Logo as of 2015.
Birthdays were a major staple on Sprout since its launch in 2005. Sproutlets at home were encouraged to send in a homemade birthday card featuring drawings or pictures of Sprout characters and the birthday child and see them on TV. If not, there would be a name scroll at the bottom of the screen. This tradition began with The Birthday Show, which launched when Sprout did, where Mr. Mailman delivered the cards to host Kevin. Birthday cards were often shown online and in segments which aired on weekends during The Let's Go Show until it dissolved in 2010 and The Good Night Show.
On The Sunny Side Up Show, birthdays were celebrated again with name scrolls, cards, birthday wishes, and a song. Wishes were originally shown on a balloon and a letter. Once again, Mr. Mailman delivered the cards, usually on his tractor, bus, or helicopter. He was dropped in 2015 with the move to an apartment somewhere in the big city. Around this time, the Today’s Birthdays segments were also dropped. In Sprout's later years, requests for birthday cards were diminished and the birthday segments relied more on birthday wishes. Kids whose birthday card and wishes were shown that day also had their names included on the bottom-of-the-screen scroll. Celebrities who participated in birthdays included Faith Evans, Willie Garson, and John Green.
On Sprout House, which superseded Sunny Side Up in 2017, birthday wishes were shown as part of a segment called "The Birthday Parade," in which an announcer would read the wishes in lieu of the host. These segments were dropped in 2018.[1]
Notes
- By 2012, there were four birthday segments on The Sunny Side Up Show.[2]
- Birthday announcements were limited to two to six year olds.[3]
- Characters who said "happy birthday," amongst other phrases, on The Sunny Side Up Show and Today's Birthdays include Barney, Elmo (who also laughed), Grover (laugh only), Caillou, Noddy, Bob, Ord,[4] Papa Bear, Sister Bear, Star, Fireman Sam, Patty, Roary, The Wiggles, Chloe,[5] Driver Dan, Grant, Abby Cadabby, Stella, Comet, and Boj.