CBeebies Bedtime Hour is changing..

Disappointed to hear Waybuloo will be returning to the "prime-time" of the CBbeebies schedule at the expense of two very likeable programmes. I do not want my little lad to be learning how to meditate and participate in the sorts of "New Age" activities this programme promotes. I'm sure the politically correct BBC would never for a moment consider accommodating a programme that showed youngsters how to "pray", so I'm not sure how this programme has ever made it on to kids TV? Along with the 2 new very amateurish new versions of the Bedtime songs ("Goodbye sun" and "The time has come to say 'Goodnight'") - please bring back the originals! - it appears the CBeebies bedtime hour is taking a turn for the worse, and in our household, it'll be time to dig out the kids DVDs!

I'm in total agreement with post 1. We will be turning off cBeebies in favour of our Charlie and Lola DVDs.

I'd echo Ethan's comment above about bringing out the DVD's! My children (2 and 4) respond well to a bit of narrative at that time of day, when we're leading into bedtime story time, so programmes like Charlie and Lola and 64 Zoo Lane work really well at 6.00pm. I think that both Waybuloo and Night Garden are really 'content-light', and it's obvious from my children's behaviour when these programmes come on that they agree! We'll be bringing out the 'retro' stuff: Bagpuss and Willo' the Wisp...

Gaah. I get so tired of this. Every time they refresh the bedtime hour schedules there's a sea of complaints. I don't much care for Waybuloo either - I've argued against my discomfort with the meditative aspects of the show before - but I do accept that the programme isn't actively "promoting" anything.



Ethan, you actively say that you will be getting out the DVDs, so why not just do that, and accept that not everything the BBC does is going to be tailored to your own individual needs?

My son is just two and I really don't like the bedtime line-up. Some of your programmes eg I Can Cook, Come Outside etc he loves and are educational, but I hate all this incomprehensible stuff. I wouldn't object if half the hour was In the Night Garden, Waybuloo etc which obviously some people are keen on, but the whole hour (apart from the story) is just rubbish. Please amend!

The bottom line here: this isn't canvassing for our opinion on whether the BBC are doing the right thing. This is advance notice. Why do they get this reaction every time they change the schedules? When Waybuloo came off there was a flood of criticism. Now it's coming back, we get complaints.



CBeebies isn't for us. It's for our children. The BBC have spent years researching into, making and acquiring stuff that works and that our children enjoy. I'm not a fan of Get Squiggling (Worst. Theme music. Ever) but my middle son adores it, so if it's on, it's on. If they're not enjoying what's on, it goes off (although rarely have I had to do that).



Thanks to digital TV, the widespread availability of cheap DVDs and the Internet, we now have access to a greater variety of children's entertainment than ever before. There are millions of license payers who the BBC have to please all at the same time and that's an impossible job, and all they ever get from us are complaints that they're not doing it properly. There's plenty of choice - we're spoiled in comparison to the other parts of the world.



[Edited]

Booo to Waybuloo!

i personally dont mind the change to waybuloo as my little one is generally still in the bath getting dressed etc at this time she loves in the night garden and sits beautifully to watch it what i dont like is the new twist on the songs to say goodnight it is almost as if they have been given the xmas jingle but me and my partner have said it was so much better when ceri and alex sung the songs especially when we r expecting this to b one of the last things are children hear b4 bedtime

I would like to thank the BBC for giving me enough notice this Autumn in getting prepared for these up-coming changes to the Cbeebies Bed time hour line up.

In April when you decided that Cbeebies Radio was going to be scrapped from BBC 7(now BBC4Extra/+ Not sure which) I had to deal with an irate 4 year old at 6 am on a Monday morning- only to be told we had to listen to it Online(not possible in our house)

At least I now have just over a week to smooth over the fact that the programmes Waybaloo and In the NIght Garden are not really age appropriate (in my opinion) for a bright TALKATIVE nearly 5 year old and her sister who is 3 yrs also with vocab beyond her years. Get the DVR working on overtime on programmes which are harmlessly educational with proper speech.

The BBC seems to be very good at wasting large volumes of cash that they keep telling us they dont have. WHY O WHY - IF IT ISNT BROKEN WHY FIX IT? Everyone I have spoken too is also very upset/cross/baffled as to why the changes are necessary in such a big way.

I would also like to agree with various of the other posts that the new songs are awful, BEDTIME HOUR calming, not ready to brighten everyone up before bedtime.

