Nick Jr. Bumpers

Fish Eating Seaweed: 1989-1994

Logo: On a white background, we see 2 black dots pop up in the center. Then, the dots "morph" into 2 drawings of fish. Below is some seaweed. When the fish eat it, the left fills with orange and the right with blue, resulting in the Nick Jr. logo of the time (which is basically the same as the 1996 version, but with a "tighter" look to the shapes). The fish hug each other.

FX: 2D animation produced by Artichoke in New York.

Music: Two synthesized pogo stick sounds, then a dramatic synthesized harp sounder, 2 more pogo stick souds and a peaceful synth/harp riff.

Availability: Extinct.

Scare Factor: Minimal.

Dancing Stars: 1989-1994

Logo: On a sky background with skinny red-violet clouds, we see the Nick Jr. logo, as two stars wearing nightcaps (one big orange with NICK on it and small blue with JR. on it) ballet-jumping across the screen three times. In between, we see silhouettes of a tree and a girl with a jump rope walking by. After the third jump, a silhouette of a cat walks by, stops and lets out a weird "MEOW!" and runs away. Then, the Nick Jr. stars "slide" out from the left and pause in a straight position.

FX/SFX: The stars junping and later sliding, the silhouettes walking and running by. This was produced by Artichoke in New York.

Music/Sounds: A beautiful pizacato piece with strings, mixed with the weird "MEOW!" and a cartoon-style car-parking noise when the Nick Jr. logo slides into place.

Availability: Same as above.

Scare Factor: None.

Scary Night: 1989-1994

Logo: In a dark bedroom, we see a boy in bed looking scared as he scooches under his covers. Then, we see the shadow of a cat screeching and a bird flying pass his window. Then, we zoom in under his bed and find the Nick Jr. logo as cats (an orange cat with NICK on it and a blue kitten with JR. on it). The boy stares at them from over the side of his bed in puzzlement.

FX/SFX: The finger-painted 2D effects. This was produced by Artichoke in New York.

Music/Sounds: Suspenseful music with a very loud cat meow and a loud bird cry, climaxing into a sounding 7-note flute piece with cat meowing.

Availability: Same as above.

Scare Factor: TBA

Boy Toys: 1989-1994

Logo: In a bedroom, we see a boy (not the same one in "Scary Night"), winding up a toy, which leads to a creative set-up of toys such as toy soldiers and balls, that make a small gumball machine let out a gumball. The boy let out a gumball. The boy chews it and blows up a pink bubble that has two circles on it (a big orange one with NICK and a smaller blue one with JR. on it).

FX/SFX: All 2D animation. This was produced by Artichoke in New York, and directed by Jack Zander.

Music: A whimsical cartoon-sounding piece with a clarinet, bassoon, violin and percussion.

Availability: Same as above.

Scare Factor: TBA

Clouds: 1990-1994

Logo: On a blurry sky background, we see two big CGI clouds (one big orange and a smaller blue one) and "NICK JR." rotating near the camera hanging on strings (like a collage you see above a baby crib). After a few seconds, all nine objects meet each other in the center and form the familiar logo.

FX/SFX: All 3D animation.

Music: A lovely music box and wind chime sounder.

Availability: Same as above.

Scare Factor: None.

Elephants Drinking: 1989-1994

Logo: On a white background, 2 black scanimated (one large on the left and one small on the right) walk up to a pool. As we zoom out, we see a few palm trees. The elephants both drink from the pool and fill in with orange and blue have the NICK and JR. logos on them (think Fish Eating Seaweed).

FX/SFX: Combination of 2D and scanimate-like effects. Also using the exact same action part and technique as "Fish Eating Seaweed".

Music/Sounds: Some tuba music overlapped with jungle sounds.

Availabilty: Same as above.

Scare Factor: TBA.

Diver: Mid 1989-1992

Logo: On a sky blue background, we see a teenaged boy in trunks climbing up a diving board ladder and getting ready to dive into a gigantic fish bowl. In the fish bowl, 2 fish (one orange and one dark blue) and the boy staring at the camera. Unlike in Fish Eating Seaweed, the fish have eyes and mouths. They swim near each other to reveal the NICK JR. logo.

