Nick Jr./1994-2003

Background

On September 5, 1994, Face became the first host of Nick Jr., officially retiring the old idents and launching new ones.

Dizzy (September 5, 1994-2002)

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Visuals: On a white background, an orange father with the word "NICK" on him stands on the left. Then, a blue boy with "JR." on him comes spinning out from the back left spinning like a tornado (not unlike the Looney Tunes character Taz the Tasmanian Devil or the transformation sequence in The Mask). As the father watches him, the boy stops dizzily and poses with him.

Technique: CGI by DMA Animation.

Audio: A whimsical, playful synth-flute/trombone piece with the wind blowing as the boy is twirling. Composed by Matthew Kollmorgen.

Availability: Appeared on the VHS releases of Gullah Gullah Island: Feelings, Little Bear: Parties And Picnics, Wide Awake at Eureeka's Castle, Little Bear: Meet Little Bear and Little Bear: Family Tales.

Piano (September 5, 1994-2002)

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Visuals: The orange father and blue boy are standing on a piano. They each take turns jumping on the piano keys, then they jump onto the piano's rim.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: A piano playing along with a child laughing.

Availability: Seen on Sing Along With Eureeka's Castle, Storytime Sing-Along, Sing Along with Allegra and Lindi and Sing Along with Gullah Gullah Island. These VHS tapes have been out of print since the late '90s and fetch high prices online.

Candy Land (September 5, 1994-2001)

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Visuals: The orange father and blue boy are running along a game board. Then, they spin at one of the spaces and get into their normal position.

Trivia: The game board that the father and boy are running on is similar to the Candy Land board game (hence why the bumper is called Candy Land).

Technique: CGI by DMA Animation.

Audio: Carousel-like music, followed by a spinning noise and one final note.

Availability: Seen on the VHS releases Allegra's Window: Play Along with Allegra & Friends and Gullah Gullah Island: Play Along with Binyah & Friends.

Air Guitar (September 5, 1994-2000)

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Visuals: On a white background, the orange father and blue boy pretend to play guitars to rock and roll music.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: A short jazz-rock tune.

Hula Dancers (1994-Spring 2002)

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Visuals: The orange father and blue boy, wearing grass skirts, do a hula dance on the beach in a tropical island.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: A short piece of Hawaiian-style music.

Egyptian (September 5, 1994-2002)

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Visuals: The orange father and blue boy do an Egyptian dance in an Egyptian environment while hieroglyphics above them scroll to the left.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: A short piece of Egyptian-style music.

Snow Globe (December 1994-Spring 2002)

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Visuals: In a snow globe is the normal Nick Jr. logo. Then the snow globe is shaken, and the camera zooms out to reveal that the orange father and blue boy are standing on a white background and looking at the snow globe, with the father holding it. They look at it before they turn towards the screen and the boy waves.

Technique: CGI by DMA Animation.

Audio: The snow globe's synthesized sound effect, followed by a calm harp/flute riff.

Availability: Appears on Allegra's Window: Waiting For Grandma, Allegra's Window: Allegra's Christmas and Christmas At Eureeka's Castle on VHS - all of which have been out of print since the late '90s and are hard to find. On DVD, it appears on the Nick Jr. Holiday sampler DVD.

Toaster (September 5, 1994-January 2002)

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Visuals: A toaster is seen, then the orange father and blue boy bounce out of it, and a salt shaker stares at them as they jump. They both bounce onto the ground and get into their normal position.

Technique: CGI by DMA Animation.

Audio: A trumpet combined with a brief boogie-woogie riff and several sound effects such as the toaster rattling, a Hanna-Barbera "boing", and a ricochet sound.

Availability: It was on TV within commercial breaks during its timeframe, but on VHS it's only known to have been found on Allegra's Window: Small is Beautiful, which has been out of print since the late '90s and is hard to find.

Parade (September 5, 1994-2001)

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Visuals: In a city are two gigantic parade balloons of the orange father and blue boy, forming the logo. As they're pulled towards the screen by strings, red, orange, pink and magenta confetti flies around them and the shot then freezes before fading out.

Technique: CGI by DMA Animation.

Audio: Synthesized band music overlapped with a voice shouting "Hooray, hooray, hip hip hooray!" and high-pitched laughing, followed by a Hanna-Barbera "boing" sound when the shot freezes.

Availability: Was almost exclusively used within commercial breaks on Nick Jr. during the period.

