Three new kids’ digital series set to hatch from ACTF and Screen Australia incubator

Three original Australian children’s series will soon be released on YouTube (Made for Kids) thanks to the Kids IP Incubator, a Screen Australia and Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF) initiative to develop Australian IP for children’s programs on digital platforms.

In 2025 eight teams took part in the Incubator, receiving expert guidance and advice through in person workshops and online masterclasses while developing their projects. After pitching to a panel of ACTF and Screen Australia representatives, and international digital content strategist Nico Lockhart, three projects were selected to receive production funding. Those three projects will launch their YouTube channels in coming weeks.

The three successful teams and their projects are:

Worm Diner from Victorian based team Strange Mage, produced by Monique Mulcahy (Aunty Donna) and written and directed by emerging creatives Caitlyn Staples (independent feature film Squids) and Millie Holten (web series Long Head).

Worm Diner is a kids narrative comedy show aimed at children aged 7-11, set in a quirky family diner at the edge of the multiverse. Inside, the distantly related Worm family serve weird and wonderful characters from across the cosmos. Fast-paced, joke-dense and absurd, each 8-minute episode of Worm Diner serves up silly, smart and weird comedy that kids can binge today and quote tomorrow.

Pit Pats from a regional Victoria based team led by mid-career Writer, Director and Producer Darcy Prendergast and Writer/Director Josie Mackerras on her first screen project.

Pit Pats is a gentle preschool show mixing stop motion, live action, puppetry and hand drawn animation, with a focus on mindfulness, movement and music. Much like their like-minded audience, the Pit Pats themselves are curious creatures that are eager to learn and grow, using their small melodic voices to navigate the complexities of the world and find their place in their community's chorus.

MAGIC MONKEY MAYHEM from Queensland based Little Tiger Films, led by Writer, Director and Producer Nicholas Lin (Bluey, The Strange Chores) and Producer Stefan Wernik (The Jellies, One, Two, Threebies).

When the Monkey King and his little brother relocate to modern Brisbane, they must navigate Aussie culture, magical monkey mishaps, and the eternal struggle of two multicultural misfits just trying to fit in. Blending live-action with animation, this unique series is aimed at 8- to 12-year-olds.

ACTF CEO Jenny Buckland said: “The Kids IP Incubator was a joyful project where learning and creativity collided for all the participants and for us as well. These three projects are highly original and made with great respect for the children’s audience. We’re looking forward to their launch on YouTube!”

Screen Australia Director of Narrative Content Louise Gough said: “The landscape for children’s content is evolving quickly, and Kids IP Incubator plays a critical role in empowering creators to innovate and meet our littlest audiences and their families wherever they watch and engage. Worm Diner, Pit Pats and Magic Monkey Mayhem are bold, imaginative projects – it’s exciting to see them readying to meet audience and captivate young hearts and minds both in Australia and beyond.”

Worm Diner and MAGIC MONKEY MAYHEM will launch on YouTube this June. Pit Pats will launch early August.