''Gisèle's Big Backyard'' is a Canadian children's television series, which aired on

TVOntario TVO Media Education Group (often abbreviated as TVO and stylized on-air as tvo) is a publicly funded English-language educational television network and media organization serving the Canadian province of Ontario. It is operated by the Ontario ...

from 1998 to 2019. Hosted and produced by children's entertainer and educator Gisèle Corinthios as a continuation of her earlier series ''The Nook'', the series featured Corinthios, puppet supporting characters and guests entertaining and educating children according to the

HighScope The HighScope Educational Research Foundation (known as HighScope or High/Scope) studies methods of early childhood education based on the methods of the 1962 Perry Preschool study. It was founded in 1970 by psychologist David Weikart. The Perry ...

curriculum of early childhood education. The series aired as short segments inserted between other programs in the

TVOKids TVOkids (short for TVOntariokids and stylized as tvokids) is the brand for most of the children's programming aired by TVOntario (TVO) in Canada. It was launched on April 1, 1994 and runs from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily. The brand also operat ...

programming block. It also produced interactive games and educational videos for the TVOntario website. Puppets included Sticks the Squirrel (Jason Hopley), Jay the Blue Jay (

Ali Eisner Ali J. Eisner is a Canadian puppeteer, composer, director, photographer, creative producer and writer for children's television.

), Melvin the Skunk (Marty Stelnick), This (Ryan Field), That (

Frank Meschkuleit Frank Meschkuleit (born 1962) is a Canadian voice actor, puppeteer and comedian known for his role as Toopy on the Canadian television series '' Toopy and Binoo''. Meschkuleit began his performing career as a mime, and broke into puppeteering w ...

), and Polkaroo. Polkaroo's trio of "

Polka Dot Door Polka is a dance and genre of dance music originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though associated with Czech culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the Americas. History Etymology The term ...

Friends" Dumpty, Humpty and Marigold also appear in smaller-than-human doll size rather than larger-than-human suits. This was their first re-appearance since ''

Polka Dot Shorts ''Polka Dot Shorts'' is a Canadian children's television series produced by TVOntario, which has been broadcast around the world. It was created, produced, and edited by Jed MacKay. Approximately 180 episodes were produced from 1993 to 2001, all ...

'' ended in 2001. The series won the Gemini Award for Best Pre-School Program or Series at the 21st Gemini Awards in 2006, and was nominated in the same category at the 24th Gemini Awards in 2009 and at the 26th Gemini Awards in 2011. At the 26th Gemini Awards and the 1st Canadian Screen Awards, Corinthios received nominations for Best Host in a Children's or Youth Program or Series The series ended production of new episodes in 2016, although previously produced segments have continued to air on the network."Gisèle Corinthios exits TVO’s Big Backyard"
''TV, eh?'', July 9, 2016.

References

External links

* 2005 Canadian television series debuts 2016 Canadian television series endings 2000s Canadian children's television series 2010s Canadian children's television series 2000s preschool education television series 2010s preschool education television series Canadian preschool education television series TVOntario original programming Canadian television shows featuring puppetry {{Canada-kids-tv-prog-stub