Let's Play School! is a 1999 direct-to-video Barney Home Video that was released on July 27, 1999. Directed by Fred Holmes and written by Stephen White, this was the first Barney Home Video to be released on DVD.[1]
Plot[]
As a plush, Barney awaits for Hannah and Ashley to finish up at school. Seeing that Barney was waiting for them, they decide to play a game with him while Robert and Jeff come out to join in the fun. Eventually springing to life, Barney inquires as to what everyone did in school. The kids excitedly tell him all at the same time, making Barney unable to understand. He figures that they did quite alot during the day. The children decide to sing "Today, We Can Say!" to summarize all that happened in school. While the children sing, Baby Bop, who's holding her blankey, overhears them, and wishes she could've went to school, but understands that she's not old enough to attend the school they go to.
Barney and the children eventually see Baby Bop in the treehouse sad, causing Barney to go and find out what's wrong. Baby Bop tells Barney that she wants to go to school. With a little help from Barney while using her imagination, the school that the children go to transforms into a new school, with fun and surprises! As the school bell rings, Barney and the children hurry inside to discover Baby Bop as the teacher for the day, allowing her to make school whatever she wants it to be for the day. Baby Bop then proceeds to take attendance and notices that BJ is late for school. BJ arrives confused to see the school changed and is explained as to what is occurring for the day. After BJ's arrival, hey proceed to do a "Finger Play Medley".
After the song, BJ explains that school should be about learning important stuff, citing the alphabet, which causes the children to write them on a chalkboard. Barney notices that the way they're written are almost like a parade, which prompts everyone to participate in an alphabet parade. After the parade, Baby Bop instructs BJ to clean the chalkboard. Barney and the children eventually make it into the school's library, looking at various books. Baby Bop asks if Barney could read the story of "Little Yellow Riding Hood". After their time reading, everyone follows BJ to see what he found. The kids have fun mixing different colors together. Looking at what the kids painted, Barney is reminded of food, especially given that he's hungry.
Baby Bop proceeds to tell everyone that it's lunchtime and tells them to go to the lunchroom. Baby Bop, who's also the cafeteria lady, tells everyone that everything on the lunch menu is Macaroni and Cheese (including dessert). After lunch, Baby Bop decides to teach everyone about numbers, but having BJ and the children dressed as butterflies as they sing "Five Little Butterflies". After learning about numbers, Baby Bop teaches everyone about shapes using her bubble machine. Given the bubbles everywhere, BJ notices that he's clean as a whistle. The whistle remark reminds Baby Bop that they use whistles in school, sending everyone to gym class. For gym class, Baby Bop is now the coach, but doesn't exactly know what to do, eventually having Barney help her instruct the class. Barney has the class do a few stretches. Afterwards, Baby Bop leads everyone to hop on the trampolines.
After exercising in the school gym, it prompts Jeff to become a little tired. Baby Bop then tells everyone that it's nap time, giving everyone their own blankey, like how she has one to nap with. While hugging their blankeys, no one got tired, except for Baby Bop. Everyone decides to cover Baby Bop with their respective blankeys given. After her nap, Baby Bop comes outside to notice her make-believe school is gone. She wondered if she was a good teacher for the day given that they played so many games. Barney insists that they learned alot just by having fun. Baby Bop and BJ eventually leave. Hannah insists that Baby Bop is going to have fun going to real school when she's older, making Barney agree. Robert asks what he enjoyed about her school today and his response was having the opportunity to spend it with those he loves.
Stories: "Little Yellow Riding Hood"
Cast[]
- Barney (Voice: Bob West, Costume: David Joyner)
- Baby Bop (Voice: Julie Johnson, Costume: Jeff Ayers)
- BJ (Voice: Patty Wirtz, Costume: Jeff Brooks)
- Ashley (Maurié Chandler)
- Hannah (Marisa Kuers)
- Jeff (Austin Ball)
- Robert (Angel Velasco)
Songs[]
- "Barney Theme Song"
- "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe"
- "Today, We Can Say!" (plays instrumentally during the end credits)
- Finger Play Medley:
- "The Alphabet Parade"
- "I Love to Read"
- "Mix a Color"
- "Mac and Cheese"
- "Five Little Butterflies"
- "The Shape Song"
- "The Baby Bop Hop"
- "My Yellow Blankey"
- "Today, We Can Say! (Reprise)"
- "I Love You"
Marketing[]
On July 31, 1999, Lyrick Studios partnered with Walmart for an event to tie in with the release of Let's Play School!. The event, titled "Let's Play School Day", invited preschoolers to visit their local Walmart store and sing "The Alphabet Song" with an interactive Barney plush toy. All participants received an autographed picture of Barney and a commemorative sippy cup. Parents were invited to enter their kids in a sweepstakes to win a trip to Los Angeles to see Barney’s Musical Castle while it was on tour. The event ran from 10AM-2PM that day, which was executed by US Concepts, a promotion agency of New York City, due to the prime traffic hours. Objectives of the campaign included promoting awareness and generating sales of the Let's Play School! and other licensed merchandise, driving traffic to the stores, and enhancing Lyrick’s customer database via the sweepstakes.
