An Exclusive Interview With Hi-5, A Celebrity Recipe and A Giveaway!

Indiana and Kiowa circa 2005. My Little Ponies, toy cars, sippy cups and Hi-5 on Television

Way back when my eldest two children (in fact, only children at the time), were fresh-faced, gorgeous little babies, I bundled them on board a tram and took them into Melbourne city to see their very first live show at The Arts Centre.

It was a performance by the renown children's television entertainers, Hi-5!

My kids just loved them! 

Admittedly, (and not-so secretly), I also adored them; catchy tunes, bright costumes, abundant positivity and happy personas - what's not to like? I still know the words to most of their songs even now, after years of them blaring from the lounge room television, while my children sat (or danced), transfixed by the screen. 

As my little lounge room audience grew, so too came inevitable changes to their viewing on that television. Different children's shows came and went and Hi-5 appeared and disappeared on and off.
 

Did you know Hi-5 are back ready to woo an entirely new audience of kidlets with their dazzling style?!

Yes, Hi-5 Home have returned to their regular patch and you can now view them on Channel 11 Monday to Friday at 9am. In the new Hi-5 Home series, the five famous cast members sing and play with their long-time friends and popular puppet pals Chats and Jup Jup.
 

When I was given the opportunity to interview Hi-5 members here on my blog, I got quite excited as those live performance memories came flooding back with clarity! 

"Wow! They're like, FAMOUS!"

My kids thought I was suddenly quite cool and that this blogging thing I always seem to be doing was somehow suddenly...alright. (Thanks Hi-5!)

When it came to questions for the cast, I put the task to the kids: What did they want to know?
Seven year old Ruben, (never short of a word), was naturally the most curious, and so, here are the questions he formulated and the answers we received.

Ruben wishes to show you his wobbly tooth...

 

My 7 year old Son, Ruben, would like to know what you guys do when you are not on Television?

Mary: Hi Ruben! Well, after we play with you guys on TV, I love to go to the beach, or play in the park or watch lots of really cool movies! I also love reading!! I read so many books I am starting to run out of room to keep them all!

Lauren: I love to hang out with my family and catch up with my friends. We have BBQ's, play sports, go to the beach and sometimes even have sleep overs.

 

Stevie, Lauren, Dayen, Mary and Ainsley

What did you do before you became a member of Hi-5?

Mary: Before Hi-5, I was studying Primary and Secondary Teaching, as well as having done a Music Theatre course. I spent most of my time being a children's party entertainer and dressing up as a cool rockstar, but the coolest thing I did was performing in Japan at Universal Studios, as characters like Princess Fiona from Shrek, Cinderella, Marilyn Monroe and doing shows and parades with Hello Kitty, Snoopy and Sesame Street!!! I've always loved performing, teaching and playing with kids so Hi-5 was the dream job for me.

Lauren: I used to teach children how to be confident performers at a talent school. I also did some other TV and theatre shows. I have always been a performer. 

 

Dayen: I was a full-time ballerina for 6 years before joining Hi-5. I had a really bad injury and was taking a break from ballet for a while and during this time I landed quite a few acting jobs and before I knew it I am now in Hi-5!

So there you have it! Hi-5 in their own words. Ruben had quite a buzz reading his replies and I do believe he now aspires to become a celebrity journalist.

While the youngest kiddies enjoyed their latest Hi-5 DVD on television, I baked up a storm making Dayen's own Date and Dark Chocolate Brownie Slice! Yes, an exclusive celebrity recipe from Hi-5 to share here on Six Little Hearts! (It's a tasty one too, inspired by Annabel Langbein.) So Mums, while your kids are tuned to Channel 11's new Hi-5 House series, you can get baking morning tea with this genuine Hi-5 celebrity recipe to treat them with!

 

Tip: Buy two blocks of chocolate for this recipe so you can nibble while you bake!

 

Dayen's Date and Dark Chocolate Brownies 

Ingredients:
2 cups of dates
3/4 boiling water
1 teaspoon of baking soda
200g chopped soft butter
2 cups of caster sugar
4 eggs
1 cup of cocoa
1 cup of plain flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 
250g dark eating chocolate (chopped or buttons)

Dazzling Dayen's Brownies

 

Method:
Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
1. Combine dates with 3/4 cup of boiling water and baking soda. Let it stand for 20 mins.
2. Drain water from dates and chop dates into tiny pieces
3. Combine butter, sugar, eggs, cocoa, flour, baking powder and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
4. Add dark chocolate and dates to brownie mixture.
5. Transfer brownie mixture into prepared slice tin (greased or line with baking paper).
6. Cook at 160 degrees Celsius for about 50 mins or until skewer when inserted into middle comes out clean.  

Amazing eats! So delicious. Thanks Dayen!

Hi-5 House will also be available to view on tenplay Kids, a dedicated digital hub featuring on-demand video, extra content and activity sheets for kids that can be accessed anytime. Also available on the tenplay App for iPhone and iPad. Be sure to check it out for your child!



A whole new generation of Hi-5 fans. Celeste checks out her merchandise bag choc-full of goodies.
You could win one too!

***GIVEAWAY!***    *** GIVEAWAY!***    *** GIVEAWAY!***

 

Like to win an exclusive Hi-5 Merchandise pack for your little fan?

 

Six Little Hearts has one collectable Hi-5 pack to give to one lucky reader! The pack contains:

A Hi-5 backpack, Hi-5 large hand (great for waving about at home or at concerts), an autographed souvenir program guide and activity book, coloured pencils, hairclips and Hi-5 tattoos.

Total value of the prize pack is $40.

 

To enter, simply follow the prompts of the Rafflecopter App below. (App may take a few seconds to load.) Please note, one of the conditions of entry is mandatory so be sure to follow the easy steps to make sure all your entries count. Please play fair as others do take the time to complete their entries!

All winning entries are screened to ensure they conform to these entry requirements.

 

Entry is open to Australian residents only.

Winner will be notified by email and given 48 hours to respond.

If no response in this time, a new winner will be drawn.

Total prize value is $40.

Judge's decision is final.

Good luck!

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

What's your favourite Hi-5 song? (Come on grown-ups - we all have one!)

I've been bellowing-out Hi-5 songs the whole time I've been writing this post!

Have you seen Hi-5 live on stage before?

 
Have you entered the Finlee and Me Giveaway yet? Closes soon!