Holly and Milly’s Rhymes for Little People
An original, self-produced YouTube series
Sometimes the next idea starts on your own sofa.
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Holly and Milly began when we had young children and struggled to find a nursery rhyme series we enjoyed watching together.
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So we made one.
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Created for preschoolers and children under four, the series brings familiar songs to life through music, imaginative play and the gentle comedy of two curious characters.
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Developed by a female-led team, it was conceived as a calm viewing experience, with space for little audiences to follow along, anticipate what happens next and enjoy the surprise.
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Developed in collaboration with performers Emily Tahey and Holly Austin.
Design by Heidi McKinnon.
At a glance
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βOriginal children’s series
Self-produced for YouTube
Preschool + under-four audience
Nursery rhymes + musical performance
Character, costume + playful props
Colourful designed studio setting
A calm approach to early-years entertainment
A present, a clue and a song
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Each episode begins with something to unwrap.
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Inside might be a rubber glove, a pair of tongs, a wig or some glasses. Through Holly and Milly’s curiosity, everyday objects become clues to the rhyme they’re about to perform.
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The unwrapping gives each episode a familiar shape and a small mystery for viewers to share. What’s inside? What could it become? Which song might it belong to?
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From Five Little Ducks to Miss Polly Had a Dolly, well-loved rhymes become opportunities for discovery and play.
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Making room for imagination
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The visual world is colourful, tactile and full of personality.
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Bold patterns, expressive faces, simple props and musical instruments give children plenty to notice. Holly and Milly’s relationship carries the humour, with small surprises and playful exchanges woven around the songs.
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The calm approach sits in the pacing and performance. We wanted to give young viewers time to recognise an object, follow an action and join in with a familiar rhyme.
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Something we wanted to share
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As a self-produced project, Holly and Milly gave us the opportunity to develop an idea from a personal need and carry it through character, visual design, filming and editing.
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It also brought together several things we love making — performance, music, comedy and imaginative screen worlds.
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The result is a series made with both little viewers and the grown-ups beside them in mind.
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Watch the complete Holly and Milly series on YouTube:
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