Hi-5 House

**Hi-5 House** is an Australian children's live-action musical preschool television series directed by **Jonathan Geraghty** and produced by **Oak3 Films**. The series is based off the original **Hi-5** series, which aired from 1999-2011. The series stars the children's musical group, **Hi-5**, with the spin-off being created to continue the series after the brand was sold to **Nine Network** in 2012. **Hi-5 House** premiered on November 4, 2013 on **Nick Jr. Australia** and ended its run on March 25, 2016.

The series is designed for a preschool audience, containing a combination of musical and educational content. The segments of the show are based on an educational model. **Julie Greene** served as the executive producer for the program, having previously worked as a series producer on the original show. The cast is composed of **Lauren Brant, Mary Lascaris, Ainsley Melham, Stevie Nicholson** and **Dayen Zheng**. **Brant** was replaced by **Tanika Anderson** for the later two series. **Hi-5 House** received an **Asian Television Award** for **Best Preschool Program** in 2015.

The third and final season was made available worldwide on **Netflix** on March 25, 2016. **Hi-5 House** concluded as a result of the **Nine Network** renewing its partnership with the **Hi-5** franchise in October 2016 with plans to revive the original program with a new cast in 2017.

## Format

Hi-5 House is a variety-style series for preschoolers which incorporates educational topics combined with pop music. The premise remains similar to its predecessor, **Hi-5**. The show's five cast members are collectively known as **Hi-5**, and present individual segments as well as performing songs as a group. The set of **Hi-5 House** is designed as a house, and presented as a place where the cast live together. Each presenter’s segment is adapted to take place in a room of the house, to replicate a child's immediate surroundings.

Each episode features each cast member presenting their own individual segment, which is modelled towards a particular learning style based on **Howard Gardner's Theory of multiple intelligences**. **Puzzles And Patterns** (set in the kitchen) has a focus on logical thinking and mathematics, with a puppet named **Jup Jup** used as a tool for the presenter to complete puzzles or solve problems. Musicality is explored through the **Making Music** segment (set in the music room), with an emphasis on pitch, rhythm, beat, melody, and using a variety of real and pretend instruments. The presenter of **Body Move** (set in the backyard) encourages children to participate in movement and dance, developing physical coordination and motor development. Linguistics and aural skills are at the centre of the **Word Play** segment (set in the bedroom), featuring a puppet named **Chatterbox** who assists in the discovery of language through stories and rhymes. **Shapes In Space** (set in the rumpus room) focuses on visual and spatial awareness, with the presenter exploring shapes, colour and everyday materials such as boxes and playdough.

The final segment in which the cast comes together is entitled **Sharing Stories**, where a story is told to explore interpersonal relationships and emotions. The episodes are bookended with a **Song Of The Week**; a pop-style feature song which corresponds with the weekly theme and sets an educational topic for the week's episodes. An additional segment, **The Chatterbox**, focuses on learning of the English language through simple words and phrases, featuring the puppet of the same name teaching a toy robot named **Tinka** how to speak.

## Cast/Characters

* **Lauren Brant** (Series 1)
* **Mary Lascaris** (Series 1–3)
* **Ainsley Melham** (Series 1–3)
* **Stevie Nicholson** (Series 1–3)
* **Dayen Zheng** (Series 1–3)
* **Tanika Anderson** (Series 2–3)

**Puppets**

* **Jup-Jup**
* **Chatterbox**
* **Aristotle**
* **Horace**

## Production

The original **Hi-5** series premiered on the Nine Network in 1999, created by television producer **Helena Harris** and co-producer **Posie Graeme-Evans**. The program ran for thirteen series and concluded its run in 2011 as a result of the franchise being acquired by equity group **Asiasons** in 2012. In June 2013, executive producer **Julie Greene** announced that the franchise would be producing a revamped series, a spin-off to be titled **Hi-5 House**. **Greene** had previously worked on the original program as a series producer, before becoming the brand's executive creative director in 2012.

The first series of **Hi-5 House** was filmed at **Infinite Studios** in Singapore from August to October 2013, and premiered on the **pay-TV** channel **Nick Jr. Australia** on November 4, 2013. Live-action segments featuring children were filmed on location at Singapore Zoo and Sentosa.

The second series was filmed at **KRU Studios** in Malaysia from April to June 2014 and premiered on October 6 on **Nick Jr.** The series won an **Asian Television Award** for **Best Preschool Program** in 2015.

The third season was filmed in Malaysia from March to May 2015. This series premiered exclusively on March 25, 2016 on online television streaming service **Netflix** in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Latin America. It later aired on **Nick Jr.** from 26 September onwards.

**Hi-5 House** ended production in March 2016 as a result of the **Nine Network** renewing its partnership in with the Hi-5 franchise in October with plans to revive the original **Hi-5** television series with a new cast in 2017.

## Segments

Each presenter hosts an education-centric segment of the show. At times, they're assisted by their co-presenters to display social skills and group problem solving skills. In **Hi-5 House**, each of the traditional segments take place in a room of the house, to replicate a child's immediate learning surroundings.

**Body Move**

This segment encourages body co-ordination skill development through dancing, hopping, jumping and stepping.

**Making Music**

This musical segment looks at concepts such as beat, rhythm, pitch and melody using pianos, guitars, bells and other instruments to his aid.

**Puzzles And Patterns**

This segment focuses on logical thinking and mathematics looking at numbers, puzzles, patterns and problem solving. This segment also features **Jup-Jup**, an alien puppet who is not seen by **Dayen**, but constantly plays tricks on her.

**Shapes In Space**

This segment explores shape, color, texture and pattern using various kinds of learning aids including colored boxes, balls and play-dough.

