A new series from the National Wildlife Federation, based on the preschool magazine Wild Animal Baby, will join Spanish network Vme on Earth Day (April 22).
Hispanic preschoolers and families will soar with eagles, greet the sun with meerkats, dive deep with dolphins and touch the sky with towering Redwoods when Animalitos Exploradores (Wild Animal Baby Explorers) bounds, leaps and pounces onto the daily Vme Niños block 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (ET) and the 24/7 cable channel Vme Kids. This is the first-ever Spanish TV offering for children from NWF, the nation's largest member-supported conservation organization.
The show presents a combination of lovable 3D animated characters and stunning high-definition live-action footage. Showing kids and their caregivers that that every backyard or neighborhood is a fertile playground for exploration, Animalitos Exploradores sweeps young viewers along on interactive explorations by land and by sea, teaching them about nature and creatures big and small -- while fostering an enduring appreciation for the great outdoors.
Vme's young viewers join five lovable and intrepid wildlife characters, the "NSI" (or Natural Science Investigators) unit, as they explore the natural world around them. Tied together with dynamic live-action interstitials that inspire young viewers to "be out there" Animalitos Exploradores showcases real young children and families engaging in simple and easily executable outdoor activities that reinforce their appreciation of nature, whether they live in the country or the city.
Among the scaly, feathered and furry animated stars of Animalitos Exploradores are:
•Benita The Beaver. She sees beauty in all things and is eager, warmhearted and always ready to learn. Benita is a tactile learner who always wants to experience everything. She likes to say: "I love, love, love to explore!"
•Skip The Rabbit. He's always ready for a new discovery and is never without his trusty "Explora Gear." The group's leader, Skip is a logical thinker. He likes to say "affirmative" when the answer he's looking for is correct.
•Izzy The Owl. Plucky and curious, Izzy is a real "can do" owl full of confidence eagerness. No task is too big for Izzy and everything to him is "coo cool!"
•Sammy The Skunk. The youngest member of the group, Sammy loves to hide, is unabashedly silly and serves as the eyes, ears and attitude of the show's young viewers. When he says "Stinker alert!," watch out!
•Miss Sally The Salamander. She's the oldest in the group and the big sister who uses her knowledge and teaching skills to keep everyone on track. Sally always makes a grand entrance with her trademark "Hello-a-lo, a-loo Explorers!"
Built on educational guidelines from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, Animalitos Exploradores caters to preschoolers' individual learning styles with a combination of entertaining, enlightening and age-appropriate content. Preschoolers are encouraged to use all five senses as they investigate natural science concepts along with the show's five animated animal characters, who use their "Explora Gear" to find the answers. All along the way, Animalitos Exploradores provides preschoolers with important learning skills, such as critical thinking and problem solving, teamwork and observation.
Animalitos Exploradores is an outgrowth of the successful DVD initiative that NWF launched in 2006 under the "Wild Animal Baby" name. With more than 250,000 units sold to date, and counting, NWF identified a large and growing audience "roaring" for more natural science-based programming to entertain and teach.
