Hi-5 is an Australian children's television series, originally produced by Kids Like Us and later Southern Star for the Nine Network and created by Helena Harris and Posie Graeme-Evans. The program is known for its educational content, and for the cast of the program, who became a recognised musical group for children outside of the series, known collectively as Hi-5. It has generated discussion about what is considered appropriate television for children. The series premiered in April 1999 on the Nine Network and aired until 2011, before returning to Nine in 2017 with a revived series.
In Australia, Roadshow Entertainment have released selected songs and segments from the television series, compiled on VHS and later DVD, for home video consumption. Each compilation release usually featured three feature Songs of the Week and a range of segments from the corresponding television series, selected to reflect the specific theme of the video. In 2012 and 2013, selected full episodes were released on DVD. Roadshow also distributed three DVDs featuring Hi-5 performing live stage shows, entitled Hi-5 Live! The Playtime Concert (2009), Hi-5 Surprise! Live (2010) and Hi-5 Holiday! Live (2012). These releases did not feature any footage from the television series.
The home video releases were typically well received by the target audience. In its first three months, Move Your Body had sold 80,000 copies on VHS. Summer Rainbows was the highest selling VHS title for Australian children in 1999 and Star Dreaming was the most sold in 2000. The Summer Rainbows / Move Your Body double release was the highest selling DVD in 2003, and Surfing Safari was the highest selling VHS of the same year. Playing Cool (2001) was certified as double platinum by the time of its 2004 DVD release.
Compilation releases Series DVD Title Release Date (Region 4) Songs of the Week Special features 1 Move Your Body VHS: June 1999DVD: 19 February 2003 Move Your Body Ready or Not L.O.V.E. 1 Summer Rainbows VHS: 1999DVD: 19 February 2003 Living in a Rainbow Grow Five Senses 1 Star Dreaming VHS: 13 March 2000 DVD: 9 April 2002 Dream On You and Me In a Different Place Audio commentary by Helena Harris (creator) and Helen Martin (early childhood advisor) 2 Animal Adventures VHS: 2000DVD: 10 March 2004 So Many Animals Special Days North, South, East and West 2 Music Machine VHS: 30 October 2000 DVD: 9 April 2002 Robot Number One Mirror, Mirror Feel the Beat Audio commentary by Helena Harris (creator) and Helen Martin (early childhood advisor) 2 Snow Party VHS: April 2001 DVD: 3 August 2005 It's a Party Feelings Three Wishes 3 Five Alive VHS: 3 September 2001DVD: 1 October 2003 Boom Boom Beat Friends Rain Rain 3 Playing Cool VHS: 19 November 2001 DVD: 11 February 2004 You're My Number One Let's Get to Work I Spy 3 Magical Treasures VHS: 25 February 2002 DVD: 9 September 2004 I Can Go Anywhere Opposites Attract Buried Treasure 4 Let's Celebrate VHS: 21 October 2002 DVD: 9 September 2004 Celebrate Hand in Hand Inside My Heart 4 Surfing Safari VHS / DVD: 2 April 2003 Going Out Give it a Go Reach Out 4 Hi-Energy VHS / DVD: 13 August 2003 E-N-E-R-G-Y One Step Forward Move It! 5 It's a Hi-5 Christmas VHS / DVD: 12 November 2003 Sleigh Ride Christmas Eve concert featurette 5 Hi-5 Holiday VHS / DVD: 8 April 2004 Holiday Underwater Discovery Give Five 5 Come On and Party VHS / DVD: 8 July 2004 Come On and Party Build it Up L.O.V.E. 5 Space Magic VHS / DVD: 7 October 2004 Hi-5 Base to Outer Space Dream On I Believe in Magic rowspan=2 6 7 Action Heroes VHS / DVD: 7 July 2005 Action Hero T.E.A.M. Planet Disco 7 Wonderful Journeys VHS / DVD: 1 December 2005 Some Kind of Wonderful Come Around to My Place Rainbow 'Round the World 7 Mix it Up DVD: 6 July 2006 Making Music Ch-Ch-Changing City and Country 8 Sharing Wishes DVD: 1 November 2006 Share Everything with You Special Wish Upon a Star 8 Have Some Fun DVD: 21 February 2007 Have Some Fun Peek-a-Boo Growing Up 8 Travelling Circus DVD: 4 July 2007 Pretending Day Are We There Yet? Hey, What's Cooking!rowspan="2" 9 9 Team Hi-5 DVD: 7 November 2007 Happy Today Strong and Brave Switching "T.E.A.M." song 9 Party Street DVD: 2 April 2008 Wow! Stop and Go Party Street 9 Go Wild! DVD: 19 June 2008 Around the World Time Machine Love All Around 10 Playtime! DVD: 2 October 2008 Playtime When I Grow Up Planet Earth Techno World Abracadabra "Hi-5's Cool Dance School" featurette, including songs "Celebrate", "Hi-5 Base to Outer Space", "How Much Do I Love You?", "E-N-E-R-G-Y" and "Going Out". 