Today, preschoolers and early elementary school students are the target audience. Locals are no exception as The Learning Channel and The Discovery Kids Channel's Hi-5 cast makes a stop at Westfield Shoppingtown Solano as part of a 35-mall national tour.

"We've been on the air about a year," said cast member Shaun Taylor-Corbett in a telephone interview from Chicago. "We've never really been able to get out and meet the fans. "

That's exactly what he and fellow Hi-5 cast mates are doing now "It's great to see these little kids with smiles on their faces. This is really a way for us to give back to them," he said.

And, they're making new friends, too, noted cast member Jennifer Peterson-Hind.

"It's exciting to meet our die-hard fans but we're also meeting kids who have never heard of us," she said.

The tour, exclusive to Westfield Shoppingtowns, kicked off in mid-March in Los Angeles. The stage show is like that on TV - each cast member plays himself or herself and offers many opportunities for children to learn.

Cast members hope viewers see them as cool baby-sitters or great older siblings.

Hi-5 is geared toward children 2-8. While it may sound like a broad range, the cast appeal spans all ages, including parents.

"I've worked with a lot of kids," said Hi-5 member Karla Cheatham-Mosley. "It's like kids going the sandbox. Two-year-olds throw sand, while 3-year-olds grab the toys while the older kids moderate."

"Our show really goes beyond (age 8). Parents usually come with the children or an older sibling. We've had older siblings, who were teens, that knew all the songs (we sang)," she added.

Hi-5 is all about fun, and that's something that appeals to most everyone, Cheatham-Mosley said.

"The biggest thing is we don't talk down to the kids," said Peterson-Hind. "We treat them as equals."

The cast brings varied backgrounds to the group. They share what they've learned about each other with their viewers.

For Taylor-Corbett, it's about how treat the people around you.

"For example, one of us will read a story while the others act it out. One lesson was about a frog who couldn't jump as high as the others. The others encouraged him until he could," he said.

Peterson-Hind said is about "looking at people and realizing their strengths.

"Being in this show is very unselfish. It's a joy to me when Karla shines and when Shaun does something amazing, I want everyone to do something amazing," she said. "We're like family. I think the kids see we have a genuine love for each other."

After the mall tour, Hi-5 will head back to Australia to tape some new shows. The last show is May 16 in San Jose.

Reach Amy Maginnis-Honey at 427-6957 or amaginnis@dailyrepublic.net.

Hi-5
11 a.m. and 1 p.m. May 14, 2004
Westfield Shoppingtown Solano
1350 Travis Blvd.
Fairfield
Free
Call 425-1164
www.hi5america.com