‘Lyla in the Loop’ mixes entertainment, learning
Fracaswell Hyman has been the writer on a long list of programming aimed at young viewers including “Peg + Cat,” “Little Bill,” “Blues Clues” and “Gullah, Gullah Island.” His latest production, “Lyla in the Loop,” is scheduled to launch as part of the PBS Kids lineup starting Feb. 5 on ValleyPBS.
The new animated public broadcasting series follows Lyla, an energetic 7-year-old girl who lives in a big city with her family, an odd blue sidekick named Stu and a host of quirky characters. In each episode, they use creative and strategic problem-solving and critical thinking skills to handle situations ranging from putting together a puzzle to building a train.
Hyman says that every project starts the same way – with the characters and the story.
“Let me find them in a situation or with a problem that is recognizable to the viewers in our audience. Find the fun in that,” Hyman says. “The curriculum we have is about life skills. I believe there always will be a way to fit the curriculum to the story.
“But I always start with the story.”
Sara DeWitt, Senior Vice President and General Manager, PBS KIDS is confident the show’s demographic of 4–8-year-olds will be drawn to Lyla’s determination and can-do-attitude. She is a youngster who just won’t give up when there is a problem to solve.
The series is executive produced by Emmy-winning producer Dave Peth (“Odd Squad,” “Scribbles and Ink,” “Design Squad”) who emphasizes that the key to the show is that the viewers will recognize themselves in the characters. It was essential for the characters to be very relatable,
Lyla and her family – that includes mom Lydia and dad Louis – run Loops Lunch Diner. There are the older twin sisters Liana and Louisa, younger brother Luke and sidekick Stu, who always does exactly, literally, what is asked. In every adventure, Lyla and Stu introduce and explore foundational computational thinking concepts.
“Kids are natural creative problem-solvers, experimenting and investigating the world around them with joyful curiosity,” Peth says of his series. “‘Lyla in the Loop’ celebrates and encourages kids and the grownups in their lives to recognize those innate abilities and see them as a powerful tool to help others, express themselves, and solve all kinds of problems in everyday life.”
The producers will create interactive episodes that incorporate AI-assisted conversation with Lyla. During the episodes, Lyla will ask the viewer questions, utilize responsive AI technology to understand what the viewer says, and respond accordingly.
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Peth was determined from the start to make the Loops a Black family with her father being African American and her mother being of Jamaican descent. This was important because the series focuses on computational thinking skills and problem-solving skills that apply across science and tech fields.
“We know women of color are underrepresented in those fields,” Peth says. “We wanted the show to be an invitation to all kids to explore their passions and to develop skills toward those possible future careers. But, especially for young women of color to feel excited about those talents that they have and want to develop them further.”
To make sure the series is presenting those possibilities correctly the Series advisors include Amon Millner, PhD, Associate Professor of Computing and Innovation at the Olin College of Engineering directing the Extending Access to STEM Empowerment (EASE) Lab, series Curriculum Director and Nermeen Dashoush, PhD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Early Childhood Education, Boston University, Lead Advisor.
So much of “Lyla in the Loop” is based in reality stretching from family issues to critical thinking. Mixed in with that is a fantasy element with the character of Stu. Despite having mystical powers, the family treats him like any other beloved pet.
Peth says the bottom line for adding the whimsical character to the mix was that it is just a lot of fun.
“It is also a bit of wish fulfillment for all kids to have a loyal, happy, always energetic companion like Stu,” Peth adds. “But that magical realism also gets to the learning goals as well.
“Stu is truly unique. He is always ready to help. He will always do exactly what you ask even if it is maybe not what you intended. He will follow the instructions literally much like a computer program would. He is not a robot. He is not a machine. He is a totally flesh-and-blood creature.”
The series is voiced by Liyou Abere as Lyla Loops, Izzy Woodbury as Stu, Isaac Ng as Lyla’s best friend Everett Phan, and Eden Cupid, Elijah Lindo, Joseph Motiki, Shechinah Mpumlwana, and Morrissa Nicole, as the Loops family. It will debut in both English and Spanish.
“Lyla in the Loop” will air at 9 a.m. weekdays.
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