ITV

Category: Kids

  • VOOT Kids partners with BBC Studios CBeebies

    VOOT Kids partners with BBC Studios CBeebies

    MUMBAI: Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd’s digital arm Viacom18 Digital Ventures has gone live with India’s most inclusive kids’ entertainment and fun learning OTT application, VOOT Kids, featuring popular content from BBC Studios’ CBeebies.  

    Catering to the digitally native kids’ ecosystem, VOOT Kids is all set to redefine entertainment and learning through a diverse and multi-genre content offering across Watch, Read, Listen and Learn segments. Further expanding the entertainment experience in the kids’ category, VOOT Kids, the all-new fun edutainment platform, has engaged with iconic brands including BBC Studios’ CBeebies, to fortify its rich content library by licensing some of their most popular shows that bring to life the engaging world of fun and learning. 

    The premium pre-school content on VOOT Kids, including award-winning series fromCBeebies, will provide young viewers with an immersive experience of learning while they have fun. Offering the most pedagogically advanced learning and edutainment content, CBeebies is a globally
    well-known and trustworthy brand with a wide range of shows, produced by developmental experts to promote imaginative play, social interaction, language skills and educational values.

    With its vast and multi-varied genre of content, VOOT Kids’ content slate (WATCH section) will now include much-loved titles from CBeebies, including the BAFTA and Emmy award-winning series, Hey Duggee, alongside other titles like Go Jetters, Dinopaws, Mr Bloom’s Nursery, Old Jack& Boat Rockpool Tales and CBeebies’ fabulous collection of bedtime stories.

    Speaking about VOOT Kids and the content from BBC Studios, VOOT Kids business head Saugato Bhowmik said, “With VOOT Kids our endeavor is to create a superior curated platform that brings together a prudent mix of fun and learning. Our diverse and expansive content library and games are a great way for parents to infuse meaningful and fun learning opportunities into the daily lives of kids, largely interested only in entertainment.”

    He further added “Kids love positive stories and adorable toons and the addition of CBeebies shows is sure to add significant diversity and value to our vast content slate.”

    Commenting on the recently signed content licensing agreement with Viacom18 Media, BBC Studios  South and South East Asia Sales Director Stanley Fernandes said, “We are pleased to be partnering with VOOT Kids to bring some of CBeebies’ favourite programmes back to Indian
    audiences. CBeebies is known worldwide for its impressive content line up, with programmes specially designed by developmental experts to promote imaginative play, social interaction, language skills, and educational values. Along with VOOT Kids, we are aiming to make screen time
    meaningful for kids, so that it is entertaining, engaging and enriching.”

    With over 5000+ hours of content consisting of children’s all-time favorite Indian and International shows like Dora the Explorer, Oswald, Motu Patlu, Peppa Pig, Chhota Bheem, Ben10, Barbie Dreamtopia ,  diverse  book titles , immersive  audio books and fun learning games, VOOT Kids is  all set to offer a dynamic and inclusive experience of fun, learning and entertainment.
     

  • Disney Channel India to launch new property ‘Imagine That’

    Disney Channel India to launch new property ‘Imagine That’

    MUMBAI: Disney Channel India is set to treat kids and families with an exciting property – Imagine That in the year 2020. Bringing back DIY in an all new avatar, Imagine That will tap into a kid’s natural desire to explore, imagine and create through a television show along with experiential
    initiatives; all centered around upcycling.

    The property will aim to create a platform for the free-spirited minds of the country and give a purpose to their creativity by introducing upcycling as a theme. Imagine That will start off with a television show with Rob – India’s biggest and most popular artist – who will inspire kids to think out of the proverbial box and motivate them to repurpose and transform resources into high quality art. This concept of upcycling with DIY will also be extended through a series of on-ground and digital engagements; each aimed to foster creativity and imagination in kids.

    “Curiosity and imagination are the cornerstones of every child in his growing years and with this property, we are encouraging kids to get creative and express themselves through the imaginative world of DIYs. It will give kids an opportunity to experience the fun in upcycling while instilling the importance of repurposing at a very young age. We are happy to partner with Rob who we believe will stimulate young minds into exploring their artistic side while making a difference to the world, one upcycled DIY at a time,” said Star India Infotainment, English and Kids Head Anuradha Aggarwal. 
     