In our house,from the 3rd October the new line up will be.... a DVD of one programme and then television off and a decent story from a book.

Despite having seen it so many times, our daughter always seemed to be transfixed by the two bedtime hour songs, she definitely found them relaxing & contributed to the cosy, winding down time before bed. The new songs have a very impersonal, almost clinical, churned out marketed feel about them.... nothing cosy about them at all! Please don't change everything over to computerised, animated graphics. Keep that personal touch going with the presenters - to a tiny tot, its a real person making a connection with them about their bedtime routine, the new songs are just a collage of 'cartoon' type images which our daughter just switches off from (she's just 2yrs old), uninterested at the lack of personal effort put into her last tow songs of the day.

Well, I'm happy to see Waybuloo back! My little girl is 21 months, and loves it. And as someone else said, it's for them - not us. Anyway, I love watching her do her "Yogo" :-)

What's wrong with a bit of meditation?!

Not a big fan of waybaloo, but then what happened to the good old fashioned read to your child yourself at bedtime? And then sing a few rhymes? Spending time with them rather than sitting them infront of the TV baysitter!

Let them see real books!

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

We tend not to have the TV on after dinner, anyway, so I suppose I've been less worried about the bedtime hour than others. On the evening when we do have it on - when I need something to calm them down before I read them a story (which we do every night) - I'll find that they will watch *whatever* is on. The same goes for pretty much anything during the day. And my children aren't TV addicts. They're quite happy to switch off. They're just easily pleased. And I don't think they're alone. We post about how our children don't like this or don't like that, and how these changes will upset them, but is it more that the changes are liable to upset us?

Personally I welcome the return of Waybuloo - the New Age aspects people seem to take offence to is so mild I really see no harm, and my son loves the calming movement and music. I'll be sad to see Charlie & Lola moved, but I have to admit I won't miss 64 Zoo Lane - my son isn't interested in it at all, and from my point of view the theme tune is horrendous. The new lineup is much preferred in terms of winding him down before bed.

However, I have to echo others in their distaste of the new songs. They are awful! Very clashy, and far from the lovely calming songs previously used. I still sing the old ones to him as I'm putting him to bed, but have to mute the new versions.

Ahhh the bedtime hour i remember it well, my daughter is nearly 5 now, but we have a 10 week old baby now and i'm looking forward to watching cbeebies all over again.

I have pre warned my daughter that she will now have to share the tv, we love waybuloo and my eldest loves copying what they do. x

Waybuloo is a huge favourite in our house! I was gutted when it changed for the summer, and we are so pleased its back. I think you need to see childrens programmes for what they are.. childrens programmes. Waybuloo has no hidden message! That comment made me laugh. ..

This is one household, that is very happy the line up is changing, and for the better !

My daughter's favourite programme since forever has been Waybulloo. It's not teaching them religious values or to pray as some have suggested, it's merely a "cute" yoga thing. Regardless of if the creaters intended to promote religious values or not, the programme does not mention it.

We dislike Charlie and Lola immensely, and have gone off In the Night Garden, which used to be another of my daughter's favourites.

My daughter really likes Something Special, but I do not agree with making the programme entirely about disabled kids, as I believe this causes other kids to see them as "different", when they should be taught that there is nothing "different" about them at all!!!

(I understand how Waybulloo and In the Night Garden are good, calming aspects to a winding down routine, but the whole hour??? Please try investing in some NEW, decent programming instead of putting Justin on ALL THE TIME).

I agree with post no1 in the fact of the new night time song!! this is a change and ever since my son has watched cbeebies it has been the same cheery one!! although i do not believe waybuloo teaches children to "pray"... also mini citv is coming out so dont change too much otherwise im sure people will switch over!! :D

comment 18 is completely right about something special!! all tho it is an amazing programme it should not just be totally aimed around disabled children :D

I certainly agree with pinkiesmum. The new recording of the night-time song is very impersonal. I used to like the way you could hear the individual voices and recognise who it was singing. I presume it's been changed now because I think I've noticed different presenters sometimes do the night-time slot? But I think it's a pity, it was nice to see the two presenters waving night and my (now) 2 year old waves back.

I should add we never watch the bedtime story and sometimes the second program on the bedtime hour because it's too late for her bedtime as we read a book ourselves.

