TVOKids is a children's programming block, seen daily on TVOntario (TVO), Ontario's provincial educational television network. The show has its own website which holds many educational child-friendly games.
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Since its inception in 1994, TVOKids has had numerous hosts. In chronological order, they are: Patty Sullivan, Kevin Brauch, Joseph Motiki (Joe), Rekha Shah, Gisele Corinthios, Phil McCordic (voice of Tumbleweed the Hamster), Julie Zwillich (aka Julie 1), Julie Patterson (aka Julie 2), Nicole Stamp (host of Ontario Championships of Reach For The Top), Milton Barnes, Mark Sykes, Jackie English, Ryan Field, Kara Harun, Drew Dafoe, and Dalmar Abuzeid. The three current hosts are: Dalmar Abuzeid, Kara Harun and Drew Dafoe.
The Space (formerly known as '"The Crawlspace"') is the name of the after-school programing block. The space airs non-stop episodes of shows with a host block in between each episode, varying in length. The Crawlspace launched on April 1, 1994, and was originally hosted by Patty Sullivan and Kevin Brauch. Since younger children are home earlier from school, the programming schedule includes 'younger' shows in the earlier time slots, and more 'mature' shows in the later slots. The Space currently airs Monday to Friday, 3:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. ET and on Saturday and Sunday, 6:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET. The Space is currently hosted by Kara, Drew, and Dalmar.
TVOKids' Preschool Block, Gisele's Big Backyard (formerly known as "The Nook"), is hosted solely by Gisele, where she is often joined by her puppet friends, Sticks the Squirrel (Jason Hopley), Jay the Blue Jay (Ali Eisner), Melvin the Skunk (Marty Stelnick), This (Ryan), That and Polkaroo. Gisèle's Big Backyard airs Monday to Friday, 6:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m ET. Gisèele's Big Backyard is a programming part time for preschoolers and kindergarteners under the age of 7.
A former character, "Hatatoppisite" existed in "The Nook", until "Gisele's Big Backyard" debuted.
Some of the programs on TVOKids are produced in-house by TVOntario, and are based on Ontario's educational curriculum. Each program is generally short—about 3–4 minutes per episode.
For many years, The Crawlspace had a hamster named Tumbleweed, who served as their ongoing mascot. Tumbleweed took a real hamster's form on the host set until 2003, when he 'left to explore the world' with Phil McCordic. He thereafter took a cartoon form. Tumbleweed can now be seen in his own Series: Tumbletown Tales and Tumbletown Reads.