  • Disney’s Frozen 2 collaborates with 67 brands

    Disney’s Frozen 2 collaborates with 67 brands

    MUMBAI: Disney’s Frozen 2, the sequel to one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time, is around the corner and the excitement amongst fans and brands is big. Disney’s consumer products business in India has collaborated with 67 brands across categories to bring alive the magic of Arendelle and its popular characters Elsa, Anna, Olaf and more.

    This is the highest for an animated film in the country.

    From apparel and dolls to accessories and back to school, young fans can own a piece of their favourite Frozen products across retail and e-tail destinations including Hamleys, Max, Reliance Trends, Pantaloons, Scholastic, and Flipkart. The range aims to provide kids and families a chance to be a part of Elsa and Anna’s enchanted world.

    SOME ASSOCIATIONS:

    ·         Pantaloons: Pantaloons’ has launched a Frozen collection for toddler and junior girls. It includes printed joggers, leggings, furry sweatshirts and sweater dresses with vibrant prints, embellished party dresses, denim shorts, sequined skirts, t-shirts made fun with interactive prints, fancy sequins and appliques and footwear featuring Frozen’s most loved characters.

    ·         Hasbro: A range of new dolls and playsets available at most major retailers and e-commerce sites. The products will help fans recreate the magic of the icy kingdom with unique and innovative play patterns and celebrate with singing Elsa and Anna dolls, recreate beautiful braids inspired from the movie and enact scenes from the movie with the Fold and Go Arendelle Castle portable playset!

    ·         Flipkart: With the highly anticipated Disney Frozen 2 releasing in theatres on November 22, E-commerce giant Flipkart is too gearing up to join on the celebrations. The days leading to the movie release will see thousands of Frozen 2 merchandise across Kids Fashion, Toys and School Supplies up for grabs on the platform with some very attractive offers and exciting prizes to be won.

    ·         ITC: Has launched a line of stationery products — Classmate notebooks, geometry boxes and colouring sets

    ·         Asian Paints: Launched a line of wall décor products (decals) around Frozen 2

    ·         Hamleys: This holiday season, Hamleys is bringing alive Disney Frozen for its consumers with the widest spread of products and exciting engagement activities in collaboration with Disney

    ·         Scholastic: The world-renowned publisher and distributor of Children’s books will be launching a range of Frozen 2 books across formats — Storybooks, Colouring & Activity, Sticker books

    Disney India  Executive Director and Head, Consumer Products  Sanjeet Mehta said, “Frozen is amongst the top franchises for Disney’s consumer products business in India and the excitement around it has gone up several notches with buzz around the upcoming movie. We are witnessing high demand from fans for products inspired by their favourite Frozen characters and we are thrilled to launch a vast collection across categories to celebrate the release of Frozen 2,” said Sanjeet Mehta, Executive Director and Head, Consumer Products, Disney India.

    Hasbro  Country Manager, India and Middle East Bhavesh Somaya said, “We are excited to give Disney’s Frozen fans an opportunity to relive their favorite movie moments through the best play experiences. To celebrate the magic of Disney’s Frozen 2, Hasbro has introduced unique and innovative play patterns such as singing Anna and Elsa dolls in new signature outfits, hair braiding tools, and even a Fold and Go Arendelle Castle portable playset.”

    Pantaloons Head of Marketing & E‐Commerce Ryan Fernandes said, “Frozen is a classic that has left the audience mesmerised with its on-screen magic. We at Pantaloons understand how kids connect with their favourite movie characters and we are delighted to launch a collection of apparel inspired by Frozen. The new range for toddler and junior girls vividly captures the movie’s essence and lets them flaunt their favourite character merchandise.” 

    Asian Paints  Group Brand Manager – Digital & Customer Experience O. N Praneeth said, “Frozen 2 gives us yet another opportunity to strongly connect with Frozen fans through some very innovative products and create best sellers, given the popularity of the characters. We are thrilled to already see the excitement and anticipation of our consumers around Frozen 2 and our range of products for it.  

