Fun Freetime: Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood premieres today, September 3! The first television show from The Fred Rogers Company since Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and inspired by the enduring legacy of children’s television innovator Fred Rogers, the vibrantly colorful new program invites viewers to explore the imaginative Neighborhood of Make-Believe with 4-year-old Daniel Tiger and his best friends as they learn important skills and strategies necessary for growing up.  Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood also features an activity-rich website with free, interactive games for preschoolers, online resources for parents and teachers and other valuable and fun cross-platform content. Below is a conversation with the series’ Executive Producers, Kevin Morrison, Chief Operating Officer of The Fred Rogers Company, and Angela C. Santomero, Co-Founder of Out of the Blue Enterprises.

Q.        How have Fred Rogers’ groundbreaking concepts been updated to appeal to a whole new generation of young viewers and their parents?
A.S.     Fred’s curriculum is timeless.  But our approach to his curriculum was planned with today’s preschoolers in mind because we wanted to make sure that we were reaching them most effectively in terms of appeal and learning.
Q.        How did you develop the characters for the show?
A.S.     Although the characters were initially based on the puppets in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, our goal was to give them a multi-dimensional feel so they’re true to the personalities of preschoolers.
K.M.   We want children to feel that they’re friends with the characters – and hopefully aspire to be like them so they are engaged and learning the strategies right alongside Daniel and his cohorts.
Q.        What role does music play in Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and why do you think using song-based strategies is so effective?
A.S.     Music is an integral tool for learning in Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.  Our musical strategies are unique and catchy.  Parents and children will be singing them all day long!  For preschool viewers, music propels the curriculum forward, ensuring that they truly understand why a particular strategy was needed and how it helped our characters. 
K.M.   And couching a key strategy in an easy-to-remember song makes it very simple for parents to help their children incorporate that new skill into their daily lives.
Q.        Recent research shows that early development of solid social and emotional skills leads to success later in life.  How did this help inform the creation of the show?
A.S.     Pro-social values have been shown by numerous studies to be imperative to later social and academic success for children.  Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood helps hone the skills that prepare young viewers to be optimal learners in kindergarten and beyond.  Encouraging children’s self-confidence, combined with the ability to regulate their impulses and appreciate adult guidance, gives them the solid foundation they need going forward.
Q.       How can Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood be a useful tool for parents and preschoolers beyond the television screen?
A.S.     Moms and dads who have previewed the show have called it “A user’s guide for today’s parent!”  We’re finding that parents and caregivers are writing down our strategies and using them when they need to encourage their kids to be patient, when they’re nervous about a new experience or when they’re disappointed.  We hope to have a useful strategy for every situation a parent could find themselves in!