Sesame Workshop

Mindfulness and meditation brand Headspace is taking a stroll down Sesame Street, by teaming up with the entertainment company to launch six animated shorts teaching kids the basics of meditation and social/emotional learning.

The first video launched on Wednesday on YouTube and YouTube Kids, with more three-minute clips to follow every other week. Featuring popular Sesame Street characters, including Elmo, Grover and Cookie Monster, the videos teach kids how to deal with frustration and anxiety.

Headspace has racked up more than 65 million users in 190 countries on its meditation app. It has been growing its kids offering in the last year by revamping its children’s section titled Headspace for Kids, which offers meditation and mindfulness content for kids and families, and has kid-skewing visualization exercises to teach them about openness and generosity.

Super RTL

German free-to-air TV net Super RTL has commissioned new animated series Monster Loving Maniacs (pictured) from Denmark-based producer JA Film and Belgium’s Ginger Pictures. Formerly titled Monster Park, the 52 x 11-minute series is a 2D-animated comedy for kids six to nine. Revolving around three kids who are being trained as monster hunters, it’s set to premiere in 2022.

German prodco Toon2Tango (Agent 203, Cavemen and Aliens) is the show’s worldwide distributor, and picked up the series this past November after it was pitched at Cartoon Forum.

Genius Brands

Genius Brands has expanded the retail program for its preschool series Llama Llama with a trio of new licensing deals. New licensees to join the brand include Core Home (hydration and feeding products), Everyday Kids (bedding and home décor), and SPIRIT! (books and plush), and the new products will be available exclusively at US retailer Five Below, and online in Q4 2020.

Originally a book series, Genius Brands produced two seasons (25 x 24 minutes) of the animated show that are available worldwide on Netflix. Previously signed licensing partners for the series include Kids Preferred (plush), Bendon Publishing (activity books) and Prime Party (party accessories).

On the TV side, Corus-owned preschool channel Treehouse and Mexican broadcaster Televisa have picked up Genius Brands’ animated preschool series Rainbow Rangers. Treehouse has started airing two seasons of the 104 x 11-minute series, and Televisa will debut the show in May. Tracking the adventures of seven girls who protect the Earth, the show already airs on Nick Jr. (US), CCTV (China), Nick and Noggin (LatAm), Cartoonito (Italy), and Discovery Kids (Middle East).

Showmax

South African-based SVOD Showmax has picked up five of London-based Moonbug’s shows, including Little Baby Bum, Morphle, Gecko’s Garage, The Sharksons and Supa Strikas. Showmax began airing the titles in 56 markets across Africa, including Chad, Kenya and Tanzania, on Wednesday.

France Télévisions

France Télévisions has picked up Northern Pictures live-action comedy Hardball from its distributors, Paris-based APC Kids and the Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF).

Produced by Northern in association with Screen Australian, Create NSW and the ACTF, the 13 x 24-minute series is a fish-out-of-water comedy for kids eight to 12. It premiered on ABC ME in Australia last year, following a young boy who moves to Australia and finds himself caught up in his new school’s ultra-competitive handball games.