A new collection of products from Donkey Hodie, the hit preschool puppet series, will be introduced nationwide this year. Fred Rogers Productions, the award-winning children’s educational media organization behind multiple Emmy-winning PBS KIDS series, and Licensing Street, licensing agent for the show, have partnered to secure deals with top brands in a variety of categories. The debut Donkey Hodie collection, which will include apparel from Komar and Mad Engine, as well as costumes from Rubies, is set to launch this fall.
“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,” said Matt Shiels, Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs, Fred Rogers Productions. “They are sure to help extend the whimsical and huggable world of Donkey Hodieso children can create their own imaginative series-themed adventures.”
“Donkey Hodieis a winner with kids and families,” said Jason Korfine, Partner at Licensing Street. “Just like viewers who are drawn to the series, licensees have been eager to join in, too, and we’re delighted to be working with Komar, Mad Engine, and Rubies to offer new series-inspired products for fans everywhere.”
The first Donkey Hodie products heading to retail include:
- Komar – Sleepwear
- Mad Engine – T-shirts and apparel
- Rubies – Costumes and role-play
In addition, Jada Toys, master toy partner, will introduce a range of Donkey Hodie toys, including highly anticipated feature plush. Toys and additional character plush are expected later this year.
Since its launch, three highly rated games have been released, and 12 books have debuted from master publisher, Simon & Schuster, all furthering the series’ learning goals for children beyond broadcast. Donkey Hodie is currently in production on its second season, which will premiere later this year.
The series has consistently ranked in the top ten for children 2-8 on PBS KIDS since its debut in 2021. Emmy®-nominated Donkey Hodie has also had great success on SVOD as well as the PBS KIDS Games app and website. The series was streamed more than 125 million times in 2022 and Donkey Hodie games regularly rank in the top-ten on the PBS KIDS Games app.