New kids show wants children to know ‘it’s ok to be you’

While platforms like Zoom and Google Meets have been a lifeline for businesses, schools, and our social lives throughout the pandemic, many of us grit our teeth at the sheer necessity of them; the novelty has worn off. 

But with the help of his friends, one man has turned these painstaking realities into a fun and educational kids show. 

“The basic idea behind the show is we have a group of four friends who are busy interacting with each other through a virtual meeting platform, which is kind of how we got the name The Giggle Mat; it's kind of a spin off of Google Meets,” said Bill Nuvo, the creator of the show. 

The show launched on Feb. 15 last year, and is targeted at children ages three to seven. 

Each episode is about 20 minutes long, and is made up of a collective of friends, who are performers and storytellers from around southern Ontario.

There is Dizzy, the snow monkey from the north, who loves the snow.

“Dizzy is the one who holds it all together,” Nuvo said, explaining that Dizzy introduces the show, reveals the topic of the episode, and starts calling his friends. 

There is his friend, Mr. Purpleman, who comes from another planet and is, as the name suggests, all purple.

“What’s unique about Mr. Purpleman is that he doesn’t speak, so he expresses himself through actions,” he said. 

Then there is Miss Kate, the librarian, who introduces a book each episode and sings. 

“And then we have loveable Uncle PJ, who does a lot of dad jokes, juggles, and performs magic.” 

While the cast spans across Southern Ontario, Uncle PJ (Joseph Peplinski) is based in Kitchener. 

Nuvo’s wife, Melissa, also helps direct and occasionally provides her voice for the show. Aimee Clifford is an assistant to Miss Kate, and occasionally joins in to perform songs and read stories. 

They cover a variety of topics, everything from how to wear a mask properly to different kinds of pets, along with broader entertainment like singing, dancing, juggling and dad jokes. They also typically do a reading from a Canadian children's book each episode. 

But the mantra of the show, according to Nuvo, is inclusivity. 

“The main focus is to have each character, who are all different from each other, take the topic and explore it a little bit from their own perspective. There’s room for all of us on The Giggle Mat,” he said. 

They have released 12 episodes so far, typically putting one out each month. They can be streamed  for free on platforms like YouTube and Facebook. 

You can find out more about The Giggle Mat here.