Sprout Original: Musical Mornings
Overview
On weekday mornings, preschoolers and their families can sprout out of bed singing with this block of programming that focuses on children starting the day with music. During the three-hour block, host Coo, an animated cuckoo bird that lives in the Sprout® clock, introduces preschool-friendly music videos and musically themed shows from Sprout’s trusted programming library, including Dragon Tales,™ Sesame Street,® and Barney & Friends.™ Musical Mornings also includes the exclusive premiere of Bounce, a short-form series hosted by Elizabeth Balzano, a board certified music therapist from New York. Throughout Musical Mornings, live-action segments show real kids in their morning routines, with tasks like waking up, getting dressed and eating breakfast. Musical Mornings with Coo features long-time Henson puppeteer Julianne Buescher and songs written and produced by Mike Himelstein. Coo marks the television debut of a digital puppet using the groundbreaking real-time performed animation technology developed by The Jim Henson Company.
Program Goals
Musical Mornings helps parents start their preschooler’s day in an upbeat manner, exploring the joy of music, and helping to reinforce key morning routines. As part of the block, music therapist Elizabeth Balzano hosts Bounce, which encourages children to connect to their emotions, thoughts and words through music.
Program Type
Early morning program block hosted by Coo, the animated cuckoo bird that lives in the Sprout clock.
Program Style
Digitally animated puppet host, animated program segments, live-action host for Bounce music segment, and live-action segments featuring kids in their morning routines.
Show Schedule
Airs weekdays from 6 – 9a ET.
Interactive Components
Preschoolers and their parents can visit SproutOnline.com and view video clips of Coo singing some of her favorite songs. The site also includes activity pages featuring Coo.
Co-Viewing Components
Themed songs including “Morning Checklist” and “Getting Ready” encourage families to watch together as parents help their preschoolers get going each morning. Segments featuring real kids practicing their morning routines help parents reinforce these habits with their own preschoolers.