Bounce (September 5, 1994-2003)

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Visuals: The camera pans up to a sky background. The orange father and blue boy alternately jump and somersault in the air from an off-camera trampoline. Then the camera pans down as the two hold hands together as they descend.

Technique: CGI by DMA Animation.

Audio: Kids giggling, then a banjo skiffle near the end.

Availability: Can be seen on Gullah Gullah Island: Binyah's Surprise and some Little Bear tapes. It was also Nick Jr.'s default DVD logo from 2002 to 2003, where it can be seen on releases such as Blue's Clues: Blue's Big Band and Dora the Explorer: Meet Diego.

Legacy: A big source of nostalgia for people who watched Nick Jr. DVDs during this time.

Winter (December 1994-January 1998)

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Visuals: An aurora appears in a black forest. Then, an orange moon with "NICK" on it appears. A cow then appears and jumps over the moon while a blue comet with "JR." on it appears.

Technique: 2D animation by Chris Harvey (a.k.a. V. Owen Bush).

Audio: A quiet synthesizer tune along with a cow mooing.

Cats (November 1995-February 21, 2001)

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Visuals: On the floor of a living room with an armchair on the right side, a big orange cat with "NICK" on it jumps in and begins playing with a ball of lime green yarn. A blue kitten with "JR." on it pops out of the yarn. They rub on each other lovingly and snuggle up together.

Technique: Cel animation by Manhattoons.

Audio: A peaceful celesta/Rhodes piano tune overlapped with a reverberated synth-bass "pin drop" sound effect, a high-octave xylophone tingle and the kitten meowing and purring. This ends in a 3-note tune, which would later be used for a majority of Nick Jr.'s bumpers from the time.

Availability: Seen on the VHS releases of Blue's Clues: Story Time and Little Bear: Friends.

Frogs (November 1995-April 5, 2000)

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Visuals: Above a pond with lily pads, a big orange frog with "NICK" on it and a smaller blue frog with "JR." hop around. Then the small frog dives into the pond, and the big one croaks. The small frog then comes out of the water before it hops next to the big one, as they both pose.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: A jazzy vibraphone/bass fiddle tune with bouncing and frog sound effects.

Availability: Found on the Little Bear: Summertime Tales, Blue's Clues: ABCs and 123s and Blue's Clues: Arts and Crafts VHS.

Elephants (November 1995-March 5, 2001)

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Visuals: On a mostly black background, a big orange elephant with "NICK" on it, and a blue elephant calf with "JR." on it (not the same ones as the "Elephants Drinking" logo) are looking at each other. Suddenly, the background changes into what looks like a circus, with Broadway lights, and red-orange yellow curtains on the top of the screen. The elephants shake their trunks and start to dance, as the big elephant swings the calf up with his trunk. Then, the calf runs around the big elephant, as the background turns into a peaceful purple color with a light yellow frame around it and stars moving inside, and both the elephants get into their position.

Technique: A mix of cel animation and claymation by Manhattoons.

Audio: A drumroll followed by some circus-style music, fading into a peaceful 3-note xylophone-like tune.

Availability: It appeared on the Blue's Clues: Blue's Birthday VHS.

Dinosaurs (1995-January 2002)

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Visuals: In a jungle is an orange dinosaur with "NICK" on it looking for some food. A little blue dinosaur with "JR." on it pops out from the tree. It falls and slides down the orange one's body, then runs to the orange dinosaur, and they roar at each other.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio:

• Television: Prehistoric-style music, with stock cartoon sounds and two roars at the end.
• Home video: The audio from the "Paper Bags" ident.

Availability: The version with the "Paper Bags" audio was found on Blue's Clues: Blue's Discoveries and some Little Bear tapes.

Fish (1996-2001)

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Visuals: In the ocean, many different colors of fish swim in different directions. Then, a big orange fish with "NICK" on it, followed by a smaller blue fish with "JR." on it, swims in from the left. As another fish swims by from the left, the two fish call, swim and play with each other. As the last fish swims off from the left, the fish get into their position, blowing bubbles.

Technique: Cel animation produced by Manhattoons.

Audio: A harp sound, and a bass tune, then those instruments together, including what sounds like a piano and a xylophone, playing a tune that includes the Nick Jr. theme at the end. Finally, the xylophone plays the last three notes of the Nick Jr. theme by itself. Sound effects include the fish swimming, and blowing bubbles.

Availability: It appeared on VHS tapes and DVDs of its time, notably including Blue's Clues: Blue's Big Pajama Party.

