UK-based Larkshead Media has been appointed by brand owner and creator Alphablocks to manage UK licensing activities for its CBeebies show Numberblocks. Larkshead will work to bring Numberblocks merchandise to retail with initial target categories including toys, jigsaw puzzles, games, cards, publishing and apparel.

In addition to consumer products, partnerships and promotions with educational groups are also seen as key opportunities for the preschool property. For example, the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) will place Numberblocks resources in UK primary schools this fall.

The math-centric preschool series teaches children under the age of six how numbers work. Numberblocks (30 x five minutes) bowed on CBeebies in January and follows a group of characters based on counting blocks that can be magically transformed into other characters by adding or removing blocks. It was created by Joe Elliot and Blue Zoo Animation Studio and is executive produced by Catherine McAllister and Michael Towner (Alphablocks) for the BBC.

Larkshead Media was launched in September by former Nickelodeon UK VP and director of programming Tim Patterson. The company focuses on series development, planning and brand strategy, as well as investment, licensing & merchandising and international distribution. It has since added Q Pootle 5 (CBeebies) and Planet Wrong (Aubergine Films and Melwood Pictures) to its slate. Additionally, the company established its Dublin-based partner company, Larkshead Media Ireland, earlier this year.