Pinwheel

In my youth (I am now 26), I had a yearly habit of visiting my Grandparents for a month during each Summer.

There was never much to do-- but thankfully, my late Grandmother could provide me with an endless supply of peanut butter and cable.

My show of choice was "Pinwheel". Within this 8 hour show (Yes. It aired from 6am to 2pm, I believe), I would sit for hours and watch "Hattytown Tales", "Simon, In The Land of Cartoons", "Paddington Bear", and "Chapi Chapo".

I was never a big fan of the puppets and the sketches they were included in. I loved the vignettes they included in the show, such as the ones I listed above. I always had to tune in to see what light-hearted predicament Sancho and Carrots would encounter today... or what mischief Paddington would get into to again infuriate Mr. Brown. What colors would Chapi and Chapo dance with in the World of Shapes? What would happen to Simon as he jumped the fence into the land of Cartoons this time?

My desktop wallpaper is a screenshot of "Hattytown Tales" and my "Start Windows" and "Exit Windows" sounds are the Hattytown theme song. I also downloaded the 1971 intro to "Chapi Chapo"-- a French claymation sketch-- and showed it to my 4 year old daughter. When Chapi and Chapo finished the song and danced away into the World of Shapes, my daughter began crying... because SHE wanted so badly to go with them.

Overall, "Pinwheel" was a blessing to many, many children born in the '70's and '80's. I only wish I could find some copies of the show or it's sketches so that my daughter can grow up with the same joys it brought me.

10 out of 10.

Granted, it's been a long time since I viewed Pinwheel but I remember it very fondly!! All of the different animations were unique and inspiring. I wold love to watch it again with new eyes! Ebenezer was a bad bad guy but I remember his perfectly shaped pancakes that were featured frequently. Pancakes were his obsession.

I scoff at those who put it down. Sure it wasn't Sesame Street however, I don't think it was trying to be the same! Sure there were puppets but it surely added to a child's imagination capabilities and it offered something more than mainstream America at that time.

Thanks to those who put it on the air and I wish we could view it today.

I don't remember pinwheel being that long as one show, I remember them showing a few episodes back to back. My favorite was the bird in the tree that wore the Napoleon hat, and Simon. I still know the theme song to pinwheel and Simon. My little brother and I Grew up watching this and Sesame Street but Pinwheel was our fav! We would watch Pinwheel and that show about the woman in the department store with the mannequin that came to life but couldn't leave the store, and the little mouse that lived in the doll house. We love Nick, and when I got to go to Nick Studios I cried and the Tour lady kinda laughed but I was the only one who knew anything about the old shows, I was the only one over the age of 9 on the tour.

I remember watching this show at my Grandparents' house a lot, and I can still sing the theme song. Some of the cartoon bits included the British "Simon" (who liked to do drawings) and Emily ("whoopee"). I had thought the show lasted for hours and hours, and it turns out I was right! I wish Nickelodeon still had Pinwheel, it was such a great show, if not as slick as the shows for kids today.

For years, Pinwheel was the children's show that featured cartoons and live action figures. I barely remember this Canadian show but I do have fondness for the early Nickelodeon days when everything was new and fresh. They went to Canada and got their children's programming during the day and even into the night. Pinwheel was ideal for kids even today. The show lasted several hours sometimes and slowly it was cut back over the time. Pinwheel was a great programming effort for kids of my generation. I still vaguely remember the cartoons and the live action but I felt comfortable and at home watching Nickelodeon. The shows aren't the same now as it was once was but nothing good lasts forever but I'll have my memories.