Exploring Mr Rogers’ Neighborhood: Part I

Running Around The PBS KIDS Backyards

Written by: Zach Spodek

Photos Provided by: Bangmac Creative, The Theme Park Files, and Former PBS Representatives

This month we are going to be taking an in depth look at some unique attractions that aren’t necessarily rides or related to an amusement park, but have a unique history and story of their own. The sites featured all share one thing in common: their relation to Fred Rogers. As The Theme Park Files operates from Pittsburgh, Mr. Rogers is well known here and his impact is seen throughout several areas and sites throughout the city. In honor of his birthday at the end of March, we thought we would spend the month looking back on different attractions that involve his work. These will range from mall exhibits, museum exhibits, artistic statues, and finally to his signature attraction located in Idlewild Amusement Park. So please be our neighbor this month as we take you on a trip across Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. 

We are going to begin our journey on September 6, 1999, the day that PBS Kids was launched across America. Before this day, PBS children’s programming existed as a block called “PTV.” PBS Kids was made in an effort to unify branding across PBS and local stations it broadcasted on. It is both a tv network and a tv block that airs on PBS, focused on programming related to children’s education.

At the time of launch, these programs included tv shows such as Reading Rainbow, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, Zoboomafoo, and of course Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. With the introduction of the block also came mascots for the PBS KIDS brand: Dot and Dash. This brother and sister duo are green children who appear on commercial breaks and other branding associated with PBS Kids such as their website, home media tapes, discs, and what we are about to explore: The PBS Kids Backyard. 

PBS Kids Brand Mascots Dot and Dash (Characters and Official Artwork of Them Copyrighted by PBS)

Before the Backyard was open, PBS was engaged in an initiative called “The Beyond Broadcast” campaign. As the title suggests, this program involved PBS reaching out to families and children beyond the tv broadcast, whether they were a fan of PBS Kids or hadn’t heard of it before. The goal was to not only have the program raise awareness of the PBS Kids brand, but act as a way to increase funding for the station as well as the educational development of children across the country. Around this time, the Mills Corporation was looking for interactive experiences to put in their new indoor mall shopping centers. The two organizations complemented each other, and thus work began on the Backyard.

Bangmac Creative was hired by the Mills Corporation to come up with designs for the play areas, utilizing art of Dot and Dash acquired from PBS Kids. The first of these play areas opened in November 2003 at the St. Louis Mills. In August 2004, the Cincinnati Mills and its PBS Kids Playground became open to the public. In July 2005, the Pittsburgh Mills opened in Tarentum, PA. With this, a new PBS Backyard was  built directly in the backyard of Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood of Pittsburgh, PA.

The PBS Kids Backyard found at the Pittsburgh and Cincinnati Mills (Photo copyrighted by Bangmac Creative)

All of these play areas were similar in design. They were made to resemble the outdoors, conveying a sense of growth and exploration, with Dot and Dash appearing on much of the PBS branding throughout. The playground itself was quite simple, consisting of a small orange exterior with a metal slide, stairs, and a corkscrew climber. In the Pittsburgh and Cincinnati locations, the playground was designed to look like a tree, with oval shaped structures sprouting out of the very top containing illustrated leaves plastered on their interiors.

At the St. Louis mall, the playground was structured to look more like a rocket ship, but still had a tree-like structure to the left of it. The ideas for the rocket and tree structures were derived from the style guides of Dot and Dash provided by PBS. This art featured the duo interacting with areas and structures found outside. At the corners of the play area stood tall metal colored flowers. At each of these locations, one of the tree structures was a monitor which played clips from PBS Kids tv bumpers and shows.

The PBS Kids Backyard found at the St. Louis Mills (Photo copyrighted by Bangmac Creative)

Other areas within the play area included a statue of Big Bird reading that kids could sit on. Computer monitors were also available where kids could play different games on the PBS Kids website from shows such as Cyberchase, Barney, and Mr. Rogers. Different interactive objects such as mirrors, wheels, and blocks could also be found inside the PBS Kids Backyard, with many of these featuring Dot and Dash as well.

A stage was also present that allowed for kids to express their imagination and interact with other kids. Dangled from the ceilings on both sides of the PBS Kids Backyard were pictures featuring PBS KIDS icons such as Mr. Rogers, the Berenstain Bears, Caillou, Zoboomafo, and other characters from Between the Lions, Dragon Tales, Sagwa, and more. The walls of the mall in this area were also themed to PBS Kids, showcasing murals of Dot and Dash exploring the great outdoors and space, also having been inspired by the style guide provided by PBS.

The PBS Kids Backyard Stage. The Tree Screen and Art Murals Are Also Present (Photo copyrighted by Bangmac Creative)

Beyond just the play area, the PBS Kids Backyard served as a place to promote and take part in all things PBS. Local PBS stations could utilize the mall space to raise money through fundraisers events. Mascots of the different PBS programs could show up for meet and greets. Educational workshops and classes for younger children could also be held in these Backyard neighborhoods. Other businesses also took advantage of these areas, such as “The Children’s Place”, a kid oriented clothing store. Across the different Backyard locations, The Children’s Place opened up outlets right outside of the play area. The PBS Kids Backyard was not just simply a place for kids to play, but offered an interactive and educational experience to help grow the community around it. 

Pittsburgh Mills PBS Kids Backyard (Photo copyrighted by Bangmac Creative)

In 2007, the MIlls was purchased by Simon Property Group. As such, the initial contract for the PBS Backyard was no longer valid, and a new agreement to continue the licensing partnership with PBS was not made. The PBS Kids Backyard was to be shut down. Over the next couple of years, all of the theming associated with PBS Kids was stripped from the playground and its surrounding area. All of the PBS icons were taken down from the ceiling. Big Bird was removed. The computers and monitor screen shut down, and the walls of the area were stripped of any sign of Dot and Dash.

The playground remained for years, acting as a generic play area, but the spaces they occupied became an empty vessel of the fun and loud experiences they once held. The PBS Kids Backyard was very short-lived, but it offered many positive experiences for those, such as myself and the rest of The Theme Park Files, who were fortunate enough to enjoy the play area in its prime.

Site of the Former PBS KIDS Backyard at Pittsburgh Mills. Stripped of All PBS Branding

Over the years, the Mills outlets suffered financially and lost a majority of their vendors, with mall attendance plummeting as a result. With the loss of PBS Kids and prominent storefronts as a whole, the playground saw minimal occupancy.  Because of the 2020 pandemic, the play areas, or what is left of them, are no longer accessible to interact with. The  St. Louis mall is currently undergoing renovations, so it is unclear if anything from that location will still remain once the mall reopens.

Closed Off Playground As of 2020

Although this story has a melancholy ending, it was a part of the rich history associated with the mission of PBS and Mr. Rogers in giving kids access to resources that help them grow and develop as educated and caring human beings. We are happy to be able to share this story, as there isn’t much mention of these areas online. We hope we can also help respark the joyful memories of others who were able to interact and play in the PBS Kids Backyards. Now please step back on the trolley, as the rest of this adventure is more upbeat. Our next stop on the tour: Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood at the Monroeville Mall!

This special look at the PBS Kids Backyard was made possible by sources who worked directly on the project including insight from Bob Bangham of Bangmac Creative, and Tracey Beeker, former VP of Cause Marketing and Licensing at PBS. And of course, this was also made possible through the support of readers like you. Thank you!!!