We’ve recently been celebrating here at Bored Panda HQ because our original children’s show, Fire Spike, has reached over 100,000 subscribers on YouTube and was added to YouTube Kids. In fact, the channel at the time of writing this has 230k subscribers and counting! Below, you’ll find the beautiful silver play button plaque that the Fire Spike team received in the mail, as well as some behind-the-scenes information about how the show came to be.

Bored Panda’s original children’s show, Fire Spike, has reached over 100,000 subscribers on YouTube

The team was sent a silver play button plaque for reaching this milestone

Fire Spike is an animated children’s series produced by Bored Panda that debuted on YouTube in 2022. The show follows Fire Spike, or simply Spike, a five-year-old anthropomorphic dragon who finds himself in all sorts of silly situations. From mixing up suitcases on a train to learning how to safely ride an escalator, Fire Spike, along with his family and friends, takes viewers along with him on a wide variety of adventures.

Our top video has already reached over 4 million views:

While Fire Spike initially launched in 2022, sharing stories about the dragon and his friends, the channel has since expanded their content. In July 2023, the team began publishing a mix of traditional nursery rhymes and original children’s songs for children between the ages of 4 and 8. Fire Spike was also recently added to YouTube Kids, which only shares high-quality content that’s been approved by the platform as 100% child-friendly.  

And the content isn’t only for English speakers! In February 2024, Bored Panda launched a Spanish version of the channel, Fire Spike Español Latino, and there is currently a Portuguese version of the channel in the works. There are plans to have the videos translated to even more languages as well, so this content will be available to even more kids around the globe soon.

The talented animation team also shared some behind-the-scenes images of how the series came to life

A lot of work goes into creating a high-quality animated series. As you can see here, the videos begin as simple ideas on paper. Before an episode of Fire Spike comes to life, the team starts by developing the script. The script will then make its way to the storyboard and animatics team, which creates the visual storytelling of the episode.

Then, it’s time to work on sound and record the actors who voice all of these wonderful characters. And finally, the production of the episode can begin. The art team will draw all of the costumes and props that will be featured in the video, and the animation team brings the final product to life. The entire process can take up to 6 weeks.

As for where the ideas for Fire Spike’s adventures come from, data-driven decisions are the backbone of Bored Panda’s philosophy, and this project is no different.

Here’s how one scene looked on the storyboard

Versus how the completed version looks in the show

The series explores the world through the lens of a child, tackling issues, questions, and dilemmas relevant to contemporary preschoolers. Fire Spike himself embodies bravery and curiosity, but kids might find that they relate to any number of characters in the show.

Spike is the oldest sibling in his family, but his younger sister, Sparkle, is also a prominent character. She is confident, opinionated and charming, but as the middle child, she is often seeking recognition and approval. Spike and Sparkle also have a younger brother, Goo, who’s about a year old. 

As a toddler, Goo still has a lot to learn. He’s experiencing many things for the first time and can easily become overwhelmed by his emotions. But he’s also an adorable source of joy, laughter and fiery hiccups for the family. Spike has two loving parents as well, Mummy and Daddy, who would do anything for their children and encourage them to be the best versions of themselves.

The cast of characters also includes Spike’s best friends: Muddles the elephant, Poem the giraffe, Scratch the cat, and Thunder and Storm, identical twin rhinos. There are several other recurring characters that find themselves involved in Spike’s adventures as well, including his friends’ parents, a few other locals in their town and even a mischievous raccoon, Mr. Robins, who often tries to trick other characters.

Here are some stills from Fire Spike’s most viewed videos

And here’s how the final result turned out:

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