Tip's Nursery is a Kuboian traditionally animated children's television series created by Ashley Maverick and produced by Kubokartoonz. The show centres around the titular character, a purple cat who helps her owner, Mr. Declan Colonies, run a social group for children. It premiered on TVVC's preschool channel Tiny Vision in 1999, with new episodes airing until 2006.
According to Maverick, she came up with the premise for Tip's Nursery in the mid 1990s out of annoyance that cats are "often demonised" in animation in contrast to dogs. The idea was to create a programme that would celebrate equality and self-expression, and would explore subjects that children find scary, awkward or embarrassing, which Maverick chose because, in her eyes, children's television had became "too soft". The show polarised critics and audiences for its educational messages, which some felt were out of place in a programme for young children. In spite of this, it was a rating success.
A spin-off series, Heather's World, later aired from 2007 to 2011.
Premise[]
Tip, a purple cat, assists her owner Declan Colonies run a daycare centre for children. The daycare itself is located in a middle-class suburban area which is never named. They are usually assisted by their employees; Curtis "Sarge", a friendly but hyperactive man who often takes his job very seriously in an extroverted manner, Sophie, an animal lover whose affectionate personality Tip finds annoying, and Avery, a young man who is often tired out by Sarge and the children.
The daycare in particular is run not just to look after the children whilst their parents are busy, but also to help them make friends and build on their social life, something most of the children lack. Episodes are typically centred around either an interesting activity that arises within the daycare, or a problem that occurs either within or outside of it and Tip's efforts to resolve it within her responsibility range.
Despite most being a down to earth, slice of life programme, Tip's Nursery does include some fantasy elements, with the most noticeable being Tip's ability to speak to the human race. Other animals are usually depicted as lacking this trait, and it is implied on several occasions that Tip is unable to communicate to or understand other animals herself.
Storylines and moral lessons[]
Most episodes consist of two eleven-minute stories which each share a common theme, though sometimes episodes will instead only include one full-length story. Each episode (from the second series) has at least one song which is performed by the show's characters, and is usually based around the episode's theme. Some of the episodes in later series experiment with the format in various ways, such as being based entirely around various comical skits, being structured like a documentary or the characters thinking up "what if" scenarios.
Throughout the seven series, Tip's Nursery tackles subject matters such as anxiety, peer pressure, healthy eating, stage fright and responsibility to more complex matters such as reporting crimes, money management, learning and physical disabilities, arguments amongst friends, addiction, family conflicts, sexual orientations and gender identities. Despite the show's young demographic, Maverick claimed that she was careful in presenting the more controversial subject matters in a way that is suitable for young children.
Cast and characters[]
Main characters[]
- Tip is a purple cat, supposedly just out of her kitten years, who helps her owner run the show's daycare centre. She is very friendly, and makes great efforts to provide a safe and welcoming place for the children. Tip likens herself as a good role model, and often serves as a good adviser and playmate, though she has the tendency to overestimate her abilities and can be clumsy at times. She is also, as she puts it, "fashion-conscious", usually donning a black beret hat. Although Tip regularly reminds the children that her responsibilities can only span within the daycare, she does care for the state of the town she lives in, and is willing to make exceptions to said rule when problems arise. Despite being a cat, she prefers a more 'human' lifestyle and generally doesn't like cat food and isn't good at typical cat hobbies like climbing trees.
- Mr. Declan Colonies is Tip's owner, a single middle-aged man who is the owner of the show's daycare. Like his pet, he is very friendly and welcoming to the children, though he often leaves them in the custody of Tip and his staff whilst he deals with "huge amounts" (in reality, small amounts) of paperwork. Though well-meaning, he appears to be quite lazy, often putting tasks off and finding excuses to avoid doing them, and disliking activities that involve walking and exercise. In spite of this, Declan does care for Tip and the others deep down, and is quick on his feet when an incident occurs.
- Curtis "Sarge" Croes is the Declan's best friend and main employee. Although he has good internet, he has a talkative, loud and in-your-face personality which typically annoys Tip and the other staff. In spite of this, he is shown to be very competent at his job, and is very good at presuading others with his charm. The specials "The Countdown to Christmas" and "Tip and the Memory Box" reveal that Sarge and Declan have been friends since childhood, and that it was the former who encouraged the latter to open the daycare in the first place.
