Launched April 1, 1994 Official website tvokids.com | ||
 | ||
Format Children's programming block Running time 6:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (EST) | ||
TVOKids (stylized as tvokids) is a Canadian children's programming block seen daily on TVOntario (TVO), the public educational television network for the province of Ontario, Canada. It effectively acts as an equivalent to the PBS Kids block on PBS in the United States, and features many series also seen in that block.
Contents
History
Since its inception in 1994, TVOKids has had numerous hosts. In chronological order, the past hosts of TVOKids are: Patty Sullivan, Kevin Brauch, Joseph Motiki, Rekha Shah, Gisèle Corinthios, Phil McCordic, Julie Zwillich (a.k.a. Julie 1), Julie Patterson (a.k.a. Julie 2), Nicole Stamp, Milton Barnes, Mark Sykes, Jackie English, Ryan Field, Kara Harun, Drew Dafoe, Dalmar Abuzeid, Cassius (Cass) Crieghtney, Melissa Peters, Daniel Fernandes, Mickeey Nguyen.
The current hosts are Daniel Fernandes, Melissa Peters, and Mickeey Nguyen.
The Space
The Space (formerly known as "The Crawlspace") is the name of the after-school programing block. The space airs non-stop episodes of shows with a host block in between each episode, varying in length. "The Crawlspace" launched on April 4, 1994, and was originally hosted by Patty Sullivan and Kevin Brauch. "The Space" currently airs Monday to Friday, 3:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. EST and on Saturday and Sunday, 6:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. EST. "The Space" is currently hosted by Daniel Fernandes, Melissa Peters, and Mickeey Nguyen.
Tumbleweed
For many years, "The Crawlspace" had a hamster named Tumbleweed, who served as their mascot. Tumbleweed was a real hamster. He died in 2010.
Gisèle's Big Backyard
TVOKids' preschool block, Gisele's Big Backyard (formerly "The Nook") airs weekdays between 6:00am and 3:00pm, and features interstitial segments hosted by Gisele Corinthios and several puppets including: Sticks the Squirrel (Jason Hopley), Jay the Blue Jay (Ali Eisner), Melvin the Skunk (Marty Stelnick), This (Ryan Field), That (Frank Meschkuleit), and Polkaroo. Polkaroo's trio of "Polka Dot Door Friends" Dumpty and Humpty and Marigold also appear in smaller-than-human doll size rather than larger-than-human suits. This is their first re-appearance since Polka Dot Shorts ended in 2001.
TVO ended production of new Gisele's Big Backyard segments in May 2016, but the block continues to air using archived segments.