Episodes of Danny Joe’s Tree House (DJTH) are rooted in the rich, complex, and deeply personal experiences that kids share with me when I engage in the classroom. Writing the show always begins by listening closely to what the kids around me have to say about what is going on in their own worlds, and more importantly, how it makes them feel. Danny Joe's Tree House is a show made for young kids, but it doesn’t talk down to them. Instead, the show validates their real-life experiences by taking the time to examine and discuss them through the language of play. This direct performance work with preschool learners, and their teachers and families, is at the core of the show's conceptual development of episodes and its overall mission.

Danny Joe's Tree House has been collaborating with Judy Center Early Learning Hubs of Baltimore City to deliver these engagments, specifically geared towared Media Literacy and Social-Emotional Learning  in the 2025–26 school year. “Media literacy,” as I define it for early learners, is less about the use and functionality of devices, and more about  the ability to self-regulate and navigate challenges, including subtle forms of misinformation, conditioning, manipulation, commercialism, and propaganda. I engage early learners (and their grown-ups) in highly-interactive, curriculum-based storytimes, facilitating play about core media literacy concepts through songs, movement, and puppetry in the following ways:

1. Live performances broadcast into Judy Center hub classrooms  from the Danny Joe’s Tree House studio. Open-ended, play-based questioning during the live-streams fully engages students and teachers and encourages them to practice critical thinking and empathy skills in real time.  

2. Day visits to Judy Center hubs to work with students through interactive puppetry and responsive storytelling performances, to build upon conversations begun in the livestream session; and to work with families and teachers to practice application of media literacy strategies presented in the program, including use of DJTH books and episodes to start open-ended conversations that support ongoing learning and reflection with children at home.

For all aspects of this program, I collaborate with Spanish-language interpreters at hubs with large populations of Spanish-speaking students to ensure an inclusive and effective experience for all students. All curriculum materials are presented in both English and Spanish, and in 2026, I am working to find ways to incorporate diagetic Spanish language content in future recorded episodes.

I am in my second year of this direct work with Judy Centers, which begain in the 2024–25 school year, and continues in the 2025-26 school year, thanks to the generous support of the Sherman Family Foundation, the Richman Foundation, and the M. Sigmund and Barbara K. Shapiro Philanthropic Fund. 

In November 2025, I received a Maryland Creativity Grant to support the implementation of a full-sized “Algo Rithm, the Media Literacy Dragon” puppet, to be featured on Danny Joe’s Tree House, both on-screen in full-length episodes featuring the character, and with recurring appearances in the series' story arc; as well as in live performances in schools, libraries, and museums.

I prototyped Algo Rithm as a simple hand puppet fashioned from an oven mitt in 2023. Videos featuring this small-scale version of Algo Rithm tested very successfully with audiences on YouTubeKids in 2024 and 2025 (see video media sample.) Production of Algo Rithm as a large-scale, wearable  puppet with two-handed operation will allow me to have more (literal) flexibility with the character and its associated props, resulting in more performance flexibility as I create storylines to effectively engage young audiences while communicating concepts of media literacy, critical thinking, and empathy, both on screen and in person.

As of January 2026, I have developed a detailed rendering of a full-sized look and feel of the character, as well as the blueprint of mechanisms that will enhance the puppet’s movement, including a working jaw, eyes, eyebrows, wings and rod for the puppeteering arm. I have built an initial clay frame/skeleton to reference as I shape the foam structure. Following that, I will incorporate the interior mechanisms for movement and stitch the exterior fleece covering. Completion of the puppet construction and camera tests are scheduled for February 2026. Live audience testing and new sketch videos featuring Algo will be completed by May 2026. The first full 20-minute episode of Danny Joe's Tree House featuring Algo Rithm is planned for production in late 2026.

At the time of this episode, President Trump said that the children of Baltimore were born to be criminals. Like many in our community, I was furious at his statement, especially as I have deep emotional ties to Baltimore families and their children. I felt dizzy with emotion and couldn’t find the words to express my emotions at first. As always, I turned to the language of art and play. As a trained dancer myself, ballet has been a major part of my life since childhood. The Baltimore Ballet Boys, led by Venesa Day, were first introduced to me through my colleagues at Baltimore Peace Movement. I was so impressed with how these young men took such joy and pride in their abilities as dancers. They used non-verbal expressions to share deeply personal experiences through their art. I wanted the world to see what the children of Baltimore were born to truly be: role models and thoughtful leaders. My fellow kids’ show host, Shirel Jones, a ballerina and children’s advocate based in Detroit, made the perfect partner for this pas de deux. 

I believe it is the artist’s responsibility to hold a mirror up to society, so we can reflect more deeply and without succumbing to manufactured division.Through my in-person work in schools, libraries and museums, a common theme of concern that keeps coming up is bans as our government is taking away our right to choose for ourselves. I knew that we needed to do an episode that promoted each individual’s right to think critically for themselves and with empathy for others. 

