Hi-5 is an Australian children's television program first shown on the Nine Network in 1999 and now shown in 59 countries. An American version of the program started being broadcast on the Learning Channel and Discovery Kids channel in 2003 featuring American performers in the same roles as the original Australian version and shot in the same Sydney studios. The Australian Hi-5 has produced a number of CDs, at least five of which have gone platinum in Australia and a range of videos as well as games and puzzles. Hi-5 has won ARIA awards for "Best Children's Album" in 2000, 2001 and 2004 and won three consecutive Australian Logie awards in 2002, 2003 and 2004 for "Most Outstanding Children's Preschool Program"

Origins of the program

Helena Harris and Posie Graeme-Evans developed the idea in 1998 for a show featuring music and movement that would attract children's attention. Hi-5 aims to cater for a wide range of young children catering with a wide range of cognitive abilities and learning styles. The auditions for the Australian hosts were held in June 1998 and the first program was broadcast on January 1999. Music is seen as the method of joining the segments of the program together as well as highlighting the concepts and themes of each program.

Segments of the program

The show features five different segments hosted by a different presenter. The presenters are as for the Australian version.

• Nathan Foley presents a segment exploring shape, colour and pattern using all kinds of materials such as coloured boxes and play-dough ;

• Kathleen de Leon presents a segment on logical thinking and mathematics looking at numbers, puzzles and mazes - this segment also features the puppet Jup-Jup (also in US version);

• Tim Harding hosts the musical section looking at concepts such as beat, rhythm, pitch and melody;

• Kellie Hoggart (formerly a member of Australian pop group Teen Queens ) hosts the section looking at language and sounds with the help of Chatterbox (also in US version);

• Charli Robinson hosts the section trying to develop body co-ordination skills through hopping, jumping and stepping; and

• the social skills segment where all five presenters join together to present a story.

Hi-5 members

As of 2004, the Australian cast of Hi-5 includes

• Nathan Foley ;
• Kathleen de Leon ;
• Tim Harding
• Kellie Hoggart and
• Charli Robinson

This is the same cast as in 1999.

As of 2004, the US cast of Hi-5 includes;

• Kimee Balmilero
• Karla Cheatham-Mosley
• Curtis Cregan
• Jennifer Peterson-Hind and
• Shaun Taylor-Corbett .

The characters Jup-Jup and Chatterbox (puppet) appear on both versions of the program.

Discography

The Australian cast of Hi-5 has released a range of albums at least five of which have gone platinum in that country.

• Jump And Jive With Hi-5 (1999)
• It's A Party (2000)
• Boom Boom Beat (2001)
• It's A Hi-5 Christmas (2001)
• Celebrate (2002)
• Hi-5 Hits (2003)
• Hi-5 Holiday (2003)

Links

• Hi-5 Australia official page

• Sony Music Hi-5 page
• Hi Five Australia Ninemsn page
• Hi-5 America site