235:
Each of the five classic shows actually consisted of only a very small number of episodes, all made on film – and all in black-and-white. Typically, not more than 26 programmes were filmed for each show, this being sufficient for a run of six months as there was only one broadcast per week. The aim
236:
was to provide children's programming on the cheap: the BBC Children's department had an extremely tiny budget, and needed a collection of films which could be endlessly repeated, typically in six-monthly cycles, for its undemanding pre-school age audience.
44:
486:
A 45rpm promotional single was available to radio disc jockeys, for promo only, entitled "Flob-A-Dob-A-Ben", in 1987. The single was not released on general release and was played often as a novelty record by
836:
1171:
1166:
1161:
1181:
1176:
1186:
1004:
142:
from 1952 until 1975, it was the first BBC television series aimed specifically at pre-school children, a development of BBC radio's equivalent
159:
for the title of the series was intended "to deflect fears that television might become a nursemaid to children and encourage bad mothering".
951:
854:
148:, which had begun two years earlier. In accordance with its intended target audience of pre-school children viewing with their mothers,
152:
was initially broadcast between 3:45 pm and 4:00 pm, post-afternoon nap and before the older children came home from school.
997:
245:
joined the Watch with Mother Monday slot in
December 1963, and caused worries that the original five shows would be replaced.
183:
was not adopted until April 1953, shortly before the programming was expanded to three afternoons a week with the addition of
872:
891:
1139:
990:
191:
818:
1104:
967:
508:
203:
913:"Of Finger Mice and Mr. Men - The Story of Watch with Mother Part Three: Now Where Shall we Find the Pogles?"
239:
From April 1963, Watch with Mother was moved to 10.45am (with a further slot at 1.30pm from
September 1963).
912:
524:
Between 1987 and 1993, four compilation videos with Watch with Mother shows have been released by the BBC.
1125:
241:
1090:
977:
483:
became a best-seller in 1987, and was followed by a second and a third in 1989 and a 'best of' in 1993.
317:
189:
that
September. The "classic" cycle of shows was in place by September 1955, with the first showing of
1118:
185:
375:
173:
had been regularly broadcast every week since mid-1950 (normally on
Tuesdays), and was joined by
144:
947:
449:
1048:
972:
748:
269:
341:
261:
131:
1111:
795:
253:
1076:
175:
139:
17:
1155:
48:
The opening titles from 1952. The film was reversed so the title appeared to flower.
435:
472:
title was dropped, as it was considered to be dated, and the strand was known as
1041:
488:
301:
43:
1069:
1027:
293:
285:
169:
135:
897:
1083:
277:
248:
Subsequent shows that occupied the Watch with Mother slot were as follows:
1132:
1062:
513:
367:
309:
1097:
1055:
1034:
409:
401:
333:
325:
91:
982:
752:, a television programme for school-age children that ran from 1937.
944:
British
Broadcasting; Radio and Television in the United Kingdom
986:
973:
Link to complete listing & details about all the programmes
480:
789:
787:
785:
783:
893:
Complete Watch With Mother / See-Saw Guide 1953 – 1988
506:
were remade as stop motion animations (the latter as
179:
in
December 1952 (normally on Wednesdays), the name
97:
87:
82:
74:
69:
61:
53:
34:
198:Broadcast at 1:30 pm each day, it comprised:
464:After 1978 – Name change and later developments
130:was a cycle of children's programmes created by
27:British children's television series (1952–1978)
968:More information and clips from the programmes
998:
265:- Mondays in 1966, Tuesdays from 1971 to 1972
8:
1172:1970s British children's television series
1167:1960s British children's television series
1162:1950s British children's television series
1005:
991:
983:
42:
31:
526:
767:
1182:1975 British television series endings
774:
640:Watch with Mother: The Next Generation
1177:1952 British television series debuts
7:
896:, Television Heaven, archived from
690:The Very Best of Watch with Mother
25:
946:, University of Minnesota Press,
911:Worthington, TJ (November 2006).
