Nick Jr. Productions

Background
Nick Jr. Productions was the television production arm of Nick Jr. founded in 1993. In February 2009, the Nick Jr. Productions brand was folded into the television production arm of Nickelodeon as Nick Jr. was re-branded as "Nickelodeon's Play Date" at the same time. However, international Nick Jr. channels (most notably Nick Jr. UK) continue to use a Nick Jr. production tag (usually in-credit) at the end of their shows.

1st Logo (1993-2000)
Nicknames: "Game Of Catch", "Holding Hands", "Air Catch", "Father and Son", "Pretend Catch"

Logo: On a white background, we see an orange dad with "NICK" on his body and a blue child with "JR" on his body, making a "throwing" motion, like they are playing catch. The orange person throws underhand and the blue person throws overhand. Several black lines and curved lines are drawn, tracing the motion of their arms. They jump to each other and hold their hands together. The copyright stamp is below.

Variants:


 * On the first two Max & His Alphabet Adventures shorts, a still version is shown on a black background. This variant also appears with a copyright stamp at the end of a Little Bear preview on the VHS release of Blue's Clues: Blue's Big Musical Movie.
 * On 1993-1994 episodes of Eureeka's Castle, as well as Allegra's Window, the words "Grow, Learn and Play" appear above the logo.
 * On Little Bear and the Blue's Clues: Blue's Safari video release, the copyright notice isn't seen.
 * On an early VHS release of Little Bill, the logo is still on a yellow background. Below is the word "Productions" in black, along with the copyright stamp. This may have been a prototype version of the 3rd logo.

FX/SFX: The moving arms, and the jumping.

Music/Sounds: Usually the end theme of the show plays over, but sometimes it had its own music: a synthesized piano jingle whose notes corresponded to the movements (the ending of which is similar to the Touchstone Television logo).

Music/Sounds Variants:


 * On Allegra’s Window, we hear a child giggling and the ascending xylophone followed by the show‘s finishing theme song.
 * On the Blue's Clues: Blue's Safari video release, we hear the guitar pluck from the 2nd logo.

Availability: Scarce. This was originally used as a Nick Jr. ID. Appeared on several shows of the era, such as Gullah Gullah Island and Allegra's Window. It was on Eureeka's Castle episodes from 1993 to 1994, Little Bear episodes from 1995 to late-1999, and at the end of the Blue's Clues: Blue's Safari video release. It's still preserved on Little Bear and Gullah Gullah Island reruns on Nick Jr. (formerly Noggin), as well as VHS releases of Allegra's Window, Gullah Gullah Island, and Little Bear (along with the 1995 Paramount Television logo). The still version can be also found at the beginning of a Blue's Clues video trailer on the VHS releases of Blue's Discoveries, Blue's Big Treasure Hunt, Blue's Big Pajama Party, Blue's Safari, Magenta Comes Over, and Stop, Look, and Listen. Once the 3rd logo was introduced, this was used in tandem with it until the beginning of the 21st century.

Editor's Note: This is a very memorable logo for those who grew up with the Nick Jr channel in the 1990s.

2nd Logo (September 8, 1996-March 2, 2004)
Nicknames: "The Animals", "Alternate Logo", "The Blue's Clues Logo", "Different Characters", "Father and Son II"

Logo: On a black background, we see a picture of the Nick Jr. logo (it varies in shape, like Nickelodeon's). The parent has "NICK" on its body while his/her child has "JR" on its body. It fades out after 3-4 seconds. The copyright stamp in the logo reads "© [YEAR] VIACOM International, INC.", or sometimes not at all.

Animals: The animals in the logo vary for each episode that has this logo (even episodes that have the same pair of creatures) from the following:
 * Cat and kitten
 * Dog and puppy
 * Elephants (2 versions)
 * Pig and piglet
 * Giraffes
 * Duck and duckling
 * Chicken and chick
 * Rooster and chick
 * Frogs
 * Penguins
 * Monkeys
 * Kangaroo and joey
 * Seals
 * Hippos
 * Bear and cub
 * Turtles
 * Dinosaurs
 * Lion and cub
 * Porcupines
 * Rabbits
 * Fish
 * Swans
 * Crocodiles
 * A dad with a child holding hands together (see the 1st logo)
 * A dad holding a child (see the 3rd logo)
 * A dad and a child walking
 * A dad and a child running

Variants:


