The Friendly Face of British Children's TV: Round, Square, and Arch Windows

This simple image, featuring three distinct window shapes—a rounded arch window on the left, a square window in the middle, and a circular arch window on the right—is instantly recognizable to a generation of British viewers. It is the iconic set of the children’s television programme, Play School, and represents one of the most comforting, educational, and influential backdrops in broadcasting history.

The Magic of the Windows

For over 24 years (from 1964 to 1988), the climax of every episode of Play School involved a presenter looking through these three stylized apertures to see which piece of external film would be shown. The crucial moment was the gentle, singsong rhyme that accompanied the decision:

"One of these windows is open wide,

Which window shall we look through today?"

The choice—the Round, the Square, or the Arched window—was entirely random, but the ritual of making the choice was a profound source of anticipation for young viewers. The windows weren't just parts of a set; they were symbols of possibility, gateways to the outside world of factories, farms, bakeries, or simply other children playing.

The Heart of Play School

Play School was built on the foundation of structured yet gentle education, aiming to stimulate curiosity and teach basic concepts of reading, counting, and simple crafts. The set, with its deliberately simple primary colours and wooden furniture, was designed to be non-distracting, making the windows and the two resident toy figures, Hamble and Humpty, the focal points. The simplicity of the set belied the complexity of the show’s educational mission.

The windows also perfectly encapsulated the show’s gentle philosophy. They introduced children to geometric shapes in a soft, non-academic way, becoming a recurring motif and a fundamental part of the show's identity. They offered a metaphor for seeing the world from different perspectives, a subtle, underlying lesson in every broadcast.

Enduring Nostalgia

Even decades after the show ended its run, the mere sight of these three windows can trigger powerful memories for adults—a rush of 1970s and 80s nostalgia, recalling a time when children's television was slower, quieter, and fundamentally reassuring. The windows represent a collective memory of sitting cross-legged on the floor, mesmerized by presenters like Floella Benjamin or Brian Cant, waiting for the camera to pan toward the chosen shape.

The three windows of Play School—Round, Square, and Arch—stand as a beautiful, understated monument to British broadcasting. They weren't high-tech or elaborate, but they were consistent, familiar, and utterly magical, proving that sometimes, the simplest design can create the most enduring legacy.