- Avery is one of the daycare's staff members. He is often irritable, and is often seen as the "mean" employee amongst the children due to his grumpiness and lack of tolerance, making him a notable foil to Sarge's personality. Avery also doesn't seem very confident in himself, preferring not to take part in games and sport events. He begins to warm up to the others as part of his character development.
- Sophie is Declan's newest employee, a young woman who has supposedly recently left school, she is abruptly introduced halfway through the first series with little in-universe explanation. A self-proclaimed animal and children lover, Sophie enjoys helping out in the daycare and enjoys the company of others, though Tip finds her affectionate and overconfident personality to be of annoyance.
Children[]
Most of the show's supporting characters consist of the ten children who attend the daycare. The group consists of four boys; JJ, Tan, Utz and Zeke, and six girls; Elouisa, Heather, Karline, Marcy, Samantha and Yasmin. All of the children are nine years old barring ten year-old Samantha and eight year-old JJ. Heather also starts the series as eight years old, but has her ninth birthday in a series four episode.
Usually, each episode will be centred around one or two of them. It is rare for all ten children to appear in and have a speaking role in the same episode, though this becomes more common in the later series.
- Elouisa is a cynical and often sarcastic girl who has long brown hair. She appears to have difficulty making friends and finding her place in life. She has a tendency to clash with the other children either due to her jealousy or bossiness. As part of her development, however, Elouisa becomes a nicer person and begins to form close friendships later on. She appears to have good problem-solving skills, being very good at playing chess and identifying clues to mysteries. In series three, Elouisa develops a bond with fellow daycare attendee Heather, which eventually leads to them dating.
- Heather is a clumsy blonde girl, who is prone to bumping into things or knocking them over. She often likes to come up with and talk about imaginary worlds, as well as finding unusual solutions to problems, typically by talking to "Daisy", a plastic flower she carries about with her. Heather seems to have trouble getting along with the others, who she unintentionally annoys, and is prone to getting upset and feeling left out. In later series, however, she begins to develop a soft spot for some of the other children, particularly Elouisa, who she ends up dating.
- JJ is the youngest member of the group, a brown-haired boy who enjoys pop music and dancing. He is popular amongst the other children, who consider him cute.
- Karline is a mischievous auburn-haired girl who likes to tease others, and particularly enjoys winding up Avery. She appears to be a bit naive, especially in regards to taking, touching and remembering things. Karline also seems to have a very big appetite, especially for chocolate. In spite of her impulsive nature, she doesn't mean any harm.
- Marcy is a shy, blonde-haired girl who has a passion for nature, developing a particular soft spot for Tip. She identifies as a girl, though was not born female; the first series implies she has just recently transitioned and is self-conscious about trying new things.
- Samantha is the oldest and longest serving member of the group. A stylish black-haired girl usually donning a beret hat similar to Tip, she enjoys the company of others and especially enjoys being in large groups and taking part in games and social events. The other children typically see Samantha as a role model and admire her for her apparent social confidence. In reality, she is shy and has difficulty asking for help.
- Tan and Utz are twin brothers introduced in the second series. Unlike the other children, they do not live within the daycare's suburb area, but instead out "in the middle of nowhere". Tan is the more socially confident of the two, and is very clever and crafty. Utz on the other hand is more physically active, and wears a pair of shoes that have detachable wheels. Before their differing hobbies were established in series two, they were usually identified by their clothes and the fact that Tan has black hair and Utz has auburn hair.
- Yasmin is a auburn-haired girl who often wears her hair in a ponytail. She often carries a camera around with her, which she enjoys taking photos with. She also enjoys reading and writing her own stories, though she is often embarrassed about sharing them with others.
- Zeke is a blonde, effeminate boy who is very fashion-conscious and trendy. Because he is spoiled, he has a tendency to make selfish or impulsive decisions without realising, though is good at apologising when he realises his mistake.
Cast[]
A majority of the cast of Kubokartoonz' previous show Magma Eye also voiced characters in Tip's Nursery as it was "more convenient" given both shows were developed round about the same time. According to Kubokartoonz co-founder Harlow Morrison, it was common for the cast to adlib certain scenes or ask for the transcript to be altered in order for it to feel more nature or fun noting "Ashley didn't seem to care at all, she actually liked the cast having their say on what should happen".
