‘Bumba? It drove me crazy’

What do you do when Bumba drives you crazy as a parent? Then you just make your own series for children, right? Jan Smit did not hesitate and now, a few years later, his children’s series ‘2 Kleine Kleutertjes’ has turned out to be a bull’s eye. The first film will hit theaters on April 24.

We spoke to Jan Smit.

Brushing teeth and eating fruit

‘2 Kleine Kleutertjes’ was created when Jan’s children, daughter Emma and son Senn, were 4 and 1 years old. “YouTube already existed, but the offer was very limited. Yes, you had Bumba, but I found all those voices terribly irritating. That should also be more bearable for parents, right?” Jan went looking for a musical solution. The result? Cheerful songs in which two toddlers are central, sung by his sister Monique. “Going to the supermarket, brushing your teeth, eating fruit: the songs are about topics that all parents have to deal with. Things that I have also encountered as a father.”

‘Emma was the reason’

Books, CDs and DVDs followed, and now Jan can also check off a film. Extra special, not only because it turned out to be a huge project, but also because his daughter Emma is one of the voices. “That’s so special,” he says proudly. “Emma was the reason I started this. Every note, every word: she knows it all. So when there was still a free voice and we were looking for a girl next door who was a tad cheeky and a little older than the toddlers, I asked if it was something for her. She actually said yes. The role of the big girl next door fits her like a coat.”

Read also

Suddenly not the youngest child anymore: ‘Mama, when will that baby go away again?’ †

sent away

However, it was not immediately obvious that Emma got the part. “Of course it’s nice that you do this with your child, but you are making a film, so I immediately said: if it’s not good enough, let’s do it someone else.” The role turned out to be perfect for her, but the collaboration was still exciting at times. “It’s just as exciting for her as it is for me. I was even sent away once. ‘Dad, maybe you should go for a coffee,’ they said. Emma had to focus. You don’t want to rush it.”

Prince Erik

The film ‘2 Little Toddlers, a day to remember’ is about Anna (5) and Joey (4) who get a brother or sister – an event that Jan did not have to read up on. “When my wife Liza turned out to be pregnant, Fem (Liza’s daughter) and Emma also had to get used to it. The attention suddenly had to be divided. And yes, one naturally wanted a brother, the other a sister.” The two sisters also did not immediately agree on the name. “Fem wanted to call Semm ‘Prince Erik’. We decided against that ;).”

Soon the girls were very happy with their brother. “They were quickly gone. Not much later, their hamster in the toy pram had to make way for Semm.”

‘2 Little Toddlers, a day to remember’ can be seen in cinemas from 24 April.