Playschool

Playschool was the first children’s program on in an afternoon when I got back from school. Before Playschool was the Testcard. Even when I was far too old to be watching it, I still watched it because there was nothing else to watch. (Well, yeah, I could have gone and played outside but that didn’t really occur to me.)

Floella Benjamin was my favourite presenter, I loved her name. I loved the way she looked with the beads on her plaits. I loved her voice and the way her eyes went wide when she was telling stories. There were other presenters such as Brian Cant, Johnny Ball and Derek Griffiths, all equally fabulous. They would play with toys (Big Ted, Little Ted, Jemima, Hamble and Humpty), read stories, look through the window (square window, round window or arch window) and sing songs.

The technology of the windows was fabulous. This was pre Telletubbies and any other digital enhancements taken for granted by children today. When it was time to watch something, the presenter would chose a window to look through, the camera went to a closeup of the window of choice and the film appeared as if it was outside the window! Amazing!

There are some brilliant clips on BBC Cult Classics, which have taken me right back. So I’m off now to indulge in some telling the time nostalgia.

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Josie Henley-Einion, author, blogger, Legend in my own Living Room