For the Children, the first children's television programme

Image: Annette Mills and Muffin the Mule at Lime Grove, 1952

Television returned to British screens on 7 June 1946, having been off-air for the duration of World War II. With an expanded schedule to fill, the first dedicated television programmes for children were introduced, starting with For the Children on Sunday morning, 9 June. However, they had a slow start. The Radio Times justified the limited scheduling, saying "the afternoon programme is over before the return from school and the night programme interferes with home lessons and bedtime".

The opening For the Children featured The Hogarth Puppet Circus and conjuror Eric Cardi. Fred Woodward played Hank the Mule and the presenter was A. Miller-Jones. The second programme – a month later – featured stamp collecting and Commander A.B.Campbell displaying the contents of his sea chest. As the frequency of children’s programmes increased they became a staple of the schedules and in October the first major children’s television star was born with the introduction of Muffin the Mule.

BBC Children’s television provides some of the fondest memories of childhood for many people. The establishment of a Children’s Television Department in 1950 gave programmes a boost. Today, two dedicated BBC Channels and a wealth of online content keep children informed and entertained, creating the memories of tomorrow.