In the world of children’s television, the Lewis family is legendary. Truly a pioneer, Shari Lewis used her art (puppetry, ventriloquism, dance, singing, storytelling) to speak truth to power. From advocating for women’s rights in the 1950s and 60s to standing up for children’s rights in the 1980s and 90s, Shari and Lamb Chop were trailblazers. Mallory Lewis, daughter of Shari and producer of Lamb Chop’s Play Along and other Lewis properties, was an ideal partner to take our research with families and schools a step further and make a historical connection to the patterns we see in our country. Together, we can make good choices that help each member of our community be seen and understood. 

As an artist and early childhood educator, I have a complex relationship with social media. On one hand, like many, I have been conditioned to think that it is a "necessary evil” of the business if I want to reach and serve an audience. And on the other, I am painfully aware of the mental (and physical) health risks to both adults and children. I found myself thinking about my hero, Fred Rogers and how although he didn’t care for television, he knew that was where the children were. I thought what might it look like if a Mister Rogers and a Blippi had a conversation about what it means to be liked? Through years of improvisation through in-person performances and interviews with parents, teachers and children, I realized the heart of this story was about mental health and how we choose to use our tools of communication. Adding a layer to this often internal debate I decided to play both roles of Danny Joe and Silly Billy. This episode was the beginning of a robust ongoing exploration of media literacy and social-emotional learning. 

I have written two independently published children's books, crafted for young audiences, ages 3 to 6, but also for grown-ups as tools to initiate conversations with young children about topics like the importance of relationships, and thinking critically for oneself and with empathy for others, in our technology-driven world. 

Book 1: I Like You More Than My Phone (2023)

Join me and my puppet pals as we explore how we use our phones to capture and communicate big thoughts, ideas and feelings. Danny Joe reassures children with an essential message in our digital age: people are more important than our tools for communication. This book is also a helpful tool for grownups to reinforce that message with their children when read aloud. "I really like my phone, but always remember that I love you."

Book 2: Sticks, Stones, and Smartphones (2025)

My newest children’s book is based upon key outcomes of my play-based conversations with students, teachers, parents, and caregivers at Judy Centers in SY 2024–25. Danny Joe narrrates a story about a little bird who wants to play with sticks. Her grown-up birds have different thoughts, ideas, and feelings about how to keep her safe. With a focus on good communication, critical thinking, and personal responsibility, the bird family works together to find a solution. “Birds of a feather, practice makes better!”  

Both books are written by Danny Joe LaBrecque (me) and illustrated by Eric Scales, and are published and distributed by Danny Joe's Tree House.  I Like You More Than My Phone is available for purchase as a children's board book. Sticks, Stones, and Smartphones has been printed as a soft-cover version for distribution to participating Judy Center preschool students. I plan to raise funds to print the board book edition of Sticks, Stones, and Smartphones in 2026.

Danny Joe's Tree House Grown-ups is a channel dedicated to video and podcast content for the adults who choose Danny Joe's Tree House for their kid's screen time. I use this space to discuss the behavioral science behind each episode of Danny Joe's Tree House, talk with some of my mentors from from the the the early days of kids television, and talk with my peers–present day kid's show hosts working in media and technology.  This is content created for parents, teachers and caregivers navigating social-emotional learning in the digital age.

Captain Lunar Landis of the Intergalactic Time Space Alliance needs our help to get back to the future. His spaceship runs on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math), and he is almost out of fuel! The puppets work together to build rocket boosters out of toilet paper tubes, string and balloons. You can join them and make your own rocket ship craft at home. Pixie Bell and Kingsley are feeling a little nervous about the future. Captain Lunar Landis helps them understand what comes next and provides the reassurance they need.

It's Valentine’s Day at Danny Joe's Tree House, and we're celebrating together with our loved ones. But instead of focusing on the act of giving, we're exploring the deeper concept of unconditional acceptance with our dear friend, Erricka Bridgeford, and her thoughtful, kind, and creative niece, Charlie. We also meet a brand new puppet pal, Scrappy Squirrel, who helps out by delivering the tools we need for our craft project with love.

While playing a game of dress up, Danny Joe gets visits from two friends! First, we meet Buck A. Roo, a marionette cowboy who is the quickest draw-er in the West. He shares some art with Danny Joe, but what he shows us and what Danny Joe sees doesn't quite match up. Then, our puppet friend Olive Olive Oxenfree comes to the Tree House because she is nervous about seeing her cousins at the annual Oxenfree Family Reunion for the first time as Olive. Her anxiety is calmed when the Oxenfree Family shows us how we can share our love and support with one another. Enjoy our special musical guests in this episode, the good time old time band, Geraldine! This episode features a singing cowboy, puppets, drawing, and an old time folk music string band. The message focuses on mental health, friendship, self-regulation, allyship, identity, self-expression, love, and acceptance.