Play School

Today I took my children to see a Play School concert.  I'm not sure who was more excited, me or them.  I suspect me.  

Play School has been on Australian television for...I don't know, EVER.  I grew up with a steady diet of Noni Hazlehurt, John Waters, Benita Collings, et al.  Check out the previous presenter and a bit of the history on the ever reliable (??) Wikipiedia here. I can remember not being so keen on it as I grew out of my infant years and having to watch it with my younger brother.  Obviously I was too cool to make the stuff with paper, pipe cleaners, cellophane and the like.  Now that I am much older and have children of my own, I LOVE IT!  They come up with such cool ideas for making stuff.  The sets are colourful, but still have the 'home-madey' feel about them.  They read a story and tell the time every single show - terrific for children's learning - and they are always dropping in interesting facts about animals or nature.  My four year old loves it, and is especially excited by the new episodes.

Luke Caroll

Play School makes sure it has a good cultural and diverse mix of presenters.  There is Karen, who has a Chinese background, Jay Lagia, an Islander, Leah who looks of Indian background and has a Dutch surname, there is Sofia who is deaf, and there is an Indigenous man who presents quite often (I believe his name is Luke?).  The presenters are also a mix of tried and true oldies, Andrew and Georgie, and some young up and comings, Teo and Brooke.  Some of the presenters are better than others, and we all have our favourites.  

Recently Play School has launched the fairly successful Justine Clarke and Jay Lagai into just about every home where there is a child and a stereo across Australia.  They have both released albums of kids songs, and tour regularly to sell out crowds of under fives- plus parents.  The good news about these performers is that their music isn't horrible.  It isn't the Wiggles and it certainly isn't Hi-5 (we call Hi-5 the Low-brow Wiggles).  it can easily be popped on in the car and essentially ignored, or sung along to by parents.  It doesn't demand you to count down backwards from 10 or to clap your hands and do actions.  And the kids like it because the know it.  ABC 2 is always flogging Justine's songs, they play her music videos practically between every show.    

Alex Paps and Abi Tucker

 Anyway, I saw  an advertisement in a magazine a few months ago for Play School concerts.  I immediately rushed home to book and managed to get 4 tickets for a show in Ivanhoe.  I had spoken to a good friend who also loves Play School and has two kids, and we were set.  We discussed the concert at length.  Who would be presenting?  Who did we want?  Who didn't we want!?  I told my four year old who began a count down to the show.  My friend elected not to tell her little boy, he is a bit younger and doesn't really have the concept of delayed gratification yet.  Anyway, finally the big day arrived, TODAY!

We all prepared a picnic lunch and set off nice and early.  Apparently there was a chance that the performers would come out to meet the kids before or after the show!  We also wanted to get good seats....it is just a general admission gig and I knew that there would be some serious groupies there pushing for the front.  Anyway, we arrived.  There was a good mix of people there, bogans, middle class, older parents, younger parents, children from every cultural background imaginable.  It just goes to show that Play School bridges all divides

There he is, Jay, right in front of us!

I had talked down the presenters to my daughter.  She really wanted Justine and Jay...but I was pretty sure that those two would be off doing their own tour.  I knew I really didn't want Brooke Satchwell (I find her performances a bit wooden).  My friend didn't want Leah, I wanted Georgie...the list went on.  When we walked into the foyer before the show there was a smell of dirty nappies, the children were crazed and excited.  It was hot and when we peeked into the hall...there were hardly any seats.  It was an on the floor event.  

None of this mattered.  We were at Play School.

 We found a seat, right at the front.  I braved sitting on the floor (not easy with a recently broken/on the mend coccyx) and we waited.  at 12 on the dot the music started and out came JAY!! and ABI TUCKER!  I was stoked!  I am a bit of a McLeod's Daughters fan, and Abi Tucker was a bit of a star in that..I can't believe I just admitted I like McLeod's Daughters...   Anyway, they came out and did their thing!  It was great.  They sang all teh songs, had the kids (and parents) up dancing and doing actions, there was telling the time and a story time play.  At the end they came out into the crowd and did a bit of singing and dancing among the kids.  My daughter was lucky enough to have her hair ruffled by Abi (okay, I admit it, I'm jealous of a 4 year old).

Humpty and Jemima (we got a Jemima in orange overalls)

  Once it was all over we diligently queued up to buy the kids a toy.  My daughter chose a big Humpty, and I got a big Jemima for my 11 month old son.  Clearly the tickets didn't need to be expensive...we all bumped up the profits on soft toy sales.

I am home now, and my baby has fallen asleep (he was so tired).  My daughter has had a little rest with Humpty in Mum's bed and I could curl up for 40 winks too given half a chance.  What a great day.

 

 If Play School is having a concert near you, I couldn't recommend it highly enough.

 Thank you Jay, thank you Abi, thank you  ABC!