Little Sprouts, Big Feelings: The Brisbane Minds Behind ABC Kids’ Newest Hit

Inside the whimsical canopy of Harmony Hollow, a pint-sized crew navigates the emotional landscape of growing up. There are moments of exclusion, unexpected frustrations, and big, tangled feelings—the everyday friction of being very small in a very large world. Yet here, answers are never shouted over loud synthesizers or delivered with frantic cuts. Instead, they arrive through acoustic warmth, lyrical empathy, and an intentional kind of storytelling that makes space for children to pause and reflect.

This is the world of Zip and the Tiny Sprouts, a Brisbane-crafted 2D animated preschool series that has quietly blossomed from a local indie concept into an international awards contender. Having claimed Best Web/App Series – Original at the prestigious 2025 Kidscreen Awards and garnered nominations at the Australian Writers’ Guild AWGIE Awards, the 52-episode series arrived on Australian broadcast screens on 21 September 2026, streaming free on ABC Kids and ABC iview.

A scene from Zip and the Tiny Sprouts. Image: Zip & The Tiny Sprouts by Tiny Souls Media

Last Friday, the local creative community gathered at Fortitude Valley’s Loyal Hope Hall for a "Meet the Makers" showcase, celebrating a project that firmly cements Queensland’s status as a powerhouse of thoughtful children’s screen culture.

Grown in Brisbane, Rooted in Research

The series is the vision of Brisbane-raised entrepreneur Shadi Toloui-Wallace, who founded Tiny Souls Media during the pandemic alongside her husband Jason Bienia while expecting their first child. Looking across the modern children’s media landscape, the pair noticed a distinct void: content that treated social and emotional learning not as an accidental byproduct of comedy, but as a deliberate craft.

Shadi Toloui-Wallace, founder of Tiny Souls Media. Image: Tiny Souls Media

“Children are making sense of the world every day: how they feel, how other people feel, what is fair and how to be a good friend,” Toloui-Wallace said in a media release. “I wanted to create stories and music that met them in those moments, with warmth, humour and lovable characters. For us, kindness is something children need to see in action. It might be noticing someone has been excluded, listening to a different perspective or finding a gentler way to respond when things don’t go to plan.”

What sets Zip and the Tiny Sprouts apart from conventional preschool fare is its clinical and educational scaffolding. Rather than retrofitting morals to slapstick setups, each seven-minute narrative is shaped alongside developmental psychology experts. Head of Education and Research Dr Neika Masroori—a University of Queensland lecturer and researcher holding a doctorate from UC Berkeley—works alongside the team. The production’s educational architecture was previously guided by Dr Zachary Stuckelman, then its Head of Research and Curriculum Development, ensuring that themes of patience, emotional regulation, perseverance, and gratitude speak directly to how toddlers actually process life.

Dr Neika Masroori, Head of Education and Research at Tiny Souls Media. Image: Tiny Souls Media

The result has already bridged screens and classrooms: Tiny Souls Media’s learning resources and play-based tools are currently utilised by more than 300 early childhood education centres nationwide, the company says.

Crafting Harmony Hollow

To translate developmental milestones into visual joy, Toloui-Wallace partnered with some of Brisbane’s most seasoned animation talent. The visual heavy lifting was trusted to K Love You Bye, the dedicated 2D division of Brisbane’s Fade In Studio.

The writing and directorial helm is shared by Kyle Logan and Peter Johnston—an International Emmy Award-winning producer celebrated for his groundbreaking work on Ludo Studio’s interactive hit Doodles. Bringing additional pedigree to the studio floor is animation director and writer Chris Bennett, whose credits include Bluey and Super Smosh, backed by Tiny Souls Media's Head of Development and Production, Lacey Mason (whose portfolio includes work with Sesame Workshop and Dodo Kids).

Peter Johnston, who writes and directs the series with Kyle Logan. Image: Tiny Souls Media

Together, the team created Harmony Hollow, a verdant sanctuary where four forest friends—Zip, Aria, Riff, and Hum—work through real-world obstacles. The creative ethos avoids sterile perfection; these characters possess real quirks, encounter stumbling blocks, and occasionally unravel, anchoring themselves to the show's uplifting motto: “When we grow, we glow”.

A scene from Zip and the Tiny Sprouts. Image: Zip & The Tiny Sprouts by Tiny Souls Media

Crucially, the production’s commitment to lived experience extends directly to its voice booth. The casting intentionally features child performers with autism and Tourette syndrome, embedding neurodivergent perspectives straight into the vocal texture of the world.

“Children offer unique perspectives, strengths and ways of experiencing the world, and we want our stories to make room for that,” she said. “Our hope is that children feel a sense of belonging while also becoming curious about, and compassionate towards, people whose experiences differ from their own.”

A Global Foothold

While the aesthetic and production heart of Zip and the Tiny Sprouts is unreservedly local, its footprint is global. Distributed internationally by Canadian entertainment giant WildBrain, the property has commanded attention across global markets, including showcase slots at MIPCOM and MIPJunior in Cannes. Alongside its national run on the ABC, the series has secured licensing deals with Croatian public broadcaster HRT and international SVOD network PlayKids Learning.

For Toloui-Wallace, however, the homecoming to the national public broadcaster remains the anchor milestone.

“Seeing Zip and the Tiny Sprouts on ABC Kids is a very special moment for our team, and celebrating in Brisbane, where the series was brought to life, makes it even more meaningful,” she said. “We’re excited to bring people together who share our belief that children’s entertainment can be joyful, thoughtful and full of possibility.”

In an era of hyper-stimulating screen noise, Zip and the Tiny Sprouts proves that stillness, empathy, and artistic integrity can still win the room—starting right here in Queensland’s backyard.

Zip and the Tiny Sprouts (52 x 7’) is currently streaming free across Australia on ABC Kids and ABC iview.