10 Jump and Shout DVD: 5 January 2009 Jump and Shout Come Alive We're a Family The Best Things in Life Are Free "Hi-5's Cool Dance School" featurette, including songs "Give Five", "Come On and Party", "I Believe in Magic", "Holiday" and "Underwater Discovery". 11 Fun with Friends DVD: 1 October 2009 Zoo Party Knock, Knock, Knock Spin Me Round 11 Santa Claus is Coming DVD: 3 December 2009 Santa Claus is Coming Living in a Fairytale Favourite Teddy Bear Let's Get Away 11 Stop, Look and Listen DVD: 7 January 2010 Stop, Look, Listen Four Seasons Happy Monster Dance 11 Sharing Stories DVD: 18 March 2010 Living in a Fairytale Spin Me Round Zoo Party Knock, Knock, Knock Favourite Teddy Bear Four Seasons Let's Get Away Stop, Look, Listen Happy Monster Dance 12 Imagine That DVD: 7 October 2010 Martian Groove Hi-5 Farm Stand Up Tall on Tippy Toes 12 Happy Hi-5 House DVD: 6 January 2011 Happy House Toy Box Backyard Adventurers 12 Hey Presto DVD: 3 March 2011 Hey Presto! The Dancing Bus Turn the Music Up! 12 Sharing Stories 2 DVD: 2 June 2011 Turn the Music Up! Hi-5 Farm Toy Box Hey Presto! Stand Up Tall on Tippy Toes Backyard Adventurers Martian Groove Happy House The Dancing Bus 13 Amazing DVD: 17 November 2011 Wow! Underwater Discovery L.O.V.E. 13 Ready or Not DVD: 5 January 2012 Ready or Not Robot Number One Five Senses 13 Make a Wish DVD: 1 March 2012 Wish Upon a Star Making Music Some Kind of Wonderful 13 Sharing Stories 3 DVD: 21 June 2012 Making Music Underwater Discovery Wish Upon a Star Robot Number One Wow! L.O.V.E. Five Senses Ready or Not Some Kind of Wonderful "Chats with Chats" featurette
Full episode releases Series DVD Title Release Date (Region 4) Songs of the Week Episodes Special features 12 Fun & Games DVD: 5 September 2012 The Dancing Bus Happy House Toy Box "Summer Holiday" (Series 12, Episode 22) "Backyard Games" (Series 12, Episode 18) "Games" (Series 12, Episode 28) 13 Discovery DVD: 14 November 2012 Wow! Underwater Discovery Some Kind of Wonderful "Wonders of the World" (Series 13, Episode 1) "At the Beach" (Series 13, Episode 8) "Animal Friends" (Series 13, Episode 32) 13 Let's Play! DVD: 9 January 2013 Making Music Ready or Not Five Senses "Making Music" (Series 13, Episode 41) "Games" (Series 13, Episode 36) "Human Body" (Series 13, Episode 26) 13 Feeling Fine DVD: 6 March 2013 Five Senses L.O.V.E. Some Kind of Wonderful "Food" (Series 13, Episode 27) "Favourite Things" (Series 13, Episode 15) "Friendship" (Series 13, Episode 31) Hi-5 World Vision visit to Cambodia featurette 12 Animal Fun DVD: 19 June 2013 Hi-5 Farm Martian Groove Turn the Music Up! "Jungle Adventure" (Series 12, Episode 3) "In Nature" (Series 12, Episode 12) "Babies - Something New" (Series 12, Episode 44)
Special releases
Series DVD Title Release Date (Region 4) Songs of the Week 1 Hi-5 Dance Hits, Volume 1 VHS / DVD: 17 March 2005 L.O.V.E. You and Me Dream On Grow Ready or Not Move Your Body Five Senses Living in a Rainbow In a Different Place 2 Hi-5 Dance Hits, Volume 2 VHS / DVD: 22 September 2005 So Many Animals North, South, East and West Feelings Three Wishes Feel the Beat Robot Number One Mirror, Mirror Special Days It's a Party 3 Hi-5 Dance Hits, Volume 3 DVD: 2 March 2006 Boom Boom Beat Friends Opposites Attract I Can Go Anywhere Rain Rain I Spy Buried Treasure Let's Get to Work You're My Number One 2 – 10 Favourites DVD: 24 June 2009 Ready or Not So Many Animals Boom Boom Beat Celebrate L.O.V.E. Going Out Some Kind of Wonderful Holiday Give Five Action Hero Are We There Yet? Party Street Wow! Come Alive Abracadabra
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