The Best of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

Mister Rogers visits San Diego's Wild Animal Park to see lots of different animals including elephants, tigers and giraffes. They're much like the pretend ones the neighbors are talking about as they plan a special musical in Make-Believe.

Mister Rogers visits a film processing plant to learn how people turn unexposed film into finished photographs. In Make-Believe, the Neighbors continue their preparations the special musical story, "Josephine the Short-Neck Giraffe."

The Neighborhood of Make-Believe presents "Josephine the Short-Neck Giraffe," a musical story for children by Fred Rogers. We meet Josephine who feels badly because her neck is short. Her friend suggests she attend the "School for Growing."

The musical story continues as Josephine and Hazel Elephant enroll at the "School for Growing" where they meet a snake who can't hiss, an elephant with stripes, and a very shy giraffe. They begin to learn about the value of being unique.

Josephine the Short-Neck Giraffe," concludes as shy J. R. Giraffe helps Josephine learn to accept her neck, and herself, just the way she is and Josephine helps J. R. feel more confident. All together sing "I'm Glad I'm the Way I Am."

Mister Rogers shows how things can be reused rather than thrown away- even an old paper bag. In Make-Believe, there's a real-life problem -- too much garbage -- and the neighbors are trying to find a solution.

Mister Rogers takes his empty cans and bottles to a recycling center where the people there show how they compact cans and grind glass. In Make-Believe there's a big stink because there's too much garbage and the dump is full.

A visit with Leo Sewell, an artist who creates sculptures from things people often throw away. Mrs. McFeely shows things she has made from throw-aways. In Make-Believe, the neighbors learn that together they can solve their problems.

Mister Rogers goes snorkeling with oceanographer Sylvia Earle to see some of the wonders of the ocean. In Make-Believe there's a special newscast to help find a solution to the garbage problem

Mister Rogers makes a puppet show using boxes and materials that would have been thrown away and Mr. McFeely brings a real goat to visit. The Make-Believe garbage problem is solved with the cooperation of many people.

Mister Rogers delights in a visitor who can whistle, especially because that's something Mister Rogers hasn't been able to learn. Nobody can do everything. In Make-Believe, Robert Troll learns about people by taking a census.

Folk-singer Ella Jenkins teaches Mister Rogers a song plays the kazoo. There's lots of different learning in Make-Believe, and Mister Rogers shows a video of some of the many ways parents and children learn from each other.

In this episode there's a factory video to see how people make construction paper. And Mister Rogers reminds us - young and old alike - it can take a lot of trying to learn something -- the important thing is to keep trying.

Mister Rogers encourages children to ask a lot of questions helping children know that wonder and curiosity are so important for learning. In Make-Believe, the children plan a field trip so they can learn from their neighbors.

Mister Rogers talks about different size batteries and shows how a flashlight works. He helps children know that the world is full of lots of things to wonder about and that learning is everywhere. And that people to help us learn.