Pigs (March 1996-October 2001)

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Visuals: In what looks like a farm, a big orange pig and a blue piglet play in a puddle of water, both covered in mud. The bigger pig splashes in the water to reveal the word "NICK" on it, and the piglet does the same, revealing "JR." instead. Then, the two pigs shake the water off. They then walk to each other and snuggle, getting into position once again.

Trivia:

• This ident was completed in late 1995.
• On Nickstory Wiki, this is listed as having been produced before the "Cats" ID.

Technique: Cel animation produced by Manhattoons.

Audio: A bluegrass theme with banjos and harmonicas, along with the sounds of the pigs snorting and splashing in the water and shaking the water off.

Availability: This ident was common in its time. You can still find it on old VHS tapes and DVDs. One of those is Blue's Clues: Rhythm and Blue.

Monkeys (1996-2001)

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Visuals: In a jungle, a big orange monkey with "NICK" on it and a blue infant monkey with "JR." on it are seen. The infant monkey tries to reach the banana on the vine on the top of the screen, and swings with the bigger monkey on some vines to grab it and places it on the rock. When they are done, they get into their position as the Nick Jr. logo as the bigger monkey gives the infant monkey a pat on the head.

Technique: Computer cut-out animation.

Audio: A funky panpipe and bongo drum tune with the monkey sounds and jungle sound effects in the background.

Kangaroos (March 1996-January 2002)

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Visuals: In what looks like the Outback, a blue joey with "JR." on it hops out of a larger orange kangaroo with "NICK" on its pouch. The two begin hopping through the outback before they stop and begin cuddling with each other.

Technique: Cel animation by Manhattoons.

Audio: The corresponding sound effects accompanied by a didgeridoo theme that ends with a harp sound.

Polar Bears (December 1996-December 7, 1999)

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Visuals: In a snowy environment, a blue polar bear cub with "JR." on it stands at the top of a hill, as a big orange polar bear with "NICK" waves at it. The polar bear cub slides down the hill, and the big polar bear watches him crash into a pile of snow. The polar bear cub snow tunnels back to the big polar bear, who catches it, and they cuddle together.

Technique: CGI by Steve Speer.

Audio: A jazzy vibraphone theme with the polar bear cub sliding, and a bouncing sound effect when it crashes into a pile of snow.

Availability: Seen on the Gullah Gullah Island: Christmas VHS, which is very hard to find and has been out of print since the late '90s. On television, it was probably only used during the holiday season.

Lions (March 24, 1997-August 1, 2001)

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Visuals: In the jungle, a big orange lion with "NICK" on it, and a blue lion cub with "JR." on it roam together. The cub lets out a small roar, looks at its father, then roars again, louder. Then they stop, and the father lion roars loudly. Then the cub roars so loudly that the plants behind them shake. They continue to roam.

Technique: Claymation by Manhattoons.

Audio: A panpipe-like sound, along with stock lion roar sound effects.

Availability: It's no longer on TV, like most of these idents. It appears on Blue's Clues: Blue's Big Treasure Hunt.

Seals (March 24, 1997-January 25, 2001)

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Visuals: Underwater, a big orange seal with "NICK" on it and a blue seal pup with "JR." swim past some underwater structures, a waving mermaid, a random non-moving scuba diver, some seahorses and other decorations. They meet each other and snuggle together.

Technique: CGI by Steve Speer.

Audio: A synth-flute/kettledrum tune and some seal sounds.

Hippos (March 24, 1997-October 2000)

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Visuals: In an African savanna, a big orange hippo with "NICK" on it eats grass, while a blue hippo calf with "JR." looks at a fly. The fly buzzes around them as the camera pans over to some flowers in the middle of a field. After both hippos walk into frame from the left, the big hippo sniffs at the flowers, only for the calf to eat them, along with the fly. The calf snuggles up to the bigger hippo and spits out the fly, after which a new flower regrows in place of the three flowers eaten.

Trivia: The ident was completed on December 15, 1996.

Technique: Claymation by Webster Colcord, who also animated the Crocodiles ID and the 1999 Nick Jr. Productions logo.

Audio: Some Rhodes piano, drum and bass clarinet music overlapped with the sound of the fly buzzing.

Availability: Can be seen on the Nick Jr. VHS opening from 2000-2004.

Crocodiles (March 24, 1997-January 2002)

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Visuals: In the middle of a swamp, an orange crocodile with "NICK" climbs onto a rock to bask in the sunlight. A smaller blue crocodile with "JR." attempts to climb onto the same rock, nearly slipping off. The small crocodile snuggles up next to the bigger one and smile before they both rest.

