Balance, Skip, Rock

**Balance, Skip, Rock** is the sixteenth episode of the second season in the series *A Little Curious* and the 40th to be produced. It aired on April 17, 2000, and focuses on the subjects of the words balance, skip, and rock.

## Segments

### Balancing Act (Pen Drawings)

Plush is balancing Bob, Mr. String, and Little Cup as a song accompanies it.

### A Little Reality

Some kids go on a nature walk. They walk over a stream, under a tree and try to keep their balance while crossing a log before making it to the top of a rocky hill.

### Skipping Stones (Cel)

Doris and Plush are at a pond that she used to skip stones at. She shows Plush the necessities to skip a flat stone on the water, and when he throws it, it skips all across the pond.

### Don't Rock the Boat (Cel)

At the beach, Bob, Little Cup, Mr. String, Pad, and Pencil are on a raft and Captain Bob warns the others to not rock the boat for safety's sake. Little Cup starts jumping in excitement, and Bob tells him not to rock the boat. Meanwhile, Pad and Pencil dance this way and that way, and Bob tells the two lovers the same thing. Mr. String becomes extremely paranoid about what might happen if someone rocks the boat, all while doing it himself unintentionally. Eventually, the raft is tipped over and washes everyone onshore.

### Rocking Horse Cowboy (CGI)

In the bedroom, Bob sings about being a rocking horse cowboy, rocking high and low, while Plush plays the role of the rocking horse. As he continues singing, the scene transitions to a savanna, where he and Plush eventually ride into the distance.

### A Little Reality

In this segment, kids are seen rocking in rocking chairs on a front porch.

### A Delicate Balance (Watercolor)

Pencil draws a big top on Pad, and it zooms into a fantasy where animals are performing in the circus. Pencil, who is dressed as a ringmaster, showcases Pad on a horse jumping over barrels, trapezing, and riding under elephants. At the end of the fantasy, Pad claims that his art makes her heart jump, and the two spin and hug each other.

### Song: Pencil (Cel)

The Pencil song "Scribbling On" is played.

### A Little Reality

Yoginis teach some kids how to keep still and balance like statues.

### Balanced Diet (Cel)

Plush is in the kitchen grabbing lots of sweets, but Mop stops Plush on the spot. She then tells him that he should eat a balanced diet. She gives Plush a variety of different foods that he should eat, including fruits, vegetables, dairy, grains, and maybe a little dessert. Plush eats all the food from both his hands in one bite, then eats the cookie last. Mop then comments, "Well, that was a well-balanced meal."

### You Skipped Me (Cel)

Bob, Lacey, Mary Jane, Plush, and Little Cup are trick or treating on Halloween night and walk up to a house Doris is at. Bob is dressed as a pirate, Lacey is dressed as a witch, Mary Jane is dressed as a ballerina, and Plush is dressed as a cowboy. Mr. String gives candy to all of them, except Little Cup who keeps telling them that he skipped him. Doris apologizes because she didn't see him, and Mr. String fetches a new bowl of candy to give to Little Cup. He hugs String, and Doris tells him that he skipped her. He gives her a hug as well and she winks.

### Skip to My Lou (CGI)

Plush and Lacey skip on a sidewalk while Lacey sings Skip to My Lou. Plush has trouble skipping and falls down on the sidewalk. Lacey shows him the correct way to skip by going "step, hop, step, hop", and he doesn't do it right the first time. Lacey shows him again and he then skips with her. Plush licks her, and she states the next time he can skip the kiss.

### A Little Reality

Many kids skip around in a suburban neighborhood.

### Song: Doris (CGI)

The Doris song "Swing Doris Swing" is played.

### Rock Collection (Stop Motion)

Mr. String and Little Cup are down at the beach when Little Cup finds rocks scattered all over the sand. Mr. String says that rocks are part of the Earth and that the beach is the perfect place to find rocks. Little Cup finds a pink rock, and Mr. String explains that rocks come in all different colors. Mr. String then asks the latter to collect some rocks, and starts by putting the pink rock into Little Cup. Little Cup instantly finds another rock, this time a shiny one. Mr. String puts the shiny rock into Little Cup as well. As they continue, Little Cup finds more rocks, a round one, a speckled one, a black one, and a flat one, all while interrupting Mr. String as he tries giving facts about all kinds of rocks. Little Cup then asks Mr. String to carry him. The titular string struggles to carry him, commenting that rocks can also be "terribly, terribly, ***terribly*** heavy*.*"

### A Little Reality

In this segment, kids collect different kinds of rocks by using a bucket or shirt of rocks on the beach.

### Rock Around the Clock (Cel/Stop Motion Hybrid)

On stage, Mop, Bob, Mr. String, and Plush are performing "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets. Just then, Little Cup walks on stage with a rock, asking if he can play rock music, too. Mop tells him that rock music isn't literally about rocks, as it's called "rock music" because it makes people want to rock and roll. As the band members continue to play, Little Cup comes back with a roll, but Mop tells him it's called "rock and roll" because the music makes people wanna roll around on the floor and dance. Little Cup finally gets it and eventually dances along to the music. Little Cup announces that he's rolling, while Mop cleans up his juice.

## Trivia

* This is one of the rare times where A Little Reality segment comes after a song.