Play School

9:30am – Monday, January 28 on ABC2

In this new week day series of Play School, we explore the theme of dinosaurs.

Young children love learning about dinosaurs. They like to stomp about and roar like dinosaurs and they also enjoy hearing stories, singing songs and looking at pictures of these fantastic creatures of long ago. During this new week day series, there are many creative opportunities to enthral all those preschoolers interested in dinosaurs, and they’ll have lots of fun roaring and stomping about like dinosaurs along with the presenters.

Review Episode: Monday, January 28 at 9.30am on ABC4Kids During episode one of this five day series on dinosaurs, Alex Papps and Leah Vandenberg create a swampy forest, make a Gigantosaurus, and dig for pretend dinosaur bones in the Play School sandpit.

Preschoolers will also see other young children pretending to be dinosaurs during Through the Windows segment; Alex reads Stomp! by Ruth Paul; and Alex and Leah sing dinosaur-inspired songs.

9:30am – Monday, December 17 on ABC2

Sand and Sea – Play School’s new five-day series.

In this new weekday series of Play School we explore an environment enjoyed by many young Australians – sand and sea.

For those children who are familiar with the sand and sea this series provides many opportunities to revisit experiences of playful activity, exercise and family fun. For children less familiar with our coastal environment there are many opportunities to see and play with the open-ended materials of the beach, especially sand and water, and to learn about sea creatures and their habitats, boats and birds.

We also explore colours, patterns and shapes as we make, explore and play together.

Review Episode: Monday, December 17 at 9.30am on ABC4Kids In today’s ‘Sand and Sea’ program Jay and Justine build sandcastles; Justine decorates a cardboard beach hut; Jay paints a rock pool picture; and Jay, Justine and Big Ted pretend to be jellyfish.

During the ‘Through the Windows’ segment, children will see live rock pools, plus Jay reads My Holiday by Sumiko, and lots of fun songs about sand and sea are sung.

9:30am – Monday, October 1 on ABC2

This week in Play School, we explore sensory play and the theme of Messy.

Sensory play utilises all five senses, but the sense of touch is the most frequent focus of ‘messy play’.

Sensory play encourages creativity, exploration of materials, and fine motor skills. Children develop early maths, science and language skills through messy play. Don’t be afraid of a little mess. Young children can be encouraged to clean up and pack away after activities.

Relax and enjoy the many messy activities through this week’s programs.

In today’s ‘Messy’ program Leah and Teo will read the story Yawn, by Sally Symes, and the ‘through the windows’ segment will feature the films Messy Montage and Baby and Sibling Eating.

9:30am – Monday, September 24 on ABC2

The Play School presenters explore the various aspects of the day/night cycle during this new five day series called Day and Night.

During each of the five episodes the presenters, Alex Papps, Jay Laga’aia, Rachael Coopes, Leah Vandenberg and Teo Gebert, focus on a different time in the twenty four hour cycle. They explore the routines and patterns that children may experience at various times of day and night.

The presenters also investigate the changes associated with day and night in the outdoor environments of both city and country landscapes. They discover the people, animals, birds and insects that inhabit these worlds during day and night.

Monday, September 24 at 9.30am on ABC4KIDS The first episode of the new five day series focuses on dawn.

Alex Papps and Jay Laga’aia make salt pictures. They use paint to create colourful patterns on paper and then sprinkle salt crystals onto the wet paint. When they shake of the salt crystals, a surprise pattern is revealed.

During the windows film, preschoolers will see a baker making bread early in the morning. Following this Alex and Jay animate the toys in a pretend baker’s shop. Plus this episode’s story is How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers.

9:30am – Monday, July 2 on ABC2

During this new five-day series, the Play School presenters explore the concept of ‘favourite things’ through singing, moving and pretending, making and creating, looking at books and listening to stories.

Children and families are also encouraged to remember their own special times, places and people as the Play School presenters share their experiences and memories – Teo shares a special photo of his Grandad and dog, and Rachael’s cat, Max, visits Play School.

In each episode they also sing ‘My Favourite Things’ and place something special on a treasure shelf for favourite things.

Review Episode: Monday, July 2 at 9.30am on ABC4KIDS In today’s Favourite Things Alex and Emma make things with clay; Emma makes strawberry and melon kebabs; in the Art Class segment a group make underwater scene collages; and the book The Runaway Hug is read.

***Please note: the preview DVD for this episode will be sent out at a later date.

From Monday, July 2 Play School will now screen daily at 9.30am on ABC4KIDS.

Preschoolers will now be able to watch Play School seven days a week as the series will screen daily from Monday, July 2 at 9.30am. Play School kicks off this milestone with the new five-day series – Favourite Things.

