Play School (Australian TV series)

*Play School*
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	49
No. of episodes	4,516 (approx.)
Production
Executive producers	Claire Henderson; Henrietta Clark (1968–1984, 1990–1999); John Fox; Virginia Lumsden; Jan Stradling; Allan Kendall;
Producers	Allan Kendall; Henrietta Clark; Ros Lawson; John Fox; Tracey Ellison; Wendy Gray; Sophie Emtage; Sarah Dabro; Bryson Hall; Natalie Martin;
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 educational television show for children produced by the educational department^[2] of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), based on the original British version created by Joy Whitby, with many of the presenters former school teachers, whilst others being a mix of well known stage and screen actors and musicians.^[2] It is the longest-running children's show in Australia and the second-longest-running children's show worldwide after British series Blue Peter.^[3]

An estimated 80% of pre-school children under six watch the program at least once a week.^[4] It is screened three times each weekday on ABC Kids, at 9 am, 11:30 am and 3:30 pm (from 7 July 2014) and twice daily each weekend at 9 am and 3:30 pm.

Play School was admitted to the Logies' Hall of Fame in 2006,^[2] the program's 40th anniversary year. It is one of only five Australian television programs to be inducted.

^ "Play School By The Numbers". Twitter. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Play School: the early years". Earshot. 18 July 2016. ABC Radio National. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
^ Aedy, Richard (22 July 2011). "Talkback: 'There's a bear in there', 45 years of Play School". Life Matters. 5 minutes in. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ABC Radio National. Archived from the original on 20 August 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
^ "All About The Australian Broadcasting Corporation" (PDF). Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2003. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 May 2006. Retrieved 11 September 2006.

[1] "Play School By The Numbers". Twitter. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2016.

[early_years-2] "Play School: the early years". Earshot. 18 July 2016. ABC Radio National. Retrieved 8 June 2023.

[3] Aedy, Richard (22 July 2011). "Talkback: 'There's a bear in there', 45 years of Play School". Life Matters. 5 minutes in. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ABC Radio National. Archived from the original on 20 August 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2011.

[4] "All About The Australian Broadcasting Corporation" (PDF). Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2003. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 May 2006. Retrieved 11 September 2006.

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