The Enid Blyton Society

Remember these pre-school shows of the 70s and 80s?

Play School had fascinating films through windows and people singing, telling stories and interacting with inanimate toys. Rainbow had fascinating animation and people singing, telling stories and interacting with puppets with defined personalities and characteristics.

I always felt Play School emphasized education to children whereas Rainbow emphasized morals. But which do you think was the more beneficial to children?

Hmm, hard to say as I've really only clear memories of rainbow - although I thought and do still think Floella Benjamin was the best thing to kids TV - that woman is fantastic.

Have to say though, after listening to a version of rainbow I've on an MP3 file, I'll never see it in quite the same light again

Stephen wrote: But which do you think was the more beneficial to children?

Beneficial....that's the question! I preferred Rainbow, mainly as I have memories of my two boys loving it. It was probably more beneficial to them as we watched and laughed together (great family bonding )

Nevertheless, I gave my vote to Playschool as I feel this had more educational value. Also, it highlighted windows before Microsoft made it a brand name!

Arrgh - I just clicked Playschool by mistake but I meant to vote for Rainbow! Would it be possible to change my vote, please? I didn't much like Playschool - I'm not sure why - but I loved Jeffrey, Zippy and co! I bought a video of the show for my children but it was later than the episodes I watched as a child, and I was dismayed to see Jeffrey with grey hair!

Does anyone remember another 1970s show called A Handful of Songs? A man and woman would play guitars and sing songs like "A Mouse Lived in a Windmill," "I Can Sing a Rainbow" and "Puff the Magic Dragon." My sister and I used to annoy the neighbours by singing those songs at the tops of our voices out in the garden!

[George@Kirrin:] "Have to say though, after listening to a version of rainbow I've on an MP3 file, I'll never see it in quite the same light again."

What's that all about then, or shouldn't I ask?


Anita

[Moonraker:] "Also, it highlighted windows before Microsoft made it a brand name!"

And Enid Blyton's Google Buns came long before the search engine!

Anita

Anita Bensoussane wrote: [George@Kirrin:] "Have to say though, after listening to a version of rainbow I've on an MP3 file, I'll never see it in quite the same light again."

What's that all about then, or shouldn't I ask?


Anita

Check your email Anita, but I can't be held responsible if you decide to play it!!!

Curious and Curiouser.........

I don't know about beneficial, but I always liked Rainbow better. Even as a child I felt patronised by Playschool (and Hamble the doll was plain freaky!).

Anita, I don't remember the show "A Handful of Songs", it may have been before my time, or at least my memory (I was born in '76) but I know loads of that type of song. I really annoyed my family by singing "A mouse lived in a windmill" ad nausem on a holiday to the Norfolk Broads! As my mother told me years later, "It's lucky you can sing or you'd have mysteriously disappeared into a reedy backwater!"

My real favourite childhood programme is Button Moon. The excitement when I found they show it on CBeebies was phenomenal

[Lulie:] "Even as a child I felt patronised by Playschool (and Hamble the doll was plain freaky!)."

I know what you mean about Playschool, Lulie!

My sister and I never liked Hamble with her miserable, screwed-up face. If anyone has the Dean&Son edition of Adventures of the Wishing-Chair there's a picture on page 111 of a boy who pulls awful faces and I've always thought that, in that picture, the boy's face and hair look just like Hamble's!

Anita

George@Kirrin wrote: Have to say though, after listening to a version of rainbow I've on an MP3 file, I'll never see it in quite the same light again

I think I know the version you mean

I agree with most, Rainbow was more friendly and enjoyable. However, the question was "which do you think was the more beneficial to children?", which is why I voted for Playschool.

what is rainbow i thought it was like a girl guiding thing.

Do you think of this ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUzxdulMGN4

or this....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQq5D8v2jBE


Sorry! We watched Sesame Street .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXAb8PsK ... arch=[url]

I can't view you-tube or any video content, it says that "You have not turned java on or you've not got the latest flash player." So I go and download it, and after about 3 seconds of downloading, it says flash player 9 has been installed, so I go to you tube and it again and get the same thing, "You either have java turned off, or you have not got the latest flash player." This has been going on for many weeks, and it keeps irking me coz I want to see what Peter Pan is posting!

Sorry Susie,can't help you .Really.
Some tips here!
Which version of Flash Player do you have?
Do you have installed the newest Java platform?Switched off/on?
There is a trouble shooting on YouTube.
Go to the mainside of YouTube -) go to Help -)You are in the Helpcenter now -)go to the point: Common Error Messages -)then you are coming to:

General Error Messages
Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Macromedia's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.

And further...switch off the cookie-barricade(don't know the English word)
and Pop-up blocker in your browser.
Otherwise contact Matt.I think he's a good expert.