Fifi and the Flowertots (Sprout)

Vibrantly colored stop-motion animated series FIFI AND THE FLOWERTOTS follows the adventures of a flighty little flower named Fifi Forget-Me-Not (voiced by Jane Horrocks) who loves gardening and spending time with her friends, all of whom are either insects, plants, or other flowers. Fifi is environmentally conscious -- she grows her fruits, vegetables, and flowers organically and uses a compost-powered mower (named Mo). She can be a bit forgetful at times, but her best pal, Fuzzbuzz the bee, is always around to jog her memory -- as well as give her a hand with the garden, play games, and help solve problems. All the inhabitants of Flowertot Garden are committed to making this fanciful place a happy, comfortable community.

If you're looking for the next great thing in stop-motion animation, this isn't it; the clay figures are rather stiff in their movements and facial expressions, so it's hard to be really engaged by them (even in a troublesome situation, some of them still look like they have a smile stuck on their face, which may confuse little kids). Also, there's so much going on in each episode that younger viewers may have a hard time following the action.

But the colorful characters and the situations they deal with are fairly imaginative, and the storylines are intended to teach good lessons like teamwork and looking out for one another. And how many other preschooler programs can you name that address organic gardening and composting?