ABSTRACT
Children's television had been around for over two decades when Mister Rogers' Neighborhood came on the air in 1968. The relative regularity of the program's structure was designed to be a ritual, comforting and soothing to young audiences, who knew what to expect. Mister Rogers' Neighborhood is perhaps most noted for its relaxed pace and lack of a flashy visual style. The Neighborhood of Make-Believe segments, by contrast, are carefully scripted and acted, with far less of the simulated spontaneity and feeling of liveness found in the television house scenes. Whereas other children's programs had stages for their puppet characters, which limited their appearances, the Neighborhood of Make-Believe is far more elaborate, with over a dozen locations where puppets can appear integrated into a neighbourhood. Much of the work of scholars Jerome and Dorothy Singer demonstrates the value of imaginative play in children's development.
