CoComelon Is On a New ‘Nursery Rhyme Journey’ With ‘Melon Patch’ Series & Album (And Yes, ‘Wheels on the Bus’ Is Along for the Ride)

CoComelon is evolving from the cartoon world of baby JJ to a live-action classroom for its upcoming series The Melon Patch — and their popular nursery rhymes are coming along for the ride.

Leading the way in the educational series The Melon Patch — arriving Sept. 23 on YouTube — is Ms. Appleberry (played by Allie Rivera Quiñonez), joined by Mr. Doodad the art teacher, Mr. Acorn the nature and exploration expert, and Ms. Twist the dance and movement coach. Below, Billboard Family is premiering CoComelon’s new rendition of “Apples and Bananas,” alongside a clip from The Melon Patch of Ms. Appleberry teaching how to make a tasty (and healthy) snack.

Before The Melon Patch hits YouTube, kids and parents can start streaming CoComelon Nursery Rhymes (Songs From The Melon Patch), the new album of brand-new and reimagined nursery rhymes from the series, on Friday (Sept. 19).

Joshua Embury, music director at Moonbug Entertainment, tells Billboard Family that this new album is an extension of what CoComelon has already been doing for years.

“What makes this album special is that it combines our most iconic nursery rhyme renditions with fresh reimaginings, creating a complete CoComelon nursery rhyme journey,” Embury says. “We wanted to celebrate the songs that first connected families to CoComelon while also introducing new rhymes we’ve been developing. Because nursery rhymes are such an important part of every child’s musical journey, creating a definitive collection felt essential.

“For the new tracks, we focused on more organic instrumentation to give the music warmth and authenticity, and added human touches like whistling and humming,” he adds. “We also wove in our signature marimba motif from the CoComelon intro, using it in interludes, intros and outros to build familiarity. By experimenting with tempos and structures, especially in originals like ‘I Can Do It,’ we aimed to give the album a fresh and contemporary sound.”

Embury says his favorite song on the project is CoComelon’s new version of “Down by the Bay.” While the song is often associated with children’s singer Raffi, who recorded it in 1976, it’s actually a traditional folk song whose exact origins are unknown. “It feels big and anthemic, while still being playful and silly with lyrics like ‘Did you ever see a llama wearing pajamas?’” Embury says. “It’s fun, unexpected, and a great example of how we’re giving classic rhymes a fresh energy.”

Also on the album: CoComelon’s classic “Wheels on the Bus” recording, which has had a consistent presence on Billboard‘s Global charts thanks in part to its video’s heavy rotation on YouTube. The song has so far peaked at No. 88 on the Global 200 Excl. U.S. — a chart that didn’t even exist when “Wheels” was initially released in 2019.

Embury says that “Wheels on the Bus” is the “most definitive nursery rhyme because it’s simple, repetitive, and endlessly adaptable. Kids love it because it’s easy to sing and full of movement, and parents can personalize it by adding their own verses. The way the melody progresses feels very kinetic and although cliché to say, the song really does move ‘round and round.’ In terms of