mins
Aka s263.3 Alex dresses up as Aiken Drum. Alex and Justine make Cosmic Crunchie biscuits with fruit filling. The story 'The Moon Market' is performed. Through the windows there are astronauts living in space. 'Hey Diddle Diddle' animation is shown.
Episode 29
Up - Growing Up
25 mins
Aka s263.4 Essie and Alex perform the story 'The Big Surprise'. They make boxes that slide up to make a longer stem for a flower, neck for a giraffe and hat for a clown. Through the windows we see aerial skiing.
Episode 30
Up - Climbing, Jumping, Moving
25 mins
Aka s263.5 Karen and Alex build a castle for the toys. They make turtles from polystyrene balls and plastic containers. Through the windows are pelicans. 'Jump or Jiggle' animation is shown. The story is 'Baby Wombat's Week' by Jackie French.
Episode 31
Farms - Ducks
25 mins
Aka series264 ep1. Ducks and ducklings visit Play School. Alex and Rhys make a box tractor. Through the windows there are baby alpacas. The animation 'Old MacDonald' is shown. The story is 'On the Farm' by Anna Milbourne.
Episode 32
Farms - Scarecrows and Crops
25 mins
Aka s264.2 Rachael and Andrew make a scarecrow. Big Ted ploughs a field in the box tractor. Rachael and Andrew make jacket potatoes. The story is 'One Red Apple' by Harriet Ziefert. Through the windows a potato crop is harvested.
Episode 33
Farms - Outback
25 mins
Aka s264.3 Emma and Andrew tell the story of 'Barn Day'. Through the windows we see people living in remote locations.
Episode 34
Farms - Sheep and Wool
25 mins
Aka s264.4 Rachael and Alex make pom poms and a sparkly hat. The story of 'The Music Man' is performed. Through the windows there is a sheep dog and sheep being sheared.
Episode 35
Farms - Horses
25 mins
Aka s264.5 Emma and Rhys make a seed picture and apple and apricot jam. They pretend to be a horse using coconut shells to make the walking sound. The story is 'Horse' by Malachy Doyle. Through the windows we see produce at the Easter Show.
Episode 36
Go - Moving Bodies
25 mins
Aka series265 ep1. Karen and Andrew play an animal picture game, paint with feet and hands, and make an obstacle course. The story is 'Toddle Waddle' by Julia Donaldson and Nick Sharratt.
Episode 37
Go - Tropical Fruit and Islands
25 mins
Aka s265.2 Teo and Luke make banana and pineapple tropical ice blocks, play musical dress ups and play a game of 'what's missing?'. The story is 'Handa's Surprise' by Eileen Browne. Through the windows is Josie's Ferry Ride.
Episode 38
Go - Fast and Slow
25 mins
Aka s265.3 Andrew and Teo make spoon puppets. They tell the story of 'The Tortoise and the Hare'. Through the windows friends visit each other.
Episode 39
Go - Flying and Floating
25 mins
Aka s265.4 Karen and Luke play on Space Hoppers, make a computer, mouse and printer from cardboard boxes and pretend to fly a plane with the toys. The story 'Beryl's Birthday Party for Bill' is performed. Through the windows is an airport.
Episode 40
Go - Racing
25 mins
Aka s265.5 Abi and Teo make scooters and helmets for the toys to race each other, have a race with box cars and make a toy farmyard for the toys. Through the windows a family visits a wildlife park. The story is 'Rosie's Walk' by Pat Hutchens.
Episode 41
What's Inside? - Surprises
25 mins
Aka series266 ep1. Jolene and Alex play drums, make a party banner with black paint and crayons, and make bonbons. Through the windows is a lion dance at Chinese New Year. The story 'A Day of Surprises' is performed.
Episode 42
What's Inside? - Socks in Shoes
25 mins
Essie and Andrew run a pretend shoe shop for the toys, they weave some feathers and make a frame for a chicken picture. The story is 'The Odd Egg' by Emily Gravett. Throught the windows are colourful sea creatures.
Episode 43
What's Inside? - Protective Shells
25 mins
Aka s266.3 Karen and Andrew make a hermit crab with a cup and scrubber, they make a yoghurt mountain with fruit, and sing nursery rhymes. The story 'A House for a Hermit Crab' is performed. Through the windows there is sugarcane juice in Cabramatta.
Episode 44
What's Inside? - Packing
25 mins
Aka s266.4 Jolene and Andrew tell the story of 'Maurice and Little Ted's Tropical Adventure'. They make a bouncing beetle by folding paper. Through the windows is a museum.
Episode 45
What's Inside? - Magic
25 mins
Aka s266.5 Karen and Alex perform a magic show with the toys, make a marble cake and make a hat. Through the windows dinosaur shorts are sewn. The story is 'The Magic Hat' by Mem Fox.