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🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

How Play School stays relevant to Australian kids after 60 years

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Play School, a beloved Australian children's program, is celebrating 60 years on air, maintaining its relevance through direct engagement with young viewers.
  • Presenters emphasize the importance of one-on-one eye contact with the camera to make each child feel personally addressed.
  • The show is considered an "Australian family heirloom," passed down through generations, with its enduring success attributed to a focus on children and respect for its history.

For 60 years, Play School has captivated Australian children, and its enduring appeal lies in a simple yet powerful principle: making every child feel seen and spoken to directly. Presenter Justine Clarke, who has been with the show for nearly 30 years, highlights the vital importance of that one-on-one eye contact from the camera to the child, a golden rule that has remained constant since the program's inception.

To be able to speak directly to that one child, it's really important. It's about, saying, 'I see you. Join me. Get up with me. Dance with me'.

— Justine ClarkeThe Play School presenter explains the show's core principle of direct engagement with young viewers.

"It's about, saying, 'I see you. Join me. Get up with me. Dance with me'," Clarke explains, emphasizing the show's ability to foster a personal connection. Over its six-decade history, more than 100 presenters and a team of experts have guided generations of children through learning through play, creating a deep generational bond.

I think Play School is like Australia's family heirloom, and it gets passed down from generation to generation. We all feel like it belongs to us. It's our show. And it's no accident that it's still here after 60 years. It's because people have cared for it and respected what has come before. And put the child at the centre of it.

— Justine ClarkeClarke reflects on the show's cultural significance and enduring legacy.

Clarke likens Play School to an "Australian family heirloom," passed down from generation to generation. She believes its continued presence after 60 years is no accident, but rather a result of collective care and respect for what has come before, always prioritizing the child at the center. This sentiment is echoed by guest writer Benjamin Law, who is crafting an episode on the sense of taste, noting the show's ability to navigate acceptable topics, like burps, while steering clear of others, like farts.

You're going to do a burp. So, we need a very talented actor and presenter who can burp on cue.

— Benjamin LawThe guest writer jokes about the requirements for a presenter in an episode about the sense of taste.

Even archival segments resonate with contemporary audiences. Don Spencer, a presenter from 1968, finds it comforting to see his younger self on screen, exploring senses like smell with Snowball the rabbit. He notes that the themes explored in 1968 remain relevant today, proving that while the world changes, the core of Play School's educational and engaging approach remains timeless.

Senses are part of our being so it's still a current thing at whatever year it is. What we did in 1968 is still relevant now.

— Don SpencerThe former presenter reflects on the timeless relevance of the show's content, even from decades ago.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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