725:: Muffin and the Squeaking Shoes
1187:BBC children's television shows
498:In the early 2000s, the shows
397:- Wednesdays from 1978 to 1982
391:- Wednesdays from 1977 to 1988
385:- Wednesdays from 1973 to 1977
379:- Wednesdays from 1973 to 1980
371:- Wednesdays from 1973 to 1978
363:- Wednesdays from 1970 to 1973
1:
873:"Search Results – BBC Genome"
855:"Search Results – BBC Genome"
837:"Search Results – BBC Genome"
819:"Search Results – BBC Genome"
493:Andy Marriott Television Show
405:- Thursdays from 1969 to 1985
357:- Tuesdays from 1977 to 1980
345:- Tuesdays from 1975 to 1984
337:- Tuesdays from 1974 to 1988
329:- Tuesdays from 1974 to 1986
321:- Tuesdays from 1969 to 1973
313:- Tuesdays from 1967 to 1985
305:- Tuesdays from 1967 to 1971
978:Link to Museum of Broadcast
718:: "Mickey Murphy the Baker"
655:: "A Ride in Guinea's Jeep"
520:UK VHS releases (1987–1993)
445:- Fridays from 1973 to 1977
439:- Fridays from 1973 to 1978
431:- Fridays from 1970 to 1977
425:- Fridays from 1970 to 1975
419:- Fridays from 1970 to 1972
297:- Mondays from 1977 to 1988
289:- Mondays from 1972 to 1984
281:- Mondays from 1968 to 1975
273:- Mondays from 1966 to 1985
257:- Mondays from 1966 to 1973
1203:
231: – Fridays, from 1955
207: – Mondays, from 1955
1022:
890:Marcus, Laurence (2005),
459:- Fridays in 1977 to 1980
41:
1126:Tales of the Riverbank
942:Burton, Paulu (1956),
668:: "Strawberry Picking"
653:Tales of The Riverbank
242:Tales of the Riverbank
18:See-Saw (TV programme)
1091:Mary, Mungo and Midge
476:from 1980 to 1990. A
413:- Thursdays from 1971
318:Mary, Mungo and Midge
1119:Rag, Tag and Bobtail
673:Mary Mungo and Midge
622:Rag, Tag and Bobtail
573:Rag, Tag and Bobtail
223:Rag, Tag and Bobtail
186:Rag, Tag and Bobtail
900:on 10 February 2009
877:genome.ch.bbc.co.uk
859:genome.ch.bbc.co.uk
841:genome.ch.bbc.co.uk
823:genome.ch.bbc.co.uk
591:Watch with Mother 2
800:, BFI Screenonline
794:McGown, Alistair,
618:: "The Potato Man"
575:: "The Hazel Twig"
556:: "Paper Lanterns"
512:), which aired on
423:Along the Seashore
351:- Tuesdays in 1975
219: – Wednesdays
145:Listen with Mother
1149:
1148:
1015:Watch with Mother
953:978-0-8166-0127-1
797:Watch With Mother
739:
738:
542:Watch with Mother
478:Watch with Mother
470:Watch with Mother
453:- Fridays in 1976
225: – Thursdays
181:Watch with Mother
157:Watch with Mother
150:Watch with Mother
127:Watch with Mother
123:
122:
62:Original language
54:Country of origin
36:Watch with Mother
16:(Redirected from
1194:
1049:Camberwick Green
1007:
1000:
993:
984:
956:
928:
927:
925:
923:
908:
902:
901:
887:
881:
880:
869:
863:
862:
851:
845:
844:
833:
827:
826:
815:
809:
808:
807:
805:
791:
778:
772:
749:For the Children
716:Camberwick Green
582:: "Introduction"
527:
429:Along the Trail
270:Camberwick Green
213: – Tuesdays
118:
116:
108:
106:
83:Original release
46:
32:
21:
1202:
1201:
1197:
1196:
1195:
1193:
1192:
1191:
1152:
1151:
1150:
1145:
1018:
1011:
964:
959:
954:
941:
932:
931:
921:
919:
910:
909:
905:
889:
888:
884:
871:
870:
866:
853:
852:
848:
835:
834:
830:
817:
816:
812:
803:
801:
793:
792:
781:
773:
769:
759:
744:
735:
728:
723:Muffin the Mule
721:
714:
692:
684:
671:
658:
646:2 October 1989
642:
634:
627:
614:
596:2 October 1989
585:
578:
565:
547:5 October 1987
522:
466:
417:Along the River
389:Heads and Tails
165:
138:. Broadcast by
132:Freda Lingstrom
114:
112:
110:
104:
102:
49:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1200:
1198:
1190:
1189:
1184:
1179:
1174:
1169:
1164:
1154:
1153:
1147:
1146:
1144:
1143:
1140:The Woodentops
1136:
1129:
1122:
1115:
1108:
1101:
1094:
1087:
1080:
1077:Flower Pot Men
1073:
1066:
1059:
1052:
1045:
1038:
1031:
1023:
1020:
1019:
1012:
1010:
1009:
1002:
995:
987:
981:
980:
975:
970:
963:
962:External links
960:
958:
957:
952:
938:
930:
929:
903:
882:
864:
846:
828:
810:
779:
777:, p. 307.