  • Sony YAY! associates with Crossword Bookstores to celebrate Children’s Day

    Sony YAY! associates with Crossword Bookstores to celebrate Children’s Day

    MUMBAI: This Children’s Day, Sony YAY! in association with Crossword Bookstores took upon themselves to disrupt the regular routines of some families and brought them together for a day full of unlimited masti. The idea was to revive the innocent and euphoric yet simple delights of childhood in both kids and their parents through all the fun. Bringing this to life, the channel teamed up with the book-retail chain to curate a playful and fun bonding session.

    On this occasion, Honey Bunny joined the parents and kids at Crossword Bookstore, Oberoi Mall to play various fun games where they competed against other teams to solve exciting puzzles and answer questions where their knowledge of their favorite YAY! toons was put to test. And that’s not all, Honey Bunny also opened the dance floor for their young fans and danced along with them to the groovy beats of the foot tapping number from ‘Honey Bunny Ka Jholmaal’ show. The fun day out also created a lot of buzz on social media as the event saw the presence of leading mommy bloggers along with their kids to meet Honey Bunny.

    The fun didn’t just end at Crossword Bookstores as Sony YAY! brought all that masti on their channel as well through a day long movie marathon of popular 'Honey Bunny Ka Jholmaal' movies. The movie mania starting right from 9.30 AM was packed with heavy doses of adventure, laughter, horror, comedy, action and excitement. The movies slated under the line-up were Honey Bunny in Crazy Family Adventure, Honey Bunny as Super team X reloaded, Honey Bunny Train Chase, Honey Bunny in Kung Fu Challenge and many more.

    Honey Bunny also made a surprise visit to the hit Marathi comedy show Maharashtrachya Hasyajatra on Sony Marathi and took over the Children’s Day special episode and left the audience in splits with their comic timing and light hearted banter. They also got all to groove on their special dance moves on the sets and had the audience swaying with them on the beat. The cat jodi also extended the Children’s day celebration on the sets of popular Sony SAB TV show Aladdin – Naam Toh Suna Hoga.

    Sony Pictures Networks India, Kids’ Genre Business Head Leena Lele Dutta said, "Children’s Day is that one special day of the year where not just the young, but even the young-at-heart celebrate the simple joys of childhood. What makes the day so special is that it transcends all age groups. On this day, Sony YAY! aims to reach out to kids and their parents and see them let go of all inhibitions and just enjoy being a kid. Through our initiative, the aim is to bring children and their parents together where they can rediscover their inner child, have fun and create memories for a lifetime.”

    Crossword Bookstores CEO Chiragh Oberoi said, “Along with the importance of academics, life values also go a long way in the overall development of a child and shaping their future. I am glad that we marked Children’s Day celebrations this year in Mumbai in association with Sony YAY! to provide an engaging experience to our young audience. At Crossword Bookstores, we envision to make learning an interesting experience with many such enriching experiences in the future.”

  • Nickelodeon launches #Khulkebolo campaign for Children’s Day

    Nickelodeon launches #Khulkebolo campaign for Children’s Day

    MUMBAI: What is the most beautiful thing about kids? It is their innocence which is often lost as they grow older. Embracing this innocence and honesty of kids, this Children’s Day, Nickelodeon India has launched the campaign – #Khulke Bolo – encouraging kids to be themselves and speak openly without any fear and filter.

    As a part of the initiative, Nickelodeon has released its Children’s Day brand film which focusses on how children are untouched by the layers of social conditioning of do’s and don’ts and self-consciousness that burden the adults. The 30second film starts off with a classroom scene where kids are busy drawing under the supervision of a teacher. The protagonist shows his work to the teacher, asking if it is good and the teacher responds by saying what matters is that he tried. The film then moves to a modern art museum where the kids and the teacher are looking appreciatively at an abstract sculpture. The protagonist breaks the deathly silence of the museum by parroting what the teacher taught him – that while the result is not great, what matters is the effort! The embarrassment of the teacher further highlights the innocence of the kid. Conceptualized by the creative agency Scarecrow M&C Saatchi, the film is on-air across the Nickelodeon franchise and its social media platforms and is garnering phenomenal response from the audiences.

    Speaking about the campaign,  Viacom18 Hindi Mass Entertainment & Kids TV Network Nina Elavia Jaipuria  , said, “We at Nickelodeon keep children at the core of all that we do and on their special day, we want to celebrate kids with all their quirks and innocence. With this innovative campaign, we want to encourage and empower children to speak their mind openly and fearlessly. This Children’s day, Nickelodeon urges all to speak their mind and bring out the child within.”