Trivia:

• The ident was completed on January 5, 1997.
• Webster Colcord found some behind the scenes photos, and stills of the original 35mm negative of this bumper (along with the Hippos bumper) on his Instagram.

Technique: Claymation by Webster Colcord.

Audio: A tropical sounding jaw harp and synth-flute tune with cricket sounds in the background.

Chickens (March 24, 1997-January 2001)

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Visuals: In a barn, a nest is seen and the camera zooms out from it. As a big orange hen with "NICK" on it watches, one of the eggs hatches and walks to the left with its legs sticking out before it bumps into a wall, breaking the eggshell to reveal a blue chick with "JR.". The chick walks towards the hen and stands near it.

Technique: CGI by Steve Speer.

Audio: Country/bluegrass music with the egg cracking and chicken sound effects.

Rabbits (1997-2001)

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Visuals: On a chalkboard background, two scribbles, an orange one and a blue one, are seen. They grow in size and the words "NICK" and "JR." appear on them. The scribbles turn into two rabbits that hop to the center to the screen and dance.

Technique: 2D animation produced by Lester Films.

Audio: A boy and younger girl talking ("This is the head, the ears", "Add a liiittle little pretty face", "It's the tail", "This is the little two bunnies", "Hop, hop, hop") along with some generic music.

Monsters (1997-August 24, 1999)

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Visuals: On a table, a piece of paper filled with a big orange mother (designed as a scribble) with "NICK" on her is seen. The paper is surrounded by crayons, paintbrushes, paper clips and tape. As a blue son (also designed as a scribble) with "JR." on him comes up and hops around, a pair of yellow scissors cuts out the orange mother into a large, bizarre-looking shape, meant to resemble a "monster". The orange scribble then shakes off the paper, after which the blue also shakes. The two pose together as the blue scribble giggles.

Technique: A mix of live stop-motion work and computer effects, animated by Funline Animation Inc.

Audio:

• Prototype: A beautiful, dramatic synthesized piano stinger with the blue scribble hopping and giggling.
• Final version: The sound of children talking ("What are you making? Is that like a little hairball? What is it? It's like a monster. It's a monster! Look! It's scary! Maybe that's her baby."), along with cartoony sound effects, and a high-pitched giggle at the very end.

Availability: The final version appears on the VHS release of Little Bear: Little Goblin Bear (released on August 24, 1999). Its last known appearance on TV was in June 1998.

Dogs (March 24, 1997-January 14, 2000)

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Visuals: In a backyard, a blue puppy with "JR." on it runs into a flower garden, waking up a sleeping orange dog with "NICK" and making him search for it. The dog can't find the puppy at the flowers, since the puppy is at the big dog's doghouse. The dogs chase each other around a tree, then the dog finds the puppy and they pose together.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Rather dramatic music with a calmer finish, and dog sound effects.

Availability: It appears on an unknown Gullah Gullah Island VHS.

Swans (March 24, 1997-October 2001)

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Visuals: In a pond on a night background, an orange swan with "NICK" on it swims. A blue swan with "JR." on it surprises it by tugging on it, and speeds off, then it returns and they embrace each other.

Technique: CGI by Steve Speer.

Audio: A flute-based tune accompanied by twinkling and the swans whistling.

Ducks (March 24, 1997-January 2002)

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Visuals: An orange duck with "NICK" and a blue duckling with "JR." are walking. The duckling sees a butterfly and chases after it but falls into the pond and struggles in the water, and is helped up the the larger duck.

Technique: Traditional animation by Funline Animation Inc.

Audio: A drum/flute tune with a The General Series 6000 duck sound effect, and whooshing and splashing sounds.

Availability: It appeared sporadically on Nick Jr. during commercial breaks until January 2002.

Horses (June 27, 1997-April 22, 1998)

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Visuals: On a paper flip book, an orange horse with "NICK" on it is painted by a paintbrush gallops on grass. A blue foal with "JR." approaches it and they both nuzzle.

Technique: Traditional animation produced by Funline Animation Inc.

Audio: A pizzicato tune, and a stock horse whinny when the Jr. horse appears.

Audio Variant: There is a prototype variant with an acoustic guitar theme.

Giraffes (1997)

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Visuals: In a jungle, a blue giraffe calf with "JR." on it tries to reach reach pears on a tree, eventually making a pile of them them fall down. An orange giraffe with "NICK" comes and they both hop to each other.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Jungle music.