FX/SFX: All 2D animation, typical of a Nickelodeon bumper.

Music/Sounds: A slightly Latin-style piano, rock bass and marimba jingle with tambourines beating in the background along with scuba-diving sounds.

Availability: Same as above.

Scare Factor: None.

Dizzy: 1996-2003

Logo: On a white background, we see an orange father named NICK standing on the left. Then, a blue boy named JR. comes spinning out from the back left twirling like crazy. As NICK watches him, JR. then stops dizzily and poses with NICK.

FX/SFX: All CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: A whimsical piece, followed by a spinning noise.

Availability: Extinct.

Scare Factor: None.

Piano: 1996-2003

Logo: We see an orange father named "Nick" and a blue boy named "Jr.", who are on a piano. Nick and Jr. each take turns jumping on the piano keys, then they jump onto the piano's rim.

FX/SFX: 2D animation.

Music: A piano playing along with child laughing.

Availability: Extremely rare; currently, it is only seen on the Sing Along With Eureeka's Castle and Sing Along With Gullah Gullah Island VHS tapes.

Scare Factor: None.

Candy Land: 1996-2003

Logo: We see the orange father named "Nick" and the blue boy named "Jr.", except they are in CGI animation. Nick and Jr. are running along a game board. Then, Nick and Jr. spin at one of the spaces and get into their normal position.

Trivia: The game board Nick and Jr. are running on is similar to the Candy Land board game. (Which is why the bumper is called Candy Land)

FX/SFX: CGI animation produced by Data-Motion-Arts in New York.

Music: Carousel sounds, followed by a spinning noise.

Availability: Extremely rare; can be seen seen on the Play Along With Allegra VHS.

Scare Factor: None.

Rock and Roll: 1996-2003

Logo: We see the orange father named "Nick" and the blue boy named "Jr.", who are dancing to rock and roll music.

FX/SFX: 2D animation.

Music: Rock and roll music.

Availability: Extinct.

Scare Factor: None.

Hula Dancers: 1996-2003

Logo: We see the orange father named "Nick" and the blue boy named "Jr.", who are doing a hula dance on an island.

FX/SFX: 2D animation.

Music: A short piece of Hawaiian music.

Availability: Extinct.

Scare Factor: None.

Elephants: 1996-2003

Logo: On a mostly black background, we see a big orange elephant named NICK, and a smaller blue elephant named JR. (not the same ones as the "Elephants Drinking" Logo) standing downward to each other. Suddenly, the background changes into what looks like a circus, with broadway lights, and red-orange yellow curtains on the top of the screen. The elephants start to dance, as NICK swings JR. up with his trunk. Then, JR. runs around NICK, as lots of complicated things happen in the background. Finally, the background turns into a peaceful, purple color, with "corny" stars that move, and NICK and JR. get into their position.

FX/SFX: The elephants look like 2-D animation, but the background, I'm guessing a mixture of 2-D and claymation.

Music: A drum roll, followed by some circus music, fading into a peaceful xylophone-like tune.

Cheesy Factor: What is up with the background? The entire logo looks so weird and complicated. Also, if you look around our screen at the end, you'll see a white outline around the entire logo, as if it came out of a book.

Availability: Rare, your best bets are looking at old Nick Jr. VHS tapes and DVDs from 1997-1999, such as Blue's Clues: Blue's Birthday.

Scare Factor: None to Low, bordering on Medium. Few people do not sit well with the crazy background, or music. It gets higher if you are scared of elephants.

Penguins: 1996-1999, 2001-2003

Logo: In what looks like Antarctica with a claymation sun in the sky, we see two penguins, a big orange one named NICK, and a little blue one named JR, skating on ice. JR runs to NICK and bumps into NICK. NICK runs to JR and does the same thing, before swinging JR up. Then, they hug, as the sky turns from morning to night, and gets into their position.

FX/SFX: Like the elephants bumper, the penguins are 2D, and the background looks like claymation.

Cheesy Factor: Couldn't we all go without that claymation sun? It doesn't fit well with the 2D animation.

Music: A spacey-like theme, with sounds of the penguins running, and hugging.

