Mr. Rogers always had a fascination with televisions. He remembers the first time he ever saw one and always thought to himself that he would use it to captivate the attention of large audiences.
His dream came through when he finally decided to produce a children's' show to "make children feel accepted and understood" ("Mister Rogers"); he was going to achieve this through a simple set and low production values. Even though his production was simple his message was very clear and important; he taught children to love their parents, their teachers, their friends, and their neighbors.
At first, the free film show dwindled in publicity as it was unknown to most of the public. In order to make the show more entertaining for its viewers, Mr. Rogers came up with the brilliant idea to use puppets. He initially started using puppets during his infant years when he was quarantined multiple times. To entertain himself, Rogers would make mountains out of his knees and shadows out of his hands; he made up a lot of his fun. These ideas of his were translated into his show and gave something children never had before — someone they could relate to on television.
Mr. Rogers always found it easy to connect with children as his kindness and big heart made him adored by everyone. Frequently, he would meet many of his children viewers who had great personalities but sadly faced some tough times in their life. These children found happiness by watching "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" and felt even more honored by getting to meet Fred Rogers in person. Sometimes, Mr. Fred Rogers would also bring on special guests onto his show, and they would sing duets or have impactful talks with each other.
Although Mr. Rogers show ended in 2001, he will always be known for his "caring and trusting ways that created a calm, safe place for children to learn about themselves, about others" ("Celebrate 50 Years of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood"). The show appealed to the young audience, helping them develop good self-esteem and understanding of their self-worth. The show was a huge success as it made people realize how special they truly were. Even though the show has sadly come to an end, the message Mr. Rogers had to offer will continue to be passed along many generations; "he dedicated his whole life to understanding children"("Our Television Neighbor").
