Disney Jr. Is Taking Some Notes From Old-School Kids TV With “Megan and Cupcake Ready for Preschool”

Sometimes the best way to create something new is to take a few notes from what has worked for generations.

Disney Jr. is getting ready to expand its Ready for Preschool world with an all-new series, Megan and Cupcake Ready for Preschool. But rather than sticking entirely with animation, this newest addition is bringing together live action, animation and puppetry for something that feels surprisingly reminiscent of classic children’s television.

And we are rather excited to see more.

Set to debut on Disney Jr. and Disney+ later this fall, the new hybrid series stars Sesame Street puppeteer, ventriloquist and children’s book author Megan Baptist alongside her new sidekick, Cupcake.

Together, Megan and Cupcake will help young viewers navigate different preschool lessons while bringing plenty of personality and fun along for the adventure.

While the series expands on Disney Jr.’s popular Ready for Preschool shorts, it is the format that immediately caught our attention.

For generations, some of children’s television’s most memorable series have found their magic by blending the real world with characters that could only exist within a child’s imagination. Puppets, animation and live-action hosts sharing the same space helped make everything from learning to storytelling feel more personal and interactive.

Megan and Cupcake Ready for Preschool seems ready to tap into some of that same old-school charm for today’s preschool audience.

It is also a format that feels particularly fitting for Disney Jr.

The network has spent years finding different ways to make early learning entertaining, but putting an actual children’s performer at the center alongside an expressive character like Cupcake creates another kind of connection. Rather than simply watching characters learn a lesson, young viewers have a host directly guiding them through the experience.

And Baptist certainly knows this space.

With her background as a Sesame Street puppeteer, ventriloquist and children’s author, she brings experience from one of the longest-running examples of just how powerful this style of children’s programming can be.

There is something wonderfully timeless about a human host, a puppet friend and a little animation coming together to help kids learn.

Disney Jr. may be creating Megan and Cupcake Ready for Preschool for a new generation, but this new series is taking a few smart notes from the children’s television that came before it.

Megan and Cupcake Ready for Preschool heads to Disney Jr. and Disney+ later this fall.