Penguins (December 12, 1997-March 5, 2001)

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Visuals: In what looks like Antarctica with a rising sun against a white sky, two penguins, a big orange penguin with "NICK" on it, and a blue penguin chick with "JR." on it, slip around on the ice. The chick runs to the bigger penguin and bumps into it. The bigger penguin then runs to the chick and bumps into it as well. The bigger penguin then grabs the chick as they embrace one another and hug. As the two penguins pose, the background changes into a black starry night.

Technique: A mix of cel animation and claymation by Manhattoons.

Audio: A spacey-like theme, with sounds of the penguins running, and hugging.

Availability: It appeared on the Little Bear: Goodnight Little Bear and Little Bear: Winter Tales VHS tapes.

Snakes (February 19, 1998-January 2002)

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Visuals: On a white background is a connect the dots activity in progress with a orange line and a blue line. The lines are drawn and keep moving up until they soon merge. When they merge, the two lines get colored (one orange with "NICK" and the other blue with "JR.") to be revealed as snakes. They soon loop around each other and start rubbing against each other.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: A young boy saying "4...5...6," followed by a young girl saying "Hey, come back here! Where's the next number?" Then they proceed to laugh. The girl says "It's a snake! That's pretty good." While all this happens, a drum beat is played followed by a "desert-like" version of the last 3 notes of the Nick Jr. jingle.

Snowman (August 5, 1998-December 31, 2001)

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Visuals: On a piece of paper, a orange snowman and a smaller blue snowman are stenciled, and the background soon becomes a winter-like snowy environment. The smaller snowman throws a snowball at the larger snowman with "NICK" appearing on it and laughs, and then the larger snowman also throws a snowball at the smaller snowman with "JR." appearing on it, and they both position together.

Technique: 2D animation by Funline Animation Inc.

Audio: Winter music, with bells jingling and the snowmen throwing snowballs.

Availability: Was used during the holiday season within commercial breaks on the Nick Jr. block (though it was occasionally seen on TV outside of the holidays).

Ostrich Blocks (October 5, 1998-October 2001)

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Visuals: Some blocks move around on a floor, to reveal an orange ostrich (with "NICK" written on its wings) and a blue egg. The egg then morphs into a blue ostrich chick (with "JR." on its wings). The ostriches get together and blink.

Technique: Stop-motion animation by Funline Animation Inc.

Audio: A short tune played on a toy piano and sounds of the blocks moving and kids playing, along a boy saying "It's an egg." "It's a baby.", and a girl saying "Quack quack quack quack quack quack quack quack!" and a blinking sound at the end.

Audio Variant: A workprint of this ID also included the girl saying "Hi duckie!" and "It's a baby duck!" and didn't include the kids playing sound.

Paper Bags (1998)

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Visuals: On a table is an orange bag and a blue bag. The bags try a couple looks from a shoebox with an assortment of craft items and then put on the words, "NICK" and "JR.", giving them great looks.

Technique: Stop-motion animation.

Audio: A short tune played on a toy piano and sounds of the children talking.

Lines (2000-2002)

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Visuals: On a white background, a wave crashes, with two fish swimming before transforming into toucans. Then, an orange turtle with "NICK" and a blue turtle with "JR." on it appear.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: Same as before, but with the sounds of toucans cawing.

Alien Opera (2000-2002)

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Visuals: On a stage, a blue alien is seen on a balcony. An orange alien then jumps up and the two come together. Then, "NICK" and "JR." appear on them as the curtain closes.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: An opera version of the "Nick Jr. is Just for Me" jingle.

Chalk Dogs (2000-2002)

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Visuals: On a gray background with a sun and flower, an orange dog yawns and stretches out and then walks. A blue puppy runs by it and they both run. After this, the words "NICK" and "JR." appear on them.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: A drumbeat version of the "Nick Jr. is Just for Me" jingle with the dogs barking.

Hula Elephants (August 2001)

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Visuals: On a tropical desert island, two gray anthropomorphic elephants wearing hula skirts and leis, a big one playing a ukulele and a smaller one dancing to the music, are seen. A wave then crashes onto the island and submerges the two elephants. When the wave recedes, two different looking elephants appear, an orange one with "NICK" and a blue one with "JR".

Technique: 2D animation by John Serpentelli.

Audio: A cheerful Hawaiian rendition of the "Nick Jr. is Just for Me" jingle, along with the sound of waves crashing.