    The Children’s Day campaign will be promoted heavily on social media through Facebook and Instagram as well as YouTube. Nickelodeon has reached out to prominent influencers and mommy bloggers to spread the message of #khulkebolo. Apart from this Nickelodeon will be celebrating Children’s Day at prominent malls in Mumbai and Delhi like Experia mall, Pacific mall etc. As an extension to the campaign, the brand has partnered with Rohit Tiwari’s theatre group, Theatrewalas, to curate a street play bringing alive the thought of #khulkebolo. The street play will be performed by child artists at Churchgate terminus and other prominent locations of Mumbai.

  • Kids’ channels and Children’s Day programming

    Kids’ channels and Children’s Day programming

    MUMBAI: For kids’ channels, Children’s Day is the most important day of the year. Despite not raking in any special reach or viewership, channels yet air special episodes for their young audiences.

    Discovery Kids and Sony YAY! will be airing special episodes throughout the day. Sony YAY! will run a Movies Marathon with back to back Honey Bunny movies right from 9 am throughout the day. Similarly, Discovery Kids will have new episodes on two IPs- Fukrey Boyzzz and Little Singham. The channels are promoting their fresh line-up across their networks.

    Sony YAY! business head Leena Lele Dutta said, “We keep doing activities and initiatives for our audience on their special day being the most significant day. I don't know why schools don't give a holiday. It is actually a full day for children but we keep them entertained. With Movie Marathon, the entire day is going to be filled with movies from our Honey Bunny catalogue which is Crazy Family Adventure, Train Chase to Haunted House, etc. So it will be playing on a loop for the entire day. We will be promoting the same on our channel and our network channels like Sab for appointment viewing.”

    Discovery Kids head Uttam Pal Singh said, “We are doing an extension of our recently-launched show Fukrey Boyzzz. When we launched our new IP, we had its extension plan for Children’s Day also. We have new episodes for Fukrey Boyzzz as a Children’s Day special. We have a second IP Little Singham for which we have a 60-min long special episode – Junglee Joker Jaayega Rokar on 14 November at 11.30 am. Kids will enjoy both our IPs together. Children’s Day is not a designated holiday. Kids have school that day so we have extended the flavour of our new episodes from 14 to 17 November – four-day long programming.”

    With regards to ratings and viewership on Children’s Day, channels don’t see any significant changes in the numbers. “We celebrate children throughout the year; it's not just one day. For us, it's an everyday effort of how do we connect with kids and how can we celebrate that. In terms of reach and ratings, Children’s Day does not shape up well. It’s our efforts because we club it not just for a day but for the week, so that we, hopefully, see some spark coming up for the channel with this programming,” said Singh.

    Even Dutta agreed that the channel doesn’t see any rise in viewership on Children’s Day as kids have school. She said, “The important thing is for them to be associated with Children's Day possibly extending the day over the weekend. That is why our association with the leading hotel chain is also over the weekend over brunch. There is no spike in viewership as such. It's not a special holiday for them to sit and binge-watch.”

    Sony YAY! also associated with a leading hotel chain for children's day where they will have a Honey Bunny sponsored brunch. It will be called Brunch with Honey Bunny. The toons will be present and the entire menu and dishes will be based on shows and movies of the channel. “We are also doing an association with Crossword. Parents and kids come together and for a day, the parent becomes the child. So we are not only celebrating Children’s Day for kids, but also the child in a parent,” informed Dutta.

    The channel also has a CSR initiative with an NGO. The kids will watch movies, play games and solve crosswords and puzzles.

    Kids-specific plot points will be played out on Sony Marathi’s Maharashtrachya Hasya Jatraa and on Sony SAB TV’s Aladdin – NaamTohSunaHoga. Again, it will be centred on Honey Bunny, kids and Aladdin. “So we are doing an all-rounded association that year on year we keep building in order to make it bigger and better. This year, unfortunately, Children's Day is on a weekday. Had it been on a weekend it would have been more robust. Having said that, the scale at which we are doing on-air and on-ground is quite large,” opined Dutta.