 * On 1999-2001 Blue's Clues VHS releases, the copyright stamp is extended, reading "©[YEAR] Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Blue's Clues and all related titles, logos, and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc."
 * A version exists without copyright info exists on the first two Blue's Clues VHS tapes ever released: "Arts and Crafts" and "Story Time". The ending theme of said show plays over this.
 * Starting in June 2001, the logo would be used as a primary closing logo at the end of VHS and DVD releases from Nick Jr. Three versions are known to be used: "Monkeys", "Bears", and "Pigs".
 * On the 2001 VHS Nick Jr.'s Imagine That!, the "Monkeys" logo is small, and three copyrights are under it:
 * For the Dora the Explorer episode "Sticky Tape", the top copyright reads "©2001 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Dora the Explorer and all related titles, logos, and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc."
 * For the Blue's Clues episode "Blue's Big Treasure Hunt", the middle copyright reads "©2001 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Blue's Clues and all related titles, logos, and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc."
 * And for the Little Bill episode "Super Family Fun Land", the bottom copyright reads "©2001 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Little Bill is a trademark of Smiley Inc. Original Little Bill characters ©1997 William H. Cosby Jr."

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: A guitar pluck and a small squeak, which is the closing theme.

Music/Sounds Variant:


 * Sometimes on Blue's Clues, the ending theme can be without the guitar pluck, or it can be silent.


 * On What is Blue Afraid Of?, a soft meow can be heard, which sounds like the startled meow, followed by the guitar pluck.


 * On later episodes of the UK version of Blue's Clues, audio from the 3rd logo can be heard. Most likely a reverse plaster.


 * VHS and DVD releases from Nick Jr. shows omit the guitar pluck.

Availability: Uncommon. On TV, this logo appeared on Blue's Clues. Appears when the show is rerun on Nick Jr. (formerly "Noggin") and along with the 1995 Paramount Television logo on its VHS releases, with the exception of Blue's Birthday, Blue's Discoveries, and Blue's Safari. Although Blue's Clues was the only show to air this logo on TV, the silent version without the copyright stamp can also be found on some VHS and DVD releases of Dora the Explorer and Little Bill. The last Blue's Clues episode to use this logo is Blue's Big Holiday. This will not appear on post-October 2003 releases because this is cut out, leaving the Nickelodeon "Haypile/Scribble". Starting in August 2001, a new elephants logo was made for international prints of Oswald. It also should be seen on UK and Portugal versions of Blue's Clues.

Editor's Note: This logo is a favorite for those that are fans of Blue's Clues, especially for those that grew up watching the show.

3rd Logo (1999-2009)
Nicknames: "Father and Son III", "The Clay Logo"

Logo: On a yellow "swirly" background, we see an orange dad and a child, both with "NICK" and "JR" on their bodies. The two people bounce around as the word "Productions", in a childish multicolored font with a little red heart on the letter "I", forms. The two people are both hugging together after the logo completely forms (closely resembling a variant from the previous logo).

Variants:


 * A warp-speed version of this logo can be seen on Little Bear episodes from 2000 to 2001 and on some episodes of Dora The Explorer.
 * Strangely, this logo was spotted after the split-screen credits on the November 5th, 2007 airing of the late 2007 Nick Jr. TV movie Dora Saves the Mermaids. It might be considered an error on the production or broadcast.
 * On Little Bill, a copyright notice is seen. On VHS prints of said show, the first frame of the regular copyright stops the logo, causing the heart on the "I" to be tilted instead of straight.
 * The extended copyright notice in blue can be seen on Whoopi’s Littleburg.

FX/SFX: The claymation effects.

Music/Sounds: A bongo beat with three record scratches that sound like a mouse squeaking and a gasp after the third one, then a tuba playing a tune that almost sounds like the Nick Jr. "Just for me!" theme accompanied by kids laughing and a Hanna-Barbera "BOING!" sound when they jump.

Music/Sounds Variants:


 * On The Backyardigans, the ending theme plays over it.
 * On Whoopi’s Littleburg, the logo is silent.
 * On a DVD print of the Dora the Explorer episode "Swiper the Explorer", one second of the ending theme plays over it, followed by the logo's music. TV airings had this logo with the music starting regularly without the end theme, otherwise, the 2009 Nickelodeon Productions logo will plaster it.
 * On shows such as Blue’s Clues and Little Bill, the ending theme trails off onto the logo.

Availability: Common. It can be seen on pre-2005 episodes of shows like Blue's Clues, Little Bill, etc. on Nick Jr. and pre-2009 episodes of Dora the Explorer on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr., excluding Max and Ruby. It plasters over the 2nd logo at the end of the first three episodes on the DVD release of Blue's Clues: Blue's Biggest Stories.

Editor's Note: None.

4th Logo (2001-2010)
Nickname: "Father and Son IV"

Logo: Essentially the same as the 1st logo, but it is still, and in-credit.

