Open Mind Productions
Creator Profiles
We have created stories about ten Numberjacks, 0 to 9, who go out on adventures and solve problems. Listening to the stories helps children learn key maths skills like number, calculation and shape.
Cards from this Creator
- Numberjacks Audio Stories 1 (Digital)
"We’ve always wanted to find creative and exciting ways to help children learn"
Creator Q&A
Tell us about yourself
Originally appearing on the BBC in the UK and on television stations around the world, the Numberjacks characters then made their debut on BBC Radio, and we’re delighted these specially made audio stories are now available on Yoto.
The Numberjacks were created by us, Open Mind Productions, an audio and television company based in the UK. We’ve made hundreds of children’s educational programmes, and we’ve won many awards, including a BAFTA and several Royal Television Society awards.
We’ve always wanted to find creative and exciting ways to help children learn, and we especially like to bring educational concepts to life by setting them within stories that will engage and excite young children.
What inspired you to make this title(s)?
Following the success of the television programmes, the BBC commissioned 43 audio stories. We brought the strengths of the original creators (The Number Crew, Ratatatat, Grange Hill, The Shiny Show) and added the soundscape expertise of Paddy Kingsland (Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) to create the audio worlds that the Numberjacks explore.
We take children on an enjoyable learning journey, starting in their world and exploring educational ideas in unexpected and entertaining ways. Traditional stories are full of maths – ‘too many children’, ‘ten thousand men’, ‘up the hill’, ‘one for the master’ - so each Numberjacks audio story takes a familiar tale or nursery rhyme and reworks it to explore the key mathematical concept within it.
We hope children will laugh while they are learning and find new ways of looking at and listening to the world around them - and so begin to realise that maths is everywhere and is fun to learn about. We also hope they will be inspired by the Numberjacks, who are imaginative, collaborative and resilient problem solvers, and thus great role models for young children.
"Each Numberjacks audio story takes a familiar tale or nursery rhyme and reworks it to explore the key mathematical concept within it"
Who do you imagine listening to your audio?
Numberjacks appeals to a wide range of children from two upwards, even as high as ten, but the programmes especially focus on the early learning maths skills and concepts for four to six year olds. The programmes have particularly appealed to children on the autistic spectrum.
Each story lasts about six minutes, and can be enjoyed as a gentle going to sleep bedtime experience; or the story can be shared more actively and discussed with parents and carers.
Is there anything different about making audio for Yoto listeners?
Yoto is an ideal platform for the Numberjacks audio stories. The Yoto world is full of fun, imagination and entertainment – and the Numberjacks are delighted to be part of the world.
What’s next?
Initially we are bringing eleven Numberjacks episodes to Yoto, and we hope to follow with another thirty two. Beyond that there are really no limits to the possibilities: the Numberjacks have explored maths in the world around us and in nursery rhymes – but they have yet to explore maths under the sea, or on the moon, or with dragons or dinosaurs, so there are plenty of opportunities for exciting learning in the future.
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Creator FAQs
Who are the Creators?
Our Creators are independent makers of music and spoken word content for children and families. Some have established audiences in other places, while others are beginning their audio publishing journey with Yoto. We put out a public call to join this initiative at the start of 2024.
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How is this different from the free audio on Yoto Space?
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Are more Creators cards being added to the collection?
Yes, more titles and more creators will be added over the coming months.