My daughter has always liked In The Night Garden (but seems to be growing out of it a little?!), she really is not that bothered about Waybaloo. I have nothing against it myself.

I do like Charlie and Lola... but I much prefer programs that use our language correctly and not made up words or mixed up sentences. My two year olds speech is much better than we hear on some TV programs and it makes me wonder how she hasn't started to copy them.

Thanks for the warning about the changes.

The 'bedtime hour' is all about preparation for going to bed. In my experience, children like repetition as it's comfortable and predictable in a world where everything is new. The program at the top of Bedtime Hour I think can shift, but moving 'In the Night Garden' and the bedtime story would be disruptive, at least in our house. My daughter looks forward to Makka Pakka and Upsy Daisy; it's just part of our routine. She likes Lola from 'Charlie and Lola' as it's a little girl like her.



My request is to not shift the schedule too much once it's selected.



Thanks

So happy that Waybuloo is back my little girl loves it so much especially getting involved in the yoga. It is such a good way to get her motor skills developed. Do agree with everyone else about the songs they just don't sound as good now.

I'm sure most children's programming has some educational/social motive behind it. I may as well record twenty minutes of children laughing - it would have the same value. BBC seems to be in love with the technology, spreading it liberally at every opportunity. Unfortunately for the BBC, computer graphics do not make up for poor programming.

This complaining about waybuloo is starting to wear thin. To be fair are you going to stop your children from attending their Religious Education (R.E) classes in school for fear they come home and say they want to become a muslim/catholic/buddist etc??? I think a child between the ages of 1 to 4 wont actually realise that the characters in waybuloo are praying or meditating or what ever people assume they are doing. The children take it as no more than a copying game.....like simon said. As someone has already said the bedtime hour is for the children not us.....if they enjoy it i think thats all that matters.

bring back 64 zoo lane and charlie and lola. when charlie and lola started the bed time hour he knew tht its was time to start getting ready for bed now its not on he doesnt want to get ready. we also dont have proper sit down time to listen to the stories of bed time hour because there isnt any except for at the end. the theme tunes should not have changed they sound to up beat for the time of day bring back the old ones. and as of the reverend saying we should get dvd's if we dont like it, some of us can't afford stuff like tht u know.

my point is why change what u know works, bring back original cbeebies please!!!

must agree about the songs, they are really bad now, my 2 year old turns them off, tellling me "its too noisy"!!! bring back the originals please!!!!!!

can't believe everyone hates waybuloo. we personally love it and were sad to see it move from the 6pm slot after last winter (well I say we - I really mean me as my sone is only 11 months old and doesn't really care). Cbeebies can't please everyone all of the time unfortunately :(

DVDs are about three or four pounds (including delivery) if you know where to look. Or there's your local library, if you're able to get to it. There are usually options.



The problem here is that "original" CBeebies never existed. We just know what's familiar to us and what works for us, and people are naturally change averse. We need to accept the fact that there are millions of children watching this and that what's comfortable and routine to us isn't for any number of other children. There are thousands of individual tastes and preferences and they all have to be catered for on one channel. That's a really, *really* difficult job to do. It's not like a soap which is always on at the same time on the same day (and even that gets changed sometimes). This isn't new TV that's constantly being written and produced; there are a finite number of episodes of each programme and I've seen various people before complaining that the same episodes are getting looped, and that *this* is boring. Varying the routine is the only way to stop things getting stale (and when it gets stale people stop watching).



I've not heard the new songs but the consensus on this discussion seems to be that they're not as good, and I'm willing to accept that. Nonetheless, I think the danger here is that if you allow the TV to dominate your bedtime routine too much, it's going to have a negative effect when that routine gets changed, and maybe that's what we're seeing here. The BBC are having a tough enough time of it at the moment without us complaining. At least they had the decency to give us advance notice. Some other channels wouldn't do that.

I dont really like Waybulo much coz it irritates me but its better than most stuff on tv. I dont think it encourages kids to pray at all as someone suggests.

Yes it presents yoga etc but you know what ... if you dont like it then get this, your tv does have an off button!!

I love cebeebies but tv should not really bring kids up. if u like the bedtime hour let the kids watch it, if not then why not try to read to them or something better than coming on this forum and screaming murder cause you dont approve.

The BBC cannot possibly hope to cater for each individual. And as for them changing the lineup... change is good. Children should learn to watch etc a variety of things.

I agree about the new version of "The time has come.." My daughter still loves singing along to it but my husband and I struggle to sing it with her. This has developed as part of our bedtime routine (at my daughter's insistence!). Unfortunately this new version is uncomfortably high for us both. We'll start low and have to jump up an octave at one point. It's not the end of the world by any stretch but it is a shame. The presenters' version was much better. This one is way too perky for bed time and more suited to your Kathryn Jenkins then good old mummy and daddy! Please bring back the old one or tinker with it again!!

I have to agree with Sassy and others who have commented on the change in the bedtime song - the new version is much more upbeat and dance-y at a time when we want to be settling the children down. The old version was much more suitable for a song before bed. I wouldn't say I would mind if it went back to the old version or it was re-done again just with less of a beat to it, but the current version could do with having something done to it.

Quite happy with the new bedtime hour line-up though - my girls love both Waybuloo and In the Night Garden, so we have a happy house between 6 & 7pm!

Oh, and one more comment - after the fourth or fifth playing of the "Twinkle Twinkle" trailer for the bedtime hour (and this is with the tv only having been on for an hour or so today) my 2 year old (who loves the song) commented "Not again, daddy!".

having recently joined this foum, it has been interesting reading some of your comments. The programming line up of cbeebies will never be suitable to every person at everytime, as children all have different personalities, as we do as adults. i think people need to stop relying on a tv channel to keep there children entertained, my son is still quite young(18mths) and enjoys the calmness of waybuloo and in the night garden so these can be good for his night time routine (although he certainly does not rely on watching them,and never will!!!). the only thing i can see waybuloo promoting is kindness and exercise(yoga), i dont think children even realise or understand meditation or spiritulisation. the only complaint i had over the bedtime hour was the adverts for other programmes with loud/upbeat music, not fitting to the calming theme of bedtime hour. keep up the good work cbeebies

I understand that sometimes change is frustrating BUT I also find the anger towards cbeebies really uncalled for - if you dont like it, you dont have to make your kids watch it....take a break from the telly routine and get the books and games out peeps!



anyhoo - anyone know who does the haunting 'twinkle twinkle' song on the trailer for the bedtime hour please? I can't seem to find any info online and we love it when the advert comes on!



thanks! x

Loumin80 - I believe its the track by Fredrika Stahl on her album Sweep Me Away. You can find it on iTunes (amongst other places, I'm sure!) :)

Waybuloo is the very first programme that my baby watched and smiled at. It's amazing stimulation for a 5 month old and I strongly recommend it. I think the bedtime hour is very relaxing but this new one is all I've known so don't know what it was like before. I didn't like the new change they made recently introducing driver Dan but I don't think many others did either which is why that was taken off very abruptly. I agree though if people don't want to watch abit of yoga and find it offensive then turn the telly over! Are these the people that don't agree with baa baa black sheep aswell? the worlds gone mad!

thanks so much Duncan! you are a star! x

I think it is very sensible to periodically change the format of various periods during the day. After all, a new set of children will come along who will benefit from seeing other shows other than one set of 'pre-determined' programmes, if indeed no changes were ever made.



As for Waybuloo, having very strong beliefs myself (of Christian origin), I do not view Waybuloo as promoting any particular religious culture - if anything could be considered an amalgum of various 'spiritual' viewpoints (if you can consider Yoga as being spiritual). However, you can take particular heart, if you have Christian ideals, as there are a lot of very posative elements to the programme - reading the intentions of the makers original programme ethos at promoting a healthy and posative environment for the children to share in. There are also a number of 'parallels' which can be made with Scripture (the Bible that is), as opposed to other religeous backgrounds. The Gospels each reprsent a particular facet of Jesus's minestry (as 'The Man', 'The King', etc) - likewise, each Pipling represents a different human quality (see original Blogs). The Idea of the wheel, the coloured crystals, the sounds produced etc, all point to parallels with the High Priests Garments in the original Temple in the Wilderness, as in the book of Exodus, Leviticus, etc (and which point to Christ's ministry). I do not think the programmers did this intentionally, but for those with a Christian faith who feel less than happy at watching the porogramme, it is good to be able to draw on likenesses with our faith, rather than feel threatened by it. Personally, I think the programme is on the whole, a very good, well thought out, and very well made programme - when all is said and done, it is intended to be for young children, who I guesse will not be affected in the slightest by any 'Adult' spiritual refrences - if your children like it, let them watch it - it was made for them!