    Even Nickelodeon India has launched the campaign – #Khulke Bolo – encouraging kids to be themselves and speak openly without any fear and filter. Speaking about the campaign, Viacom18 Hindi Mass Entertainment & Kids TV Network Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “We at Nickelodeon keep children at the core of all that we do and on their special day, we want to celebrate kids with all their quirks and innocence. With this innovative campaign, we want to encourage and empower children to speak their mind openly and fearlessly. This Children’s Day, Nickelodeon urges all to speak their mind and bring out the child within.”
     

    Apart from kids’ channels some of the English GECs have also planned a special line-up for kids. Romedy NOW has curated a special property ‘Naughty & Nice’, which will showcase a line-up of animated movies including Mune, Sherlock Gnomes, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs and Sing from 10.15 am to 4.15 pm.

    Star Movies also unveiled its exciting line-up with the “Pop-Up Theatre: For the Kids” property. A line-up of interesting movies will air on 13 and 14 November 2019 from 4 pm onwards. Besides this, the channel is also bringing Deadpool for the very first time on Indian television on 17 November at 1 pm and 9 pm. Star Movies’ Pop-Up Theatre will air movies like The Boss Baby, COCO, Ferdinand, Incredibles 2, Baby’s Day Out and The Toy Story 3.

  • Viacom18 launches India’s first multi-format Kids app ‘VOOT Kids’

    Viacom18 launches India’s first multi-format Kids app ‘VOOT Kids’

    MUMBAI: Viacom18 is all set to expand its digital ecosystem with the launch of its first subscription play – VOOT Kids.

    Leading kids’ content on broadcast, Viacom18 now extends its thought leadership with a unique digital service for kids, which creates a seamless experience for both fun and learning in a safe, parentally controlled environment.  

    Certified by Early Childhood Association (ECA), VOOT Kids is India’s first and only multi-format Kids app offering Fun & Learning, with its largest and most versatile collection of over 20,000 videos, e-books, stories and quizzes, aims to usher in the next evolution in the kid’s digital ecosystem. Priced at INR 799 for a year and 99 per month with Free Trials in both packages, the VOOT Kids app is available to download on iOS and Play Store.

     “Viacom18 has grown over the years by focussing on white spaces that are challenging and yet have tremendous potential. As a network, we have been the undisputed leader in kids’ entertainment content since the past 5 years. Our digital play VOOT is the second largest video-on-demand platform in the country today.” said Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO & MD, Viacom18.

    “VOOT Kids is a synergy of these two growth stories from the house of Viacom18. Marking our sharper segmented foray into the world of subscription based VoD, VOOT Kids is India’s first and only multi-format Kids app offering Fun & Learning. No other kids app offers Watch, Read, Listen & Learn all at one place,” he added.

    With a mission to make screen time meaningful for Kids, the app strikes a balance between fun learning and entertainment for kids between the age of 02 to 08 years. The app will achieve this by delivering a holistic experience focussed on viewing, reading, listening and playing all in one place. The app encompasses Kids’ favourite toons, best of pre-school and learning shows, beautifully crafted picture e-books, audio stories and fun quizzes and will empower parents with relevant and superior quality engagement options for their children. Behind this impressive content line-up are partnerships with best in class brand owners and leaders like Nickelodeon, Oxford University Press, Warner Media, Green Gold, Ceebeebies, TV Asahi, Sony Music, Hasbro, Mattel, Lego and many more. 

     Speaking about VOOT’s venture into the premium subscription space, Gourav Rakshit, COO, Viacom18 Digital Ventures said, “The foray into the subscription space with VOOT Kids is the first step in our journey towards building an entire digital ecosystem under brand VOOT. VOOT Kids has been built on the 3 pillars of Product Experience, Content and Safety. In VOOT Kids, we are bringing an offering that is child-friendly, yet parent focussed and gives them an opportunity to bond with an immersive co-consumption experience. Our brand philosophy of ‘Masti Mein Acchai’ reflects our mission to make screen time meaningful.”

    VOOT Kids is a key enabler that enhances the bond between parents and children through immersive co-consumption experiences.  The curated ad-free content library has parental control features that allow parents to evaluate progress, limit screen time and track content consumed which makes VOOT Kids India’s safest one-stop online destination that entertains, engages and enriches kids, all under one roof.

