Moonbug Entertainment, the studio behind global preschool hits including ‘Cocomelon’, ‘Blippi’, ‘Little Angel’ and spinoffs such as ‘The Melon Patch’, is set to incorporate child development research more systematically into its content pipeline, according to a Variety exclusive.
The initiative stems from a partnership with the Center for Scholars and Storytellers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), a nonprofit that connects entertainment creators with academic research to support children’s well-being and development.
In 2023, the centre conducted an extensive evaluation of Moonbug’s programming and internal processes. The study included interviews with creative teams, episode-level analysis and consultation with an advisory council of academic experts. It also reviewed a broad body of peer-reviewed research on early childhood learning.
Based on these findings, the centre developed four core learning principles that Moonbug will now apply across its content slate. These principles, designed to define developmentally appropriate programming, are expected to be made public later this spring, offering guidance not only for Moonbug but also for other children’s content creators and parents assessing media consumption.
The collaboration has moved into an implementation phase, with the research centre working directly alongside Moonbug’s creative teams. This includes defining development and learning objectives for each season, spanning life skills, social-emotional growth and cognitive development. The centre will also contribute to shaping story concepts and episode themes, while reviewing scripts and early cuts to ensure clarity and age-appropriate learning outcomes.
Child development research has historically played a key role in children’s programming, with established frameworks used by institutions such as PBS, Disney and Nickelodeon. However, as platforms like YouTube increasingly dominate children’s media consumption, the Moonbug-CSS partnership aims to adapt those standards to a fragmented digital ecosystem.
“As more preschoolers spend time on digital platforms, parents and creators are asking more urgent questions about what quality screen time actually means,” said Yalda T. Uhls, founder and CEO of the centre. “Research shows children can learn from online video, but only when it’s designed with child development in mind. Our work with Moonbug is about bringing research and storytelling closer together.”
Moonbug’s chief creative officer Rich Hickey said the partnership reinforces an existing focus on early learning. “To make great stories for young kids, you have to start with how they learn,” he said. “This collaboration helps us be even more intentional, from initial ideas through production.”
Moonbug has previously collaborated with child development experts including Natascha Crandall, Allison Briscoe-Smith and Laura Brown, who continue to work with the studio.
