A new collection of products from Donkey Hodie, the preschool puppet series, will be introduced nationwide this fall.
Fred Rogers Productions and Licensing Street, the licensing agent for the show, have partnered to secure deals with brands in a variety of categories.
Apart from that, all-new episodes of the series will be shown this week on PBS KIDS. The show was inspired by Fred Rogers’ funny, quirky side of his personality.
The imaginative puppet series follows Donkey Hodie, a little yellow donkey with a “can do” attitude – and the granddaughter of the original Donkey Hodie character now known as Grampy Hodie from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood – and her pals in the world of Someplace Else which is also inspired by Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.
Fred Rogers Productions’ business and legal affairs VP Matt Shiels said, “Consumer demand for Donkey Hodie products has been high since the series debut and we’re excited to welcome these best-in-class licensees to the Donkey Hodie family. They are sure to help extend the whimsical and huggable world of Donkey Hodie so children can create their own imaginative series-themed adventures.”
Licensing Street partner Jason Korfine said, “Donkey Hodie is a winner with kids and families.”
The first products heading to retail include:
- Komar – Sleepwear
- Mad Engine – T-shirts and apparel
- Rubies – Costumes and role-play
Jada Toys, the master toy partner, will introduce a range of the show’s toys and feature plush later this year.
The series is currently in production on its second season, which will premiere later this year. Since its debut in 2021, it has consistently ranked in the top 10 for children aged two to eight on PBS KIDS. It was streamed more than 125 million times in 2022 and Donkey Hodie games regularly rank in the top 10 on the PBS KIDS Games app.