Get Squiggling

Get Squiggling is a unique children's educational program that aired on Cbeebies in 2008. This lively, imaginative, and instructive show revolves around Squiglet, a charming and engaging character who lives in a white paper world that comes alive with color and activity when his magic crayons and Squiggle pad are put to use.

Appealing for preschoolers, Get Squiggling aims to educate children while sparking their creative imaginations. The heart of the program is Squiglet, a warm and friendly character that children can easily relate to. Using his Squiggle Sticks and Pad, Squiglet becomes the guide and shoulder companion, transforming the white space into a colorful universe. The pad and crayons have an enchanting capacity to bring his artistic creations to life, creating real-time, animated 2D characters that interact with him.

Squiglet's creations are more than just visual delights; they also encompass a wide range of scenes, characters, objects, and animals that help teach children about shapes, colors, numbers, alphabets, and basic problem-solving techniques. The characters developed come with their own stories, issues, or obstacles, which encourage children to think inquisitively and solutions-oriented.

Get Squiggling is full of engaging storylines, frames within frames, and surprising elements that keep children intrigued while they learn. The show adeptly combines multiple teaching methodologies, utilizing the visual treats of animation, interaction, songs, and direct problem solving to engage children actively. Squiglet integrates singing into his drawing process, thereby introducing young viewers to the fun of learning through music. This musical element of the program brings an additional layer of joy and excitement to the creative and intellectual journey on the show.

In each episode, Squiglet receives letters from children who are facing various problems or dilemmas, and he assists them in finding solutions through drawing. He does this in a step-by-step manner, which is easy for children to understand and follow along. With this, the show encourages active participation, empowering children with the idea that they too can overcome obstacles through thoughtful step by step problem solving.

Speaking to the education aspect, Get Squiggling focuses on pre-literacy and pre-numeracy skills, alphabets, shapes, and colors. The program challenges its viewers to recognize certain shapes in different contexts, indirectly improving their observational skills. Each episode features a particular letter of the alphabet with a corresponding animal, nurturing the children's memory and association abilities. It goes further to strengthen identification skills, as clues for the mystery character are given in a segment called 'Squiggle Clues' that tests children's recollection capacity.

On the entertainment front, Get Squiggling maintains a good balance by infusing humour, interactive activities, and storytelling. Squiglet's interaction with the animated characters is, at times, comedic, making it entertaining for kids. The storytelling draws in elements of adventure, camaraderie, and even aspects of magic and fantasy, ensuring that the children are spellbound and anxious to see what happens next.

Get Squiggling telecasts short episodes, typically around 15 minutes, which is an appropriate time for keeping the attention span of young children. The show’s success relies on its simplicity and approachability – children easily connect with Squiglet, and the lessons he imparts rarely feel forced or overly didactic. Rather, they are expertly woven into the fun-filled sketches and stories that keep children entertained while also subtly educating them about the basics of language, mathematics, colors, and shapes.

In summary, Get Squiggling is an educational, fun and engaging kids' television program that does an excellent job of blending creativity with learning. Its emphasis on problem-solving, character interaction, and music make it a valuable and entertaining resource for early learning. It's not just a TV show—it's a charming and captivating learning experience where imagination, art, music, and education meet.