- Lilian Pond - Tip, additional voices
- Flynn Raidon - Declan
- Bruno Leon Vidal - Sarge, additional voices
- Joseph Bell - Avery
- Anita Fischer - Heather
- Ankia Tineo - Marcy
- Charlie Karma - Samantha, Sophie, Yasmin, additional voices
- Emily Merletta - Karline
- Enny Emery - Elouisa
- Jack Carole - JJ
- Noah Hunt - Tan, Utz
- Xya Leeds - Zeke
- Darren Marion - additional voices
Series overview[]
Episodes[]
| Series | Episodes | Originally aired | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | ||||
| 1 | 13[1] | 1 September 1999 | 24 December 2000 | ||
| 2 | 10 | 11 April 2001 | 13 June 2001 | ||
| 3 | 10 | 10 April 2002 | 12 June 2002 | ||
| 4 | 10 | 9 April 2003 | 11 June 2003 | ||
| 5 | 10 | 7 April 2004 | 9 June 2004 | ||
| 6 | 10 | 13 April 2005 | 15 June 2005 | ||
| 7 | 10 | 12 April 2006 | 14 June 2006 | ||
Production[]
Each of the thirteen episodes of series one consisted of two standalone stories. Due to fears that Tip's Nursery was too similar to other preschool programmes, show creator Ashley Maverick brought several changes to the format for series two, such as:
- Tackling more serious and unorthodox subject matters.
- Making the two stories in each episode share a common theme and having some episodes contain one full-length story.
- Occasionally experimenting with the format occasionally.
- Giving the characters multiple new outfits.
- Having a more lively opening sequence.
Broadcast history[]
After production of Tip's Nursery came to an end in 2006, it continued to air on Tiny Vision in regular reruns until 31st July 2016. The show also aired on Nick Jr. Kuboia from 2000 to 2010.
International broadcast[]
- Australia: ABC Kids, Tiny TV
- Canada: TVOKids (1999-2010)
- France: France 5
- Germany: Super RTL, Disney Channel, Playhouse Disney
- Italy: Rai Due, Rai Yoyo
- Japan: TV Tokyo
- Netherlands: NPO Zappelin, Jetix Play
- Portugal: Canal Panda
- Spain: La 1, Clan TV, Playhouse Disney
- Sweden: SVT1, SVTB
- United Kingdom: CBBC (1999-2001), CBeebies (2002-2011), Tiny Pop (2009-2016)
- United States: Nick Jr. (2001-2008), Noggin (2002-2007)
The show also aired on Minimax in multiple countries, including Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.
It is not uncommon for the show to air in a shorter format in certain countries, in which only one story is featured and aired under a ten or fifteen-minute timeframe; in this case, full-length stories are split into two episodes.
Although some sources claim that there was an American version of the show in which the characters were dubbed over with Canadian actors, both the United States and Canada aired the original Kuboian version. This claim appears to originate from a misunderstanding during an interview in which Maverick expressed concerns over the show potentially getting Americanised upon being exported to North America.
Reception[]
Tip's Nursery received positive reviews from critics. In a review for the show's first series, Pop Magazine awarded it an A rating citing it as "Kubokartoonz' greatest 'toon yet", praising the writing, animation and characters. Common Sense Media awarded the show a 3/5 rating, acknowledging that it "has many good lessons for children and handles various topics well" but criticised the lack of ethnic diversity amongst the characters. A BBC critic expressed concerns that the show tackled problems that were inappropriate or too complex for young children, but nonetheless praised Kubokartoonz for "being willing to take risks and explore topics that other children's programmes are too scared to approach".
The show was also a ratings success throughout Europe and particularly its home country Kuboia, with episodes often being watched by over a hundred thousand viewers nationally. The Open Eagle described the show as "Tiny Vision's biggest hit since its launch", citing the relatability of the characters and the show's "funky" nature as reasons for its popularity amongst children and adults. In 2002, KBG News reported that many teenagers and young adults were "tuning into Tiny Vision" to watch the show.
Tip's Nursery received criticism for some of the outfits worn by the children on the show, particularly the low-waisted miniskirts worn by the girls and the crop tops often worn by Zeke and JJ. An article in the British newspaper The Guardian felt the child characters were sexualised and asked "Do we really need relatable charaters on a preschool show revealing their midriff?" Ashley Maverick discussed the issue in a 2003 interview stating "The characters on Tip's Nursery are meant to reflect Kuboian children, and as such wear clothes that they [Kuboian children] wear, which some other cultures may consider tacky or skimpy. […] I would never unnecessarily sexualise children in a TV show or film. At least, if it wasn't a plot point."