Availability: Very rare. Like with the snow globe logo, it appeared from November to March of every year it aired. However, you can find it on Little Bear: Goodnight Little Bear, Little Bear: Winter Tales, and other tapes and DVDs.

Scare Factor: None to Minimal. It shouldn't scare you too much.

Cats: 1996-2003

Logo: In a bedroom on a floor to the left of a bed, we see a big orange cat with NICK on it playing with a ball of lime green yarn. Then, the yarn magically poofs into a blue kitten with JR. on it. They rub on each other lovingly and snuggle up together.

FX/SFX: All 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: A peaceful celesta/Rhodes piano tune overlapped with a reverberated synth-bass "pin drop" sound effect, a high-octave xylophone tingle and the kitten meowing.

Availability: Extinct on TV. Seen on the VHS release of Blue's Clues: Story Time VHS and Little Bear: Summertime Tales. Search for it!

Scare Factor: Absolutely none, it's a cute logo.

Lions: 1996-2003

Logo: In the jungle, we see two lions roaming. One is big and orange, and has NICK on it, and the other is small and blue, and has JR on it. JR lets out a small roar, looks at NICK, then roars again, louder. Then they stop, and NICK roars loud. Then JR roars loud enough so the plants behind them shake. They continue to roam.

FX/SFX: Claymation everything.

Music/Sounds: A panpie-like sound, along with the lions roaring.

Availability: Ultra rare. It is no longer on TV, but it still wasn't very common either way. Don't fret, because you can find it on Blue's Clues: Blue's Big Treasure Hunt.

Scare Factor: None to Minimal.

Monkeys: 1996-2003

Logo: In a jungle, we see a big orange monkey with NICK on it and a small blue monkey with JR. on it both swinging around on some vines above. JR. stops temporarily and watches NICK doing it as a banana falls out from behind him. Then they swing together and stop to pose as the NICK JR. logo.

FX/SFX: All 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: A funky panpie and bongo drum tune with the monkey sounds and jungle SFX in the background.

Availability: Extinct.

Scare Factor: None.

Snowglobe: 1994-1999, 2001-2003

Logo: In a snowglobe, we see the NICK JR. peoples logo. Then the snowglobe is shaken, and we zoom out to see that the same logo but animated is outside on a white background with NICK holding the snowglobe. They look at it and then look at the view and JR. waves.

FX/SFX: CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: The snowglobe's synthesized sound effect, followed by a calm harp/flute riff.

Availability: Extinct. Appears on the Nick Jr. Holiday sampler DVD (after the 2002 Paramount Pictures logo, with the 90th Anniversary legend).

Scare Factor: None to low, because of how the snowglobe is shaken.

Toaster: 1994-2003

Logo: We see a toaster, then the orange father named "Nick" and the blue boy "Jr." bounce out of it. Then, a salt shaker stares at Nick and Jr. flying out of the toaster. Nick and Jr. crash into the ground and get into their normal position.

FX/SFX: CGI animation produced by Data-Motion-Arts in New York.

Music: A trumpet combined with a brief, boogie-woogie riff.

Availability: Extremely rare; currently, it can be only found on the Allegra's Window: Small is Beautiful VHS.

Scare Factor: None.

Cow Jumps Over a Moon: 1994-2001

Logo: We see an aurora background in a black forest. Then, an orange moon saying "NICK" appears. A cow then shows up. She jumps over the moon while a blue comet saying "JR." appears.

FX/SFX: 2D animation. This was designed by Chris Harvey (a.k.a. V. Owen Bush).

Music: A quiet, keyboard tune along with a cow mooing.

Availability: Extinct.

Scare Factor: None.

Parade Float: 1994-2003

Logo: From below a computer-generated city, we see two gigantic parade floats, one orange and one blue, resembling the NICK JR. logo. As they pull towards the screen on strings, innumerous red, orange, pink and magenta confetti spudes around them.

FX/SFX: All CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: Synthesized band music overlapped with synthesized voices laughing and chanting "HURRAY!”, followed by a synthesized pogo-stick sound.

Availability: Ultra rare. Seen on the Gullah Gullah Island: Binyah Binyah's Surprise VHS.