9:30am – Monday, January 23 on ABC2

Children are naturally inquisitive and always want to know about the world around them, so this week Play School adopts a ‘finding out’ attitude and explores the environment in a scientific way.

Through a mixture of play, observation, music and stories, Play School looks at colours; magnets and batteries; air and flying; chemical reactions; and movement. In each episode, open-ended questions like ‘What do you think would happen if?’ are asked to extend thinking and encourage exploration.

In addition, throughout the week Ruben Meerman, Play School’s resident scientist, also conducts experiments with a small group of young children. Ruben experiments with dissolving; making a simple electrical circuit; flying using air; observing chemical reactions; and chain reactions of moving objects.

Review Episode: Monday, January 23 at 9.30am on ABC4Kids In today’s ‘Let’s Find Out’ Emma and Andrew start by mixing red, yellow and blue water colours for painting. They then make surprise pictures using a candle and the water colour paint.

Next, Ruben the scientist mixes different things in water to see what dissolves and what doesn’t.

9:30am – Monday, December 12 on ABC2

Monday, 12 December 2011 Each week, Play School presenters and its famous toys; Big Ted, Little Ted and Humpty to name a few will go on adventure in the land of Play School, learning new things along the way.

This week, Play School learns about animals in the zoo, the lions, elephants, tigers, polar bears and gorillas.

In today’s episode Jay Laga’aia and Justine Clarke learn all about lions. They watch videos of lions in their habitat; hear their loud roar and observe the way they communicate with other lions.

Children will be able to interact with the world of Play School like never before with the new Play School Art Maker iPad app designed and created by ABC Innovation and ABC Children’s Multiplatform, in collaboration with Play School.

Aimed at 2 to 6 year-olds, the app is fun and easy to use. It encourages imagination and creativity through pictures, animated movies and story slideshows using the popular Play School toys and hand-made craft items from the iconic TV series.

It also focuses on audio guidance (voiced by current presenters Karen Pang and Alex Papps) allowing children to use it with little need for direction from their parent or carer.

The app will allow children to;

- Create pictures with a choice of eight fun backgrounds

- A range of Play School toys, animals, objects and craft items can be added to make a picture. Or the user can upload a photo from their own album as a background, bringing Play School into their world.

- Animate a Play School movie

- Pictures, objects and selected noise functions can be made into an animated movie at the tap of a button.

- Make a story slideshow

- Create more complex story sequences in the ‘Make a Story’ section where the user can link up to eight different pictures and movies in a slideshow.

- Catch-up on Play School episodes

- Watch an array of Play School episodes when connected to the internet.

Note: This feature can be disabled

Information section for parents

Controller of ABC’s Multiplatform Production, Arul Baskaran, said: “The Play School Art Maker app connects ABC TV’s iconic children’s show with the latest interactive technology. The app is beautifully designed and very tactile, resulting in a delightful new experience.”

The Play School Art Marker app is free and once installed no internet connection is required to make pictures, movies and story slideshows.

Download the app now at abc.net.au/playschool

9:30am – Saturday, September 17 on ABC2

Saturday,17 September 2011 After the 45th birthday celebrations of Australia’s iconic preschool show Play School, ABC Children’s TV is giving a special gift to the ABC 4 Kids audience with a filming of one of Play School’s popular concerts.

Join much loved presenters; Karen, Teo and Emma as they take Big Ted, Prince of Bears on an adventure to find his castle. Along the way, Prince Big Ted stops off at a farm, a forest and a cottage where he meets many friends including Little Ted, Jemima, Humpty, Scrap and Meeka.

Filmed in front of a live audience, this special Play School concert is filled with favourite nursery rhymes and great songs that will make you want to sing along and dance.

9:30am – Tuesday, July 26 on ABC2

Jonny Pasvolsky joins Play School as the show celebrates 45 years on air in July.

Best known for his roles in Offspring, McLeod’s Daughters and Rescue: Special Ops Jonny is dedicating his new role on Play School to his two young daughters.

Jonny said: “It’s a great privilege to be part of Play School and after working on serious drama productions over the years, I’m glad to be doing something that my daughters love to watch.” Jonny’s debut is part of the new episodes airing in July. His episode is themed ‘Arts And Crafts’.

Tuesday July 26 at 9.30am on ABC 4 Kids on ABC2 Jonny joins Justine Clarke in his debut episode as they create patterned plates with plaster of Paris and make dress up hats to wear to the story of Chicken Licken.

Then they visit the Play School gallery to see artworks displayed which they made throughout the episode.