Variants:


 * On some shows, the logo has a yellow outline and/or the word "Join in!  is under the logo. Said variant was used on a white background on some UK prints of Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps''.
 * Another variant exists with the logo in a white square.
 * Most shows used the "Father and Son" logo. However, depending on the show, it can be a different creature/shape/person.
 * Sometimes, the outline is a different color.
 * A version exists with the URL "www.nick.co.uk".

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: The ending theme of the show, or in other cases, none.

Availability: Uncommon. This logo can be seen on select episodes of Fifi and the Flowertots and Roary the Racing Car on PBS Kids Sprout (now Universal Kids). Also seen on on 2002-2004 episodes of Thomas and Friends (in the UK only), seasons 1, 2 and the first half of season 3 of Peppa Pig and season 1 of Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom on Nick Jr. Strangely, this was also seen on Peppa Pig when it aired back in 2005 on Cartoon Network's short-lived "Tickle U" block. It also made a surprise appearance on the U.S. Thomas & Friends DVDs Percy's Chocolate Crunch and Other Thomas Adventures (2003) and Best of Gordon (2004).

Editor's Note: None.

5th Logo (January 26, 2004)


Nickname: "Nick Jr. Frogs"

Logo: On a green background, we see two frogs, one orange and one blue. Then, a fly appears, and the orange frog tries to catch it twice, but then the blue frog catches it. The orange frog gets surprised, and laughs with the blue frog as the words "NICK JR" appear on the frogs. Then fireworks appear below them spelling "PRODUCTIONS".

FX/SFX: 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: A strange fantasy tune, the fly buzzing, the frogs giggling, and a five-note tune at the end.

Availability: Probably extinct. Only seen on the world premiere of Dora's Pirate Adventure. DVD and VHS releases use the 3rd logo.

6th Logo (2005-February 2009)
Nicknames: "Father and Son V", "Father and Son on Water", "The Puddle"

Logo: On a light blue/green gradient background, we see an orange dad, and a blue child, both playing on a puddle. Then, after they jump around and splash in the puddle, the words "NICK JR" can be seen on both bodies like the 1st logo, while the word "productions" appears below. The two boys are hugging together again after the company's name appears.

Variants: Here is a list of the variations of this logo:
 * There is an edited version of the logo, which cuts out the first 1.9 seconds of the regular version.
 * There exists a second-longer version which has a different laugh and the puddle appears after 0.5 seconds.
 * On the Blue's Clues 10th Anniversary special Behind the Clues: 10 Years with Blue, a copyright notice is shown.
 * On The Wonder Pets! and 2007 airings of Go, Diego, Go!, the logo starts with the orange dad and blue child jumping.

FX/SFX: The father and son playing on a puddle and hugging together again (see the previous logo), produced by Primal Screen in Atlanta, GA.

Music/Sounds: A nice piece of music played by a violin and an oboe, with the melody being a 4-note marimba tune followed by a 9-note clarinet sounder.


 * Note: The music on this logo is accompanied by kids laughing and puddle splashing sounds.

Music/Sounds Variants:


 * On The Backyardigans and Behind The Clues: 10 Years with Blue, the ending theme plays over the logo.
 * On a Season 2 episode of Blue's Room, the regular music is high pitched.
 * The longer version has a xylophone remix of Nick Jr.'s 2005 jingle with a different laugh.
 * On Dora's World Adventure and Dora Saves the Mermaids, we hear the 3rd logo's music.

Availability: Pretty common. The short version of the logo can be seen on The Wonder Pets! and Ni Hao, Kai-Lan on Nick Jr. The long version appears on Go, Diego, Go! and The Backyardigans on DVD. Another sighting of this logo was seen twice on the Blue's Clues 10th Anniversary special Behind the Clues: 10 Years with Blue, during the interview with the pilot, and at the end after the County Line Productions logo, and did appear in season 2 of Blue's Room. No episodes of Blue's Clues used this logo, except the series finale "Meet Blue's Baby Brother", where this and the Out of the Blue Enterprises logo had to bid farewell to said show. The second-longer version appears on early episodes of Go, Diego, Go! and was a network ID on CBS. Post-February 2009 episodes will instead have the 2008 Nickelodeon "3-D Lightbulb".

Editor's Note: None.

7th Logo (September 24, 2010-)
Logo: Same as the 4th logo, but the new Nick Jr. logo is used.

Variant: There are many depending on the show you see.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: The show's end theme.

Availability: Seen on Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom episodes since season 2 and Peppa Pig episodes since the 2nd half of season 3.

Editor's Note: None.

Final Note: Post-2009 Nick Jr. shows now use the current Nickelodeon Productions logo instead.