Blue$ Clue$: Little Kids — Learning and Big Business

By Judith S. Gillies
Washington Post

If you think "Blue's Clues" is just a cartoon for little kids, think again. It's a carefully researched and designed television program with a mission. It's also a billion-dollar business with a strong brand, with lessons for adults as well as preschoolers.

The show "Blue's Clues," which debuted in 1996, featured Steve Burns as host. When Burns decided two years ago that it was time to leave, the producers looked at about 1,500 actors before choosing Donovan Patton, 24, as host. Associated Press

The series airs throughout the week on Nick.

The mission of the show is "to empower, challenge and build the self-esteem of preschoolers while making them laugh," said Angela C. Santomero, executive producer and one of the creators of "Blue's Clues."

Her role is strategic, "to maximize what we are doing, turning things on their head. For preschoolers, their work is their play. They love to play, love to learn. We want to extend their learning in play and are always asking how best to do that."

Questions are an important part of "Blue's Clues" as young viewers are invited into an animated world with a human host — originally Steve, now Joe — who tries to figure out the day's puzzles with help from a puppy named Blue. For example, the puzzle might be to figure out Blue's favorite snack or story.

The animated Blue puts her pawprints on three clues. The host talks directly to the camera, asks questions to get help from the audience, and pauses for several seconds to allow preschool viewers to respond aloud.

"We broke the mold for breakthrough interactive television," Santomero said. "It's such a huge responsibility, the way we tell stories and use educational learning theories."

Each episode starts at an easy level and gets harder, she said. The same show is aired all week because it allows young children to master the concepts.

"They are responding more verbally by the end of the week, which helps them retain the information," she said.

"Blue represents the youngest and Steve and Joe represent the teacher or camp counselor who's not afraid to be silly," Santomero explained. "He lets the kids lead him. It's my belief that he might know the answers but sometimes he doesn't know. It's all about modeling, thinking and problem-solving and figuring stuff out. What the preschoolers have to say is creative and smart."

The show, which debuted in 1996, featured Steve Burns as host. When Burns decided two years ago that it was time to leave, the producers looked at about 1,500 actors before choosing Donovan Patton, 24, as host.

What prepared him most for the part, Patton said, "is seeing my little sister, now 6, go through all the stages of preschool — and never completely wanting to grow up myself."

Steve Burns, the old host who is leaving the show and going to college, and Blue from Nickelodeon's "Blue's Clues." Gannett News Service

Scenes with the host are shot in front of a blue or green screen and the animated characters are added later.

"Basically, it's you and your imagination," Patton said. "The crew is there and it's a fun atmosphere and very conducive to playing. It's more difficult and easier than I ever thought it would be. At first I was trying to situate myself where nothing is. But Steve worked with me on all of the characters — I got a lot of help from him. You kind of have to run wild with it, let it all go and trust that the rest of the program will be there later."

The staff worked hard on the transition, Santomero said. "We considered what it's like for a preschooler in a new environment. The analogy was what it's like when they go to school or meet a baby-sitter for the first time. We love the idea that Steve is going to college and that we could let kids see what college would look like also."

Today's prime-time episode of "Joe's Surprise Party" is designed to get children to think beyond themselves, Santomero said.

Preschoolers will be able to think about preparing for a party and have a sense of cooperation with the show's characters as well as doing something for someone else. The episode also will have animated characters speaking directly to viewers, she said, a responsibility usually borne by the host.

"Blue's Clues" is one of the most-popular television shows for preschoolers, Nick said. The show averages about 4 million viewers each week on Nick and CBS, said Nielsen Media Research.

"It's one of the best programs on the air for preschoolers," said Ranny Levy, executive director of the Coalition for Quality Children's Media, a nonprofit children's advocacy organization with headquarters in Santa Fe, N.M. "Kids respond well to it. It's well thought out with colorful characters and music and is effective in encouraging interaction. Everybody was concerned about Steve leaving the show, but it was handled well and there was a good transition."

This year, "Blue's Clues" won a George Foster Peabody Award, administered by the University of Georgia, which cited the show as "a play-along, think-along animated series for preschoolers that continues year in and year out to respect its very special audience."

Alice Wilder, "Blue's Clues" research and development director and producer, said, "Every episode is carefully designed with an approach to learning — whether it be beginning reading skills or creativity or life skills or math — that will enhance the life of a preschooler."

Episodes of "Blue's Clues" are tested on three levels — for scripts, animation and content — with children in public and private schools in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, she said. Sometimes the tests show that something isn't clear or that it might be too easy, in which case changes are made in the program.

"We are really responsible," said Wilder, who has a doctorate in educational psychology from Columbia University's Teachers College. "We know the impact of television and know how impressionable preschoolers are. We're very careful about what we put on and how we approach it. There's a 10- to 11-month process for each episode. Each aspect of the show is thought about and really discussed, from the writing to the music to the art ... and we keep checking back with the kids to know how things are going."

Programs also are designed to give parents ways to approach learning with their children, Wilder said.

For more ideas, see www.nickjr.com/grownups/home/shows/blue/.