Inclusion of LGBT characters[]
Tip's Nursery polarised critics for its inclusion of LGBT characters, who were mixed on whether the show's target demographic was "too young" to learn about sexual orienta and gender identities. A retrospective review of the show in a 2024 Open Eagle article praised Marcy's character, noting "Marcy's trans status is not her entire character […] she is a three-dimensional character with some flaws, just like the rest of the cast", and also praised Elouisa and Heather's relationship as having the right buildup and execution.
Several conservative groups, on the other hand, criticised Elouisa and Heather's relationship and Marcy's transgender status, which were referred to by British charity Christian Action, Research and Education as "pedophile bait" and "unacceptable for a children's programme".
Elouisa and Heather's relationship, as well as Marcy's gender identity, were censored in some international versions of the show, where the former two are instead labelled as "best friends" and the latter is referred to as a cisgender girl.
Legacy[]
In 2018, Ashley Maverick revealed that the show would be uploaded to YouTube for its twentieth anniversary. A Tip's Nursery YouTube channel was launched in July 2019 and began uploading episodes the following September. As of 2023, all eighty-six episodes have been uploaded to the channel.
Spin-offs and specials[]
Heather's Wold (2007-11)[]
A spin-off of Tip's Nursery, Heather's World, later premiered on Tiny Vision in 2007. The show follows Heather, who gets assistance from her imaginary friends in her day-to-day life.
The Countdown to Christmas (2004)[]
A forty five-minute Christmas special, The Countdown to Christmas, premiered on Vision One on 24th December 2004.
Tip's Fact Files: Growing Up[]
An educational direct-to-video titled Tip's Fact Files: Growing Up was released in 2004. The video features Tip and the children learning about topics regarding growing up, such as puberty, across five segments that last approximately fifteen minutes each.
As the video was produced for school audiences in mind, it was released in limited copies, and was considered lost before all of the segments were uploaded to the show's YouTube channel in 2023.
According to Ashley Maverick in a 2024 YouTube community post, the video was funded by Kuboia's education department, and was supposed to be part of a series but was cancelled due to the department being unimpressed with the quality of the Growing Up video.
Discography[]
Studio albums[]
- Friends for Life (2001)
- Ready to Party (2003)
- All Together Now (2005)
Pizza Hut partnership[]
In 2003, Kubokartoonz partnered with Pizza Hut in a deal which would involve Tip's Nursery being promoted in Pizza Hut restaurants and vice versa. As part of the deal, Pizza Hut was featured in and referenced in various episodes of the show's fifth and sixth series. Meanwhile, Pizza Hut itself used the Tip's Nursery licence for its children's menu and competitions from March 2003 until September 2007.
As part of the partnership, Pizza Hut gave out exclusive Tip's Nursery DVDs on two different occasions. The first volume was given out to customers in Spring 2004, and featured two episodes of series four. The second volume, meanwhile, was given out in Spring 2005, and included two episodes of series five.
Merchandise[]
A string of Tip's Nursery merchandise was released throughout the 2000s, which comprised of children's toys and games, posters, clothing and other products. A plush toy of Tip released in 2002 sold over a million copies worldwide.
By 2006, Tip's Nursery had accumulated K5 billion worldwide through merchandise sales.
Books[]
A Tip's Nursery annual series of activity books was published in Europe yearly from 2001 to 2008, with each issue containing over a hundred pages of activities and stories.
A unnamed series of books starring Tip and the show's other characters was published in Europe and Australia throughout the 2000s.
Home media releases[]
Although the complete series of eighty-six episodes has never been released, several Tip's Nursery VHS tapes and DVDs have been released throughout Region 2.
From 2000 to 2002, a nine-volume VHS series was released through Vision Video (BBC Video in the United Kingdom), with each volume containing two full episodes (usually four stories) from the first two series. These were followed by two "Bumper Videos" that featured five episodes from series two and three respectively.
Later, from 2003 to 2007, Vision Video released another nine-volume series on DVD, with each volume having three or four episodes from series three through seven, plus some bonus features.
Video games[]
Console games:
- Daycare Daze (2001; PS1)
- Ready to Party (2003; GBA/GCN/PS2)
PC CD-ROMs:
- Time to Play (2000)
- First Class with Tip the Cat (2002)
Tropes[]
- Tropes
- Your Mileage May Vary
- Trivia
- Warp That Aesop
Notes[]
- ↑ Series 1 was not aired in a single run like the other series were, and was instead aired in multiple shorter runs throughout 1999 and 2000.