**Word Play**

This segment looks at language and sounds with the help of her puppet friend, **Chatterbox** ("**Chats**").

**The Chatterbox**

A segment first introduced in **Hi-5 House**, which explores the world inside Chats' box and focuses on English-learning and language. This segment also features bookworms **Aristotle** and **Horace**, and **Tinka**, a toy robot whom Chats teaches to speak.

**Sharing Stories**

This penultimate segment in all episodes includes all five presenters, who join together to present a story. This segment is to promote social skills and group problem solving.

## Songs Of The Week

**The Songs Of The Week** featured in **Hi-5 House** are a variety of classics from the original series and brand new songs.

**Season 1 (2013)**

* **Come On In!**
* **Move Your Body (re-make)**
* **Grab Your Dream**
* **So Many Animals (re-make)**
* **Dance With The Dinosaurs**

**Season 2 (2014)**

* **It's Our Planet**
* **Starburst**
* **Give Five (re-make)**
* **It's A Party (re-make)**
* **Playtime (re-make)**

**Season 3 (2016)**

* **Animal Dance**
* **Action Hero (re-make)**
* **The Best Things In Life Are Free (re-make)**
* **Sounds Of The City**
* **T.E.A.M (re-make)**

## Episodes

**Hi-5 House** - **Oak3 Films**

**Season 1 (2013)**

1. **Explore My Space**
2. **Things I Love At Home**
3. **Where I Come From**
4. **Inside / Outside**
5. **Pets At Home**
6. **Move Your Body**
7. **Sports And Games**
8. **Food**
9. **Feeling Good**
10. **Learn Something New!**
11. **Magic And Fantasy**
12. **Dream Catcher**
13. **If I Could Be Anything**
14. **Dream Holiday**
15. **Sweet Dreams**
16. **Australian Animals**
17. **Caring For Animals**
18. **Animal Kingdoms**
19. **Underwater**
20. **Wild Animals**
21. **Brave And Strong**
22. **Super Heroes**
23. **Explorers**
24. **Journeys**
25. **Make Believe**

**Season 2 (2014)**

1. **Amazon Jungle**
2. **My Backyard**
3. **Coral Reef**
4. **The Poles**
5. **Super Eco Champions**
6. **Inventions**
7. **World Wide Web**
8. **Gadgets And Gizmos**
9. **Amazing Machines**
10. **Transportation**
11. **Fun With Friends**
12. **Making Friends**
13. **All Kinds Of Families**
14. **My Family Traditions**
15. **Play Dates**
16. **Parties**
17. **Christmas**
18. **Milestones**
19. **Celebrations Around The World**
20. **You And Me**
21. **Playing Games**
22. **Dress-Ups**
23. **Silly Is Good**
24. **Puzzles**
25. **Imaginary Friends And Places**

**Season 3 (2016)**

1. **Animal Homes**
2. **Flower Garden**
3. **Weather**
4. **Wonders Of The World**
5. **Stars And Space**
6. **Superheroes - Special Powers**
7. **Local Heroes - Community**
8. **Super Food**
9. **Super Animals**
10. **My Heroes**
11. **Daring**
12. **Trying New Things**
13. **Making Your Own Fun**
14. **Things To Do**
15. **Hi-5 Fun Park**
16. **Transport**
17. **Jobs**
18. **Fun In The City**
19. **Cities From The Past**
20. **Future Cities**
21. **Sports**
22. **When Am I A Team Player?**
23. **Animal Teams**
24. **Teams**
25. **Cooperation And Communication**

## Broadcast

**Hi-5 House** made its international debut on **Disney Junior Asia** on December 9, 2013. The first series premiered on Australian free-to-air channel **Eleven** on February 24, 2014 after previously airing exclusively on **pay TV**. The series aired in **New Zealand** on free-to-air channel **Four** in July 2014. The second series debuted on **Disney Junior Asia** on December 8, 2014.

The third series of **Hi-5 House** was removed from **Netflix** in September 2018, after 30 months on the streaming service.

## Home Media

Home media releases of **Hi-5 House...**

* **Dream House - DVD**
* **So Many Animals - DVD**
* **Songs With Friends! DVD**
* **Big Adventures! DVD**
* **Happy Holidays - DVD**

Hi-5 House: Dream House - DVD (April 2014)Hi-5 House: So Many Animals - DVD (April 2014)Hi-5 House: Songs With Friends! DVD (June 2014)Hi-5 House: Big Adventures! DVD (September 2014)Hi-5 House: Happy Holidays - DVD (December 2015)

## Discography

Discography releases of **Hi-5 House...**

* **Santa Claus Is Coming**
* **Hi-5 Hot Hits!**
* **Hi-5 House Party**

Hi-5 House: Hot Hits! (2014)Hi-5 House: Hi-5 House Party (2019)Hi-5 House: Santa Claus Is Coming (2013 Single)

## Reception

**Viewership**

**Hi-5 House** was the highest rating program on **Disney Junior Asia** by 2016. In Australia, the premiere episode in 2013 was viewed by 47,000 people on **pay TV**. Subsequent episodes received recorded viewer ships ranging between 36,000 and 49,000.

**Critical Reception**

In 2014, **Jo Abi** of blog **Mamamia** commended the diversity of the **Hi-5 House** cast. Reviewing the DVD compilation **Happy Holidays** in 2015, a reviewer at **This Charming Mum** praised the show’s costuming and set design, as well as the **"specific messages around healthy living and environmental awareness**" depicted. The blog **At Grandma’s Place** commended the series' educational segments, describing them as "**bright, colorful and short enough to hold the attention of even the younger kids"**.