Play School (Australian TV series)
| Play School | |
|---|---|
Logo since 2011 | |
| Genre | Children's television |
| Created by | Joy Whitby |
| Written by | Henrietta Clark |
| Directed by | Jennie McKenzie |
| Presented by | See Presenters |
| Theme music composer | Richard Connolly (lyrics by Rosemary Milne) |
| Opening theme | "There's a Bear in There" |
| Ending theme | "There's a Bear in There" (instrumental) |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 59 |
| No. of episodes | 2,670 episodes as at November 2025 (approx.) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Production location | Australian Broadcasting Corporation Studios |
| Running time | 25–30 minutes |
| Production company | Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC Television |
| Release | 18 July 1966 – present |
| Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) | |
Play School is an Australian preschool learning program, which has been produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation since 1966. Its presenters include a mix of former school teachers as well as well-known stage and screen actors and musicians. The program has also helped launch the careers of numerous Australian actors and television presenters.
The toy family, which has changed over the decades, includes Big Ted, Little Ted, Jemima, Humpty, Henny Penny, Daisy the cow, Korean twins Kim & Lisa, Banana, Kiya from Noongar country, Diddle the cat, Scrap the dog and more.
In 2003, it was estimated that 80% of Australian pre-school children under six watched the program at least once a week. In 2015, more than 10 million preschoolers tuned in to watch Play School on ABC iview. The program’s two apps had over 90 million sessions and 550 million screen views. Although audience reach is one indicator of success, the program’s primary aim since its earliest episodes has been to connect with children in ways that resonate with their everyday experiences.
It is the longest-running children's show in Australia and the second-longest-running children's show worldwide after British series Blue Peter which has broadcast since October 1958