Baby Blue Tree, broadcast by the RAI since 1990, was Italy’s first television program produced specifically for preschool children. Leading children’s writers, animation experts, masters of arts and crafts and creators of children’s theatre were called on to contribute to the project. Right from the start, however, Dodò and his Tree have been the key figures for the millions of children who have watched the program over its 17 years of existence.  What sets Baby Blue Tree apart from other programs is the delicate way in which it accompanies the child through a light-hearted, playful process of learning that resembles a walk, during which the young viewer’s attention is stimulated by an object or a topic worthy of his or her curiosity. Each transmission tells a story that is used by Dodò, the stuffed-animal star of the program, to take an up-close look at the day-to-day life of a child or at his or her imagination. The story is the “connecting thread” between the different opportunities for learning, which are structured in the form of stand-alone modules. Numerous other characters appear alongside Dodò in each transmission, such as four puppets with slightly “unhinged” personalities: Otto (a likeable teddy-bear), Sghembo (the show’s other bird, cast as the counterpart to Dodò), Zorba (an impertinent wasp) and Lambrico (a wise worm who shares his learning). There is also a “Grandma” who continually comes up with new fables for Dodò, plus the characters from the dramatisations, along with Barbara, who accompanies Dodò during his learning experiences. Her attitude, while maternal and affectionate, is also meant to draw the young viewers’ respect and admiration.