Amazon Prime to Bow First Three Original Kids Programs

15 May, 2014 By: Erik Gruenwedel

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Amazon this month will launch the first of three original episodic TV series for preschool-age children. The first six episodes of each show will debut with animated series “Tumble Leaf” on May 23, followed by “Creative Galaxy” on June 27, and live-action series “Annedroids” (for kids aged 4-7) on July 25. Additional episodes of the shows will follow later this year.

Children’s programing has been a hot topic among subscription streaming services following Netflix’s successful “Just for Kids” platform launch in 2011. The link at the time was attributed to Nickelodeon losing TV ratings and was seen as a catalyst to similar kids-centric services bowing on Hulu Plus (“Hulu Kids” in 2012) and Amazon Prime Instant Video.

The children’s programming is commercial free and usually evaluated in advance by nonprofit educational groups.

Indeed, Amazon Original preschool programming is being developed with the support of Dr. Alice Wilder, who worked as the producer and director of research and development for series “Blues Clues” and “Blues Room.” During her nearly decade-long involvement with “Blues Clues,” Wilder helped pioneer a new level of interaction between a show and its young viewers.

Specifically, Amazon said Wilder’s expertise will help give parents confidence that the programs provide valuable skills and life lessons that children can use in their real life while being entertaining at the same time.

“With an educational system that is focused on test-preparedness, literacy and numeracy, many parents find their kids faced with a curriculum gap. By combining core content with creativity and play, we will be able to help parents fill that gap,” Wilder said in a statement.

 

 

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