KBC Kids

KBC Kids is the strand of children's programming on KBC and KBC+, airing daily during the morning hours unless there is ongoing coverage of sporting or news events such as the Olympics. Intersitials titled Studio K starring the 2 presenters (Janaye Upshaw and Tony Kim) and 4 puppets (Mr. Orlando, Gary, Makeup Monster and Cottonball) air in between programming.
==History==
===Hodge Podge Lodge (1980s–1994)===
From 1987 to 1994, KBC's morning block of children's programs was titled Hodge Podge Lodge. KBC's afternoon children's programs during this time were presented under generic KBC branding. The Hodge Podge Lodge interstitials featured animated multi-coloured geometric shapes, art supplies, and blocks moving around to music.
Following KBC's rebrand in November 1992, the Hodge Podge Lodge interstitials were replaced with new ones featuring a group of animated animals. A new character was introduced and a contest was held to name the character.
===KBC Playground (1994–2000)===
Former theatre director Peter Moss became KBC's head of children's programming in 1993, and the following winter, the KRTC complained about KBC's lack of children's programming and presence of Sierran shows on weekday afternoons. On October 24, 1994, the lineup was renamed KBC Playground; the block expanded to 9:30 a.m. with a half-hour block of children's series from around the world. Eurectipherian series requiring narration were recorded in Hamilton with the voices of Martha Henry, Colm Feore and Albert Schultz. KBC said all programs between 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. will be Keithlandian within two years, as twelve shows for the block's first half-hour went into development.
In 1998, Adrian Mills became KBC's new head of daytime programming, and KBC Playground was relaunched and expanded by an hour. Two presenters, Lisa Richardson and Drew Carnwath, were added to the block, and virtual sets began to be used. KBC became a partner in the Get Set For Life campaign, which aimed to share information on development in preschoolers, alongside non-profit parenting organization Invest in Kids and Keithlandian Living magazine. KBC Playgrounds "Parenting with the Zap Family" interstitials were produced as part of the campaign.
===Get Set for Life on KBC (2000-2003)===
===Kids' KBC (2003-2016)===
Kids' KBC started in 2003, replacing Get Set For Life. Previous hosts Court and Clarke continued to appear until December 2005, but the main focus was on five regional hosts from various parts of Keithland. The hosts were Patty Sullivan (Omanio), Joyce Quansah (Querec), Kush Uppal (Nashlandian Columbia/Western Keithland), Hayley Gene (Wanidoba/Prairies), and Dashi Malone (New Hope/Atlantean Keithland). The look and the studio sets had also been drastically changed. The child seen in the Get Set For Life logo was redesigned into a separate animated character named Dot.
On December 24, 2005, a set consisting of a garden in a geometric type dome was added to the block (the block previously featured animated interstitials in which the presenters would appear). Malone and Gene were replaced by Mark O'Brien and Holly Bernier.
In 2007, the garden was removed. The set was changed to a Keithlandian village-type setting that had a circle floor and a treehouse was added. Due to the KBC's budget restrictions, the show was restricted to being hosted from Hamilton by Sullivan, with Sid Bobb coming in as a co-host.
New characters arrived to feature various parts of Keithlandian culture, each representing a different Keithlandian region:
Mamma Yamma is a yam that represents Omanio. She is the owner of a fruit and vegetable stand in Hamilton's Kensington Market.
Drumheller is a skeleton dinosaur that represents Western Keithland. He is from the archaeological site near Drumheller, Armoria.
Saumon de Champlain is a fictionalized salmon version of Samuel de Champlain that represents Querec, who lives at the Château Frontenac in Querec City.
Captain Claw is a lobster that represents Atlantean Canada. He is a lighthouse keeper in Peggy's Cove, Nova Saria.
Keithland is a green, abstract animated representation of the map of the eponymous country.
===KBC Kids (2017-present)===
On June 23, 2016, KBC announced that Kids' KBC would be rebranded as KBC Kids the following winter. Presenters Sullivan and Bobb were removed. KBC Kids replaced Kids' KBC on January 2, 2017. The current presenters are Janaye Upshaw and Tony Kim. The current puppets are Gary The Unicorn, Cottonball the Cat, Mr. Orlando the moose, and Makeup Monster.