Scare Factor: None.

Duck Blocks: 1996-2003

Logo: We see some blocks moving around on a floor, to reveal an orange duck (who has "NICK" written on its' wings) and a blue egg. The egg then morphs into a blue duck (who has "JR." on its' wings). The ducks get together and blink.

FX/SFX: Stop-motion animation.

Music: A short tune played on a toy piano, along with children talking and a blinking sound at the end. Post-1999 airings of this ID muted out "Hi Duckie!" and "It's a baby duck!"

Availability: Extinct. It appeared on August of 2001, right before the Face bumper that premiered Oswald.

Scare Factor: None.

Rabbits: 1997-2003

Logo: On a black background, we see two scribbles, one orange and one blue. They grow in size and "NICK" and "JR." appear on them. The scribbles turn into two bunnies, who hop to the center of the screen and dance.

FX/SFX: 2D animation produced by Lester Films.

Music: Children talking.

Availability: Extinct.

Scare Factor: None.

Trampoline: 1994-2003

Logo: We pan up to a sky background. We see the orange father NICK and blue boy JR. one at a time jumping and summer-salting in the air from an off-camera trampoline (hence the nickname). Then we pan down as the two hold hands together as they descend.

FX/SFX: 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: A banjo skiffle with kids giggling.

Availability: Uncommon. It still appears on Nick Jr. releases from the period. Appeared on some Little Bear tapes and on various 2002-2003 Nick Jr. DVDs, such as Blue's Clues: Blue's Big Band, among others.

Scare Factor: None.

Rooster: 1995-2003

Logo: In a barn, we see a nest and zoom out of it. As a big orange rooster named NICK watches, one of the egg hatch and runs around with its' legs sticking out before it completely hatches to reveal a blue chick named JR. Jr. comes up to NICK and snuggles up to it.

FX/SFX: Cel-shaded animation.

Music/Sounds: Country/bluegrass music.

Availability: Extinct.

Scare Factor: None.

Sea Lions: 1994-2003

Logo: Underwater, we see two sea lions, one orange NICK and small blue JR. swimming pass some underwater structures and decorations and some seahorses. They meet each other and snuggle together.

FX/SFX: Cel-shaded animation, which reminds you of the rooster logo.

Music/Sounds: A glorious synth-flute/kettledrum tune.

Availability: Extinct on TV.

Scare Factor: None.

Hippos: 1996-2003

Logo: Outside in a field, we see 2 lions, a large orange hippo named NICK and a smaller blue named JR. eating. Then a fly flies around them and over to a flower. They both go to investigate. Then JR. eats the fly and snuggles up to NICK.

FX/SFX: Claymation.

Music/Sounds: Some Rhodes piano, drum and bass clarinet music overlapped with the sound of the fly buzzing.

Availability: The long version is probably near extinction, but the short version is uncommon and can be seen on the Nick Jr. Opening from 2000-2001.

Scare Factor: None.

Monsters: 1997-2003

Logo: On a table, we see a piece of paper filled with a large orange scribble and NICK marked on it, surrounded by crayons. As a blue scribble named JR. comes up, a pair of yellow scisscors cuts out the orange scribble into a large, bizarre-looking shape, meant to resemble a "monster". The background darkens as the two scribbles pose together.

FX/SFX: The set and props were all real-life, but there was complicated computer/2D effects used.

Music/Sounds: A beautiful, dramatic synthesized piano stinger. Either that, or the sound of children talking.

Availability: The music one is likely to be near extinction. The children version is extremely rare appears on the VHS release of Little Bear: Little Goblin Bear.

Scare Factor: None.

Frogs: 1997-2003

Logo: Above a pond with lily pads, we see two frogs, a big orange named NICK and smaller blue named JR., hopping around. Then JR. dives into the pond, and NICK croaks. Then JR. comes out and they snuggle together.

FX/SFX: All 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: A jazzy vibraphone/bass fiddle tune with bouncing and frog sound effects.

Availability: Rare. Found on the Blue's Clues ABCs and 123s and Blue's Clues Arts and Crafts VHS tapes.

Scare Factor: TBA. Will give you memories after you see it.