Out of the Box

Season 31998

Every day, a small group of neighborhood children come and play in "The Box," an imaginary clubhouse made entirely out of painted cardboard boxes. Along with their two caregivers, Tony James and Vivian Bayubay McLaughlin, the kids play games, do crafts, sing songs, and act out stories in the box.

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21 Episodes

E01 Seeds of Imagination

Vivian is tending to some bean seeds that she planted last week which are beginning to grow into bean plants. They'll need soil, sunlight, water, and air. Vivian shows the kids how they can make newspaper trees. They play out their own version of 'Jack and the Beanstalk' in which the kids plant newspaper 'magic seed' that grows into a newspaper beanstalk.

October 5, 1998

E02 Yes and Nose

The kids use their noses to sniff out where Tony is hiding some muffins he's made for them. They pretend to be different animals with different types of noses and make nose puppets out of paper cups which they use to play out their own version of 'Pinocchio.' Pinocchio, whose nose grows when he tells a lie, meets some animals and has a nose contest with them. He learns to be happy with the nose he has and all the great things it can do.

October 6, 1998

E03 Playhouse Mouse

Vivian brings in her new pet mouse, Nugget, to meet everyone.

October 7, 1998

E04 Pick-A-Pet

The kids help Nicholas choose what pet he would like for his birthday.

October 8, 1998

E05 Ships Ahoy

Dane brings in a toy boat which inspires the group to make their own little boat out of some corks and toothpicks. Vivian finds a picture of a ship's captain in her picture box and everyone jumps in for an adventure. The kids jump out and make a pretend ship that they all fit in. They play out their own version of "Captain Hook" in which they sail to a far away island to rescue him.

October 9, 1998

E06 High Fliers

Jill's new toy airplane breaks its wing, and Vivian comes to the rescue with her glue bottle. While the glue dries, the kids make toy parachutes out of paper cups and tissue. They sing a parachute song and play out their own version of "Peter Pan", in which Peter forgets how to fly and is rescued by a friendly eagle and a passing airplane.

October 12, 1998

E07 Day at the Beach

The kids make a pretend ocean in the Box. They use fabric to make pretend waves and sand. Wondering what it must be like to live in the sea, Nick and Vivian look in her picture box and find a picture of a crab and an octopus. They jump in and learn to "go with the flow." They jump out and make ocean drums out of pie tins and play out their own seaside version of, "Puss In Boots."

October 14, 1998

E08 Circle Circus

Everyone is playing with hula hoops - but Aleisha can't seem to get it.

October 20, 1998

E09 Tube Town

The kids discover all of the fun things you can do with tubes. They use mailing and paper towel tubes to make tube suits, tube instruments and play out a story about a place where everything is made out of tubes - tube town!

October 23, 1998

E10 Animal Antics

The kids explore life in the jungle by jumping into a picture to meet a tiger, a toucan, and a snake. They make jungle animal masks out of a paper towel roll and a milk carton. Together they play out a story explaining how the toucan got her rainbow beak.

October 27, 1998

E11 Box Full of Boxes

The kids find a bunch of boxes left over from when they built their clubhouse. They make box music, a box birthday cake and a box candy house which they use to play out their own version of "Hansel And Gretel."

October 30, 1998

E12 A Place Called Space

The kids make outer space mobiles out of hangers, yarn and paper. They pretend to be astronauts and blast off in their own spaceship. Everyone plays out their own version of a folk tale about the sun and the moon.

November 3, 1998

E13 The Fuzzy Worm

Jill finds a real live caterpillar and brings it in to show Tony. Once they put it back on an outside branch, they all pretend to be caterpillars and turn into beautiful butterflies. Paper, paint and pipe cleaners are fashioned into butterfly art projects. Everyone plays out their own version of "THE UGLY DUCKLING" about a family of worms who take in a caterpillar that they think is a very fuzzy worm.

November 5, 1998

E14 Campout Kids

Tony shares a camping song, and the kids go on a pretend hike. They make yard stick fishing poles, and catch paper fish. They pitch a pretend tent, and play out a pretend version of "Little Red Riding Hood."

November 9, 1998

E15 Tall and Small

A magnifying glass inspires the kids to make a tiny town out of milk cartons, dominoes, and a soap dish. They explore size as they play out their own version of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears."

November 13, 1998

E16 Hats Off

It's a rainy day and the kids explore all the types of hats that protect our heads, and the different hats that tell us what jobs people do. They make their own hats and play out a new version of the story of "Chicken Little."

November 17, 1998

E17 Hands On

Aleisha teaches everyone some sign language and helps them discover how to make music with your hands. They make hand-painted paper mittens and use them to play out their own version of "The Three Little Kittens."

November 18, 1998

E18 Doctor Octor

Brandon just had a check-up, so he pretends to be a Doctor. They jump into a picture of a doctor to find out more about check-ups. They jump out and pretend that their alligator puppet, Swampy, has a tummy ache and they take him to a pretend hospital. A cardboard box is transformed into an ambulance and they help to make swampy feel better.

November 23, 1998

E19 Really Wheely

Dane finds an old wagon that's missing a wheel - so everyone pitches in to find something that would make a good replacement. They transform the wagon into a fantastical vehicle that rescues their puppet, Pogo the Porcupine, who gets stuck in a pretend castle.

November 27, 1998

E20 Sticky Icky

Tony accidentally sits in a chair that Vivian had just painted. The sticky paint makes the chair stick to Tony's pants. They all make a sticky face picture and sticky capes which they wear to play out a story about going on a sticky safari and meeting a sticky spider queen.

December 1, 1998

E21 Feet First

Tony plays his talking drum and everyone moves their feet to the beat. They make a hopscotch board to hop on and they also make foot paintings. Everyone takes a part as they play out their own version of "Cinderella."

December 3, 1998

Out of the Box

E01 Seeds of Imagination

E02 Yes and Nose

E03 Playhouse Mouse

E04 Pick-A-Pet

E05 Ships Ahoy

E06 High Fliers

E07 Day at the Beach

E08 Circle Circus

E09 Tube Town

E10 Animal Antics

E11 Box Full of Boxes

E12 A Place Called Space

E13 The Fuzzy Worm

E14 Campout Kids

E15 Tall and Small

E16 Hats Off

E17 Hands On

E18 Doctor Octor

E19 Really Wheely

E20 Sticky Icky

E21 Feet First

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E01 Seeds of Imagination

E02 Yes and Nose

E03 Playhouse Mouse

E04 Pick-A-Pet

E05 Ships Ahoy

E06 High Fliers

E07 Day at the Beach

E08 Circle Circus

E09 Tube Town

E10 Animal Antics

E11 Box Full of Boxes

E12 A Place Called Space

E13 The Fuzzy Worm

E14 Campout Kids

E15 Tall and Small

E16 Hats Off

E17 Hands On

E18 Doctor Octor

E19 Really Wheely

E20 Sticky Icky

E21 Feet First