"Let's Play School Day" drew more than 200,000 children, sixty-three percent of whom entered the sweepstakes. Sales of Let’s Play School! climbed eighty-three percent in what was the title’s fourth week of release, while sales of other Barney videos jumped one hundred sixteen percent, plush toys rose fifty-five percent, and other Barney merchandise increased eighteen percent. Due to the positive response by Walmart employees and via the Barney Consumer Hotline, it resulted in Walmart inviting Lyrick Studios to repeat the event in the following year of 2000.[2]
Release[]
Home media[]
Let's Play School! was released on VHS and DVD on July 27, 1999 by Lyrick Studios. The DVD release of the video was priced at $24.99. Tim Clott, the CEO of Lyrick Studios at the time, originally wanted the DVD to be priced at $19.95, but was talked into going higher by wholesalers and key accounts seeking better margins.[3] The DVD release included a "Let's Play School!" sing-along, Barney's ABC Animals! read-along, Barney's A Great Day for Learning audio sampler, and "Let's Play School!" interactive games. In addition, the DVD also includes a Spanish language track, subtitles for the hearing-impaired, a parent's section highlighting the educational elements of the DVD, and links to related Web sites.[1]
This video was included in the Blockbuster Video exclusive, Barney's Time For School (along with It's Time For Counting). It was also released with the video Now I Know My ABCs on May 1, 2008 by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment under the Kids' Double Features banner. Let's Play School! was later re-released on DVD on July 14, 2009 by HIT Entertainment and Lionsgate Home Entertainment. This edition was later released in the video sets of Fun Pack in 2009 and the Learning Pack in 2010.
The United Kingdom/Ireland release of Let's Play School! spent four weeks on the Official Video Chart for OCC, entering at #45 on August 26, 2000 and peaking at #40 on September 2, 2000.[4]
Releases[]
Streaming[]
On April 28, 2022, the official Barney YouTube channel, managed by 9 Story Media Group at the time, uploaded Let's Play School! on the platform. Let's Play School! was later included in the streaming package titled Barney & Friends Specials, alongside other Barney Home Videos, which began streaming on Tubi on September 29, 2023.
Gallery[]
Sets[]
Trivia[]
- This video marked:
- The final VHS to be under the Classic Collection label on top of the front VHS cover.
- The first Barney video to feature a preview of The Wiggles.
- Despite not being sung, the songs, "The Exercise Song", "What Makes a Flower So Pretty?", and "The Alphabet Song", can be heard as underscores in this video.
- Surprisingly, the Arabic dub of this video includes a 1998 copyright date as revealed from the credits. Not only that, but they are sped up (not referring to the audio) to include the region's dubbing cast and the text has changed to a different font as well.
- During the songs, "The Alphabet Parade", "Five Little Butterflies", and "The Baby Bop Hop", Hannah's hair was tied back.
Goofs[]
- In the credits on the screener, Fred Holmes' name was misspelled as "Fred Holms."
- On all DVD copies, when BJ says, "Go, Hannah.", the captions erroneously say, "Go, Anna.".
- On the front cover, Baby Bop's hair is a bit cut off.
Occurrences[]
- This video marked:
- The final time Ashley appeared without her twin sister, Alissa.
- The final appearance of the font of credits that first appeared in "The Queen Of Make-Believe".
- After not being sung for eight years, since Barney in Concert, the song, "Where is Thumbkin?" returns in this video.
- After not being sung for nine years, since Barney Goes To School, the song, "The Shape Song" returns in this video.
Videos[]
Promos[]
See also[]
- Barney's ABC's and 123's - a 2000 re-release and re-title of Let's Play School!.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 BARNEY IS BOUNCING INTO DVD JULY 27
- ↑ As Easy as ABC: Barney teaches Lyrick Studios, Wal-Mart to play nice. May 1, 2000 Retrieved October 3, 2023
- ↑ Why Blockbuster's Putting Its Chips On Revenue-Sharing Rental, Not Sell-Through May 29, 1999 Retrieved October 3, 2023
- ↑ BARNEY - LET'S PLAY SCHOOL Retrieved October 3, 2023