CoComelon’s live action spin-off is ready to challenge Ms Rachel on YouTube

To consolidate its position as the streaming industry’s premier preschool-age edutainment option, CoComelon is ramping up production on its live-action content. The Moonbug-owned kid video titan is getting set to launch The Melon Patch, a YouTube series led by the Ms. Appleberry character.

In The Melon Patch, which is set to premiere on September 23, Ms. Appleberry (portrayed by Allie Rivera Quiñonez) will be joined in her classroom by several other teachers. Together, the Melon Patch cast will take on subjects like art, dance, and nature, enriching their young audience along the way.

CoComelon introduced Ms. Appleberry last year, when it announced its intent to diversify its library by producing more live-action videos. With nearly 200 million subscribers and more than 200 billion lifetime views, CoComelon has drawn more traffic than any other kid-friendly YouTube channel, but its biggest hits have featured animated characters, including its blonde-tufted mascot JJ.

Quiñonez began playing Ms. Appleberry in a long-form series called CoComelon Classroom. Now, her world is expanding through the 25-minute Melon Patch episodes.

“With The Melon Patch, we’ve created a joyful space where kids can learn through music, play, and the warmth of a teacher they know and love, Ms. Appleberry,” CoComelon Senior Creative Executive Nicole Rivera told TheWrap. “She helps make every lesson feel like an adventure, blending songs, stories, and real-life learning in a way that’s as fun as it is meaningful.”

The Melon Patch is not just an expansion of the CoComelon universe — it’s also an effort to keep pace with the rising stars of the YouTube Kids landscape. With its long-form episodes, live-action look, and cheerful, musical tone, The Melon Patch has a lot in common with a typical Ms. Rachel video. The overalls-clad educator has become a force on YouTube, and she’s challenging CoComelon on paid subscription services as well.

Another big name on the kid-friendly side of YouTube is Blippi, whose namesake channel is also owned by Moonbug. Shannon Flynn, who worked on the Netflix series Blippi’s Job Show, is the director of The Melon Patch.

Though The Melon Patch will help CoComelon stay up to date with the latest YouTube trends, it will also deepen kids’ connections to a franchise that has several irons in the fire. A different type of live action content — a U.S. tour — hit the road in 2022, and a CoComelon-branded feature film is due out in 2027.