    Elaborating, Saugato Bhowmik, Business Head, VOOT Kids said, “VOOT Kids is a category creating product in the space of digital fun learning that caters to needs of discerning Indian parents who seek meaningful screen-time that aids in holistic development of the child’s mental, emotional and social faculties. The app has the largest and most versatile offerings in the space of toon videos, e-books, audio stories and fun quizzes that provides children with a parent-controlled, safe and entertaining content destination.” He further added, “We believe masti should never be served up without acchai and the same holds true the other way around. And this is our guiding philosophy at VOOT Kids"

    VOOT Kids will be Viacom18’s first ever digital subscription service providing immersive content delivered through an elevated product experience and seamless gameplay. With this launch, VOOT Kids will bring alive the ‘Masti Main Acchai’ brand idea through a high decibel integrated marketing plan that will reach over 50 mn households driven by a mix of print, on-air, on-ground activations and digital outreach.  

  • Hungama launches ‘Hungama Kids’ with 2000+ minutes of short-format content

    Hungama launches ‘Hungama Kids’ with 2000+ minutes of short-format content

    MUMBAI: Hungama, India’s leading digital entertainment company has launched Hungama Kids, a platform for kids, parents and teachers to access content created and curated specifically for them. The destination will provide a comprehensive learning experience for children of all age-groups, teachers and parents by offering relevant and targeted content across diverse academic and parental topics. Hungama Kids’ library consists of over 500 videos in English and Hindi with new content added every day to ensure age-appropriate entertainment with ample academic opportunities. 

    The app provides a user-friendly interface with separate sections for kids and parents. The content is further categorized to suit the different needs of the diverse target audience – toddlers, school-going children, pre-adolescents and adolescents. Users get access to a universe of academic topics such as language practice, general knowledge, science, maths, social sciences and career guidance. This is in addition to infotainment videos covering nursery rhymes, bedtime stories, poems and more. Parents and teachers can consume counsel topics related to career guidance, parenting tips, pregnancy care, among other things. 

    Commenting on the launch of Hungama Kids, Hungama Digital Media  COO  Siddhartha Roy said, “We have continually worked towards crafting experiences that sit at the cusp of entertainment and technology. With Hungama Kids, we intend to address the serious gap that exists in the demand and availability of age-appropriate content and create an interesting educational experience for the audience. We are certain that the app will serve as the go-to infotainment destination and be appreciated by kids, parents and teachers alike.”

    The platform provides parents a gamut of features that include a range of parental controls, no third-party advertisements and no in-app purchases. A single subscription of ₹ 30 per month or ₹ 299 per year will allow users to stream HD-quality content on mobiles, laptops and tablets.

    Speaking about the platform, Hungama Digital Media  Vice President Soumini Sridhara Paul said, “Parents, today, have to be cautious of the format, medium, and type of content that their children are consuming. The content on the app is curated to be kid-friendly. It is especially designed to educate in an engaging and interactive manner. Our extensive library houses all original content ranging across academics, infotainment, and counsel for children of all age-groups and their parents or teachers.”

    Hungama Kids has been developed by D’Café. D’Café  CEO Vineet Dhawan said, “One of the biggest challenges of digital entertainment is ‘content delivery’. There are multiple issues from poor bandwidth to low-end devices, more so in India, where the sheer size of the audience presents OTT operators with more than one end-user challenge. Hungama has established itself as one of the biggest entertainment destinations in India. We were absolutely thrilled to be a part of the launch of the Hungama Kids platform and were mindful of the fact that we owe Hungama’s users the best video streaming experience. With Hungama Kids where the content library is so varied, we have ensured that when a viewer logs in to the app, content discovery is easy. With our intuitive design, and user-friendly functionalities, we aim to enable Hungama Kids acquire new users faster and increase cross-screen engagement. We look forward to continued innovation and a collaborative relationship in the future.”

    Available on Google Play Store, Hungama Kids is free to use for the first 24 hours, followed by a subscription fee of ₹ 30 per month or ₹ 299 per year  

  • One Take Media Co.(OTMC) brings “GoGo Bus” Animation to India

    One Take Media Co.(OTMC) brings “GoGo Bus” Animation to India

    MUMBAI: OTMC has acquired new 3D Kids Animated Series called GoGo Bus Season 1&2 with 26 episodes of 13 mins each.  The broadcast & OTT rights are open for entire world in Hindi.

    About GOGOBUS

    This series is about the adventures of the children, in a beautiful coastal town, who are learning and playing in Sunshine Forest Kindergarten. To keep the children safe, the kindergarten owner builds the world's first artificial intelligence school bus. The name of the bus is Gordon. When the children have problems, Gordon helps to solve them by transforming into different vehicles, such as a fire engine, an ambulance, a police car, an aircraft or a salvage vehicle.

    He can always find a way to help those kids in need and teach them understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. He is the best brother and mentor who can guide the kids on their way of growing up.
    The show takes a new approach to “edutainment,” combining social and emotional learning (SEL), some lovable supporting characters, and an exciting central character. 
     

  • Sony YAY! unites kids across the country for a noiseless and pollution free Diwali

    Sony YAY! unites kids across the country for a noiseless and pollution free Diwali

    MUMBAI:  Diwali, is inarguably one of the most awaited occasion for kids across India. The entire country is in the festive mood, children on their holidays and all geared up to revel in the celebrations. In all these festivities, one usually tends to overlook how our celebrations affect the animals around us. Animals have an acute sense of hearing and smell, the features that are a part of their survival mechanism. But the same attributes cause them acute disturbance and discomfort with the loud noise of crackers and the left over gunpowder. With an aim to bring awareness about the same and initiate a new tradition of celebrating noiseless and clean Diwali, Sony YAY! announced the 3rd edition of their landmark campaign – Pawsome Diwali. And who better than kids’ favorite cats i.e. Honey and Bunny from Sony YAY!  to drive this message forward.

    As a part of the entire drive, Honey and Bunny with their young fans donated ear mufflers to animal shelters and NGOs working towards animal welfare, to shield animals against the noise of fire-crackers. They also got together with NGOs like Jeev Basera, Stray Relief and Animal Welfare, India and Almighty Animal Care Trust to organize workshops across various key cities like Lucknow, Delhi and Chennai respectively to educate young minds about the importance of a noise-free Diwali.

    Not only this, social media celebrities also joined hands with YAY! to address all age groups and amplified the message through engaging videos and explanatory posts. Through their  digital outreach platforms, Sony YAY! also shared informative posts, contests and messages featuring Honey & Bunny requesting their fans to be more considerate to their pets and animal friends.

    The overarching thought was to instil a sense of empathy amongst the young fans so that they can celebrate Diwali in a pawsome way for years to come and bring happiness not only to their friends and family but also to animals.  

    Sony Pictures Networks India, Kids’ Genre! Business Head Leena Lele Dutta said,"Diwali is a festival of lights and not noise. With the first two years, we encouraged and introduced kids to the message of celebrating noise and pollution free Diwali. With the third edition the call for action evolves to inspire kids to make ‘cracker-free Diwali’ a habit. We want our next generation to understand the repercussions of bursting crackers and its adverse effects on pets, animals and even the environment. With Honey and Bunny being kid’s two favourite toon characters, our hope is that their message will positively translate in to a concrete change on these young and bright minds.”

    Rakhi Kishore, President- Jeev Basera (SPCA Lucknow), “In my opinion it's a great initiative by Sony YAY! that they are recognizing animal distress as a real problem. People should not forget that animals are an important and integral part of the ecosystem and they need to be loved and nurtured and cared for. Honey Bunny in their adorable form and character are spreading the beautiful message of having a safe and cracker-free (noise free) Diwali & Jeev Basera loved to be a part of this initiative of Sony YAY!.”

    Sai Vignesh, founder and president of Almighty Animal Care Trust, Chennai, “I support the initiative of Sony YAY! to raise awareness among kids about celebrating Diwali by not bursting crackers. Crackers are harmful to our health, environment and animals around us.”

    Vasanthi Kumar; Co- Founder & Managing Trustee, STRAW (Stray Relief and Animal Welfare) Delhi, “My experience with Sony YAY! has been Fantastic. Sony YAY! is a wonderful fun channel for children to connect with the world of animals & environment. Inspired from the initiative of Pawsome Diwali kids along with our NGO volunteers took a pledge on not bursting crackers this Diwali.”