766:
765:
758:
755:
754:
753:
743:
740:
737:
736:
734:
733:
730:The Woodentops
726:
719:
712:
706:
699:
697:
694:
686:
685:
683:
682:
681:: "The Circus"
676:
669:
663:
662:: "Honey Bees"
656:
649:
647:
644:
636:
635:
633:
632:
629:The Woodentops
625:
619:
612:
606:
599:
597:
594:
587:
586:
584:
583:
580:The Woodentops
576:
570:
563:
557:
550:
548:
545:
538:
537:
534:
531:
521:
518:
504:Flower Pot Men
465:
462:
461:
460:
454:
446:
440:
432:
426:
420:
414:
406:
398:
392:
386:
380:
372:
364:
358:
355:How do You Do!
352:
346:
338:
330:
322:
314:
306:
298:
290:
282:
274:
266:
258:
233:
232:
229:The Woodentops
226:
220:
217:Flower Pot Men
214:
208:
192:The Woodentops
176:Flower Pot Men
164:
161:
155:The choice of
140:BBC Television
121:
120:
99:
95:
94:
89:
85:
84:
80:
79:
76:
72:
71:
67:
66:
63:
59:
58:
57:United Kingdom
55:
51:
50:
47:
39:
38:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1199:
1188:
1185:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1175:
1173:
1170:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1160:
1159:
1157:
1142:
1141:
1137:
1135:
1134:
1130:
1128:
1127:
1123:
1121:
1120:
1116:
1114:
1113:
1109:
1107:
1106:
1102:
1100:
1099:
1095:
1093:
1092:
1088:
1086:
1085:
1081:
1079:
1078:
1074:
1072:
1071:
1067:
1065:
1064:
1060:
1058:
1057:
1053:
1051:
1050:
1046:
1044:
1043:
1039:
1037:
1036:
1032:
1030:
1029:
1025:
1024:
1021:
1017:
1016:
1008:
1003:
1001:
996:
994:
989:
988:
985:
979:
976:
974:
971:
969:
966:
965:
961:
955:
949:
945:
940:
939:
937:
936:
918:
917:Off the Telly
914:
907:
904:
899:
895:
894:
886:
883:
878:
874:
868:
865:
860:
856:
850:
847:
842:
838:
832:
829:
824:
820:
814:
811:
799:
798:
790:
788:
786:
784:
780:
776:
771:
768:
764:
763:
756:
751:
750:
746:
745:
741:
732:: "The Party"
731:
727:
724:
720:
717:
713:
710:
709:Flowerpot Men
707:
704:
701:
700:
698:
696:5 April 1993
695:
691:
688:
687:
680:
677:
675:: "The Crane"
674:
670:
667:
664:
661:
657:
654:
651:
650:
648:
645:
641:
638:
637:
631:: "Horseshoe"
630:
626:
624:: "Snowballs"
623:
620:
617:
616:Flowerpot Men
613:
610:
607:
605:: "Bush Baby"
604:
601:
600:
598:
595:
592:
589:
588:
581:
577:
574:
571:
568:
567:Flowerpot Men
564:
561:
558:
555:
552:
551:
549:
546:
543:
540:
539:
535:
533:Release Year
532:
529:
528:
525:
519:
517:
515:
511:
510:
505:
501:
496:
494:
490:
484:
482:
479:
475:
471:
468:In 1978, the
463:
458:
455:
452:
451:
447:
444:
441:
438:
437:
433:
430:
427:
424:
421:
418:
415:
412:
411:
407:
404:
403:
399:
396:
395:Over the Moon
393:
390:
387:
384:
381:
378:
377:
373:
370:
369:
365:
362:
359:
356:
353:
350:
347:
344:
343:
339:
336:
335:
331:
328:
327:
323:
320:
319:
315:
312:
311:
307:
304:
303:
299:
296:
295:
291:
288:
287:
283:
280:
279:
275:
272:
271:
267:
264:
263:
259:
256:
255:
251:
250:
249:
246:
244:
243:
237:
230:
227:
224:
221:
218:
215:
212:
209:
206:
205:
201:
200:
199:
196:
194:
193:
188:
187:
182:
178:
177:
172:
171:
162:
160:
158:
153:
151:
147:
146:
141:
137:
133:
129:
128:
100:
96:
93:
90:
86:
81:
77:
73:
68:
64:
60:
56:
52:
45:
40:
37:
33:
30:
19:
1138:
1131:
1124:
1117:
1112:Pogles' Wood
1110:
1105:Picture Book
1103:
1096:
1089:
1082:
1075:
1068:
1061:
1054:
1047:
1040:
1033:
1026:
1014:
1013:
943:
935:Bibliography
934:
933:
920:. Retrieved
916:
906:
898:the original
892:
885:
876:
867:
858:
849:
840:
831:
822:
813:
802:, retrieved
796:
770:
761:
760:
747:
729:
722:
715:
708:
705:: "Tricycle"
702:
693:(BBCV 4966)
689:
678:
672:
665:
659:
652:
643:(BBCV 4280)
639:
628:
621:
615:
611:: "The Cart"
608:
603:Picture Book
602:
593:(BBCV 4286)
590:
579:
572:
566:
559:
554:Picture Book
553:
544:(BBCV 4091)
541:
523:
509:Bill and Ben
507:
503:
499:
497:
492:
485:
477:
473:
469:
467:
456:
448:
442:
436:Teddy Edward
434:
428:
422:
416:
408:
400:
394:
388:
382:
374:
366:
360:
354:
348:
340:
332:
324:
316:
308:
300:
292:
284:
276:
268:
260:
254:Pogles' Wood
252:
247:
240:
238:
234:
228:
222:
216:
210:
204:Picture Book
202:
197:
190:
184:
180:
174:
168:
166:
156:
154:
149:
143:
126:
125:
124:
75:Running time
35:
29:
1042:Bizzy Lizzy
922:3 September
775:Burton 1956
711:: "Icicles"
660:Pogles Wood
489:Radio Trent
443:Ring-a-Ding
383:In the Town
361:On the Farm
302:Bizzy Lizzy
163:Show cycles
1156:Categories
1070:Fingerbobs
1028:Andy Pandy
757:References
703:Andy Pandy
609:Andy Pandy
560:Andy Pandy
500:Andy Pandy
457:Play Board
294:The Flumps
286:Fingerbobs
211:Andy Pandy
170:Andy Pandy
136:Maria Bird
119:, 26 years
78:15 minutes
70:Production
1084:The Herbs
666:The Herbs
569:: "Seeds"
536:Episodes
530:VHS Name
278:The Herbs
167:Although
1133:Trumpton
1063:Clangers
742:See also
562:: "Pram"
514:CBeebies
310:Trumpton
1098:Mr Benn
1056:Chigley
1035:Bagpuss
804:22 June
679:Barnaby
491:on the
474:See-Saw
450:Rubovia
410:Mr Benn
402:Chigley
376:Ragtime
368:Barnaby
334:Mr. Men
326:Bagpuss
113: (
109: –
103: (
98:Release
88:Network
65:English
950:
349:Thomas
762:Notes
481:video
948:ISBN
924:2023
806:2012
502:and
134:and
115:1978
111:1978
105:1952
101:1952
92:BBC1
342:Bod
262:Joe
1158::
915:.
875:.
857:.
839:.
821:.
782:^
516:.
495:.
195:.
1006:e
999:t
992:v
926:.
879:.
861:.
843:.
825:.
117:)
107:)
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
