popular 90s kids show south africa

Mr Chinwag on Kideo

Watch: Five South African TV shows millennials will remember [videos]

If you grew up in the 90s in South Africa, we guarantee that you will remember some, if not all, of these TV shows.

popular 90s kids show south africa

Mr Chinwag on Kideo

Brace yourself for this blast from the past… While the world generally considers millennials to be young, lazy and reckless, the oldest of us are in our late thirties already, with family responsibilities and stable jobs.

However, that doesn’t mean we can’t take a moment to sit back and enjoy some of the beloved TV shows that shaped our youth. Remember Pumpkin Patch? What about Takalane Sesame?

Buckle up, we’re going to take a trip down memory lane.

South African TV shows 90s kids will remember

Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin Patch was a personal favourite of mine. It aired during the dawn of democracy and the show was vital in uniting kids of all races. Plus, it was packed with fun, interactive games too.

Who could forget Woofles, Uncle Bill, Laurel, and the puppet cousins, Freckles and Speckles? Go on, watch the trailer and have a good giggle.

According to SA comedian Martin Evans, Pumpkin Patch “seemed to defy the then government’s attitude to so many things” – such as apartheid, homophobia and the country’s “braai mentality”.

Wielie Walie

Queue the goosebumps because when that monkey started rolling along on his barrel, we know it was time for our beloved Wielie Walie.

Other characters included Sarel Seemonster, Karel Kraai and Bennie Boekwurm. Wielie Walie was on air from 1976 to 1996, making it one of the longest-running TV shows in SA history.

Takalani Sesame

South Africa’s very own adaptation of Sesame Street entertained children between the ages of three and seven, on SABC 1 and SABC 2 for many years.

Did you know that it was one of the only children’s TV shows to incorporate all 11 official South African languages? Yep, despite Sesame Street being a global franchise.

Kideo

Kideo was a favourite among many children that took young viewers on a fun and interactive journey while teaching us a few vital life skills along the way.

For 30 glorious minutes every Monday to Friday, we could spend time with Timothy Traddle the Tortoise and Mr Chinwag, and forget about our cares for a little while.

Mina Moo

True story, I still know the entire theme song by heart. Bet you do too, give the intro trailer a listen; you might be surprised.

The beloved kid’s show was presented in English, Afrikaans, Northern Sotho and Zulu; and featured Mina Moo, the loveable cow who owns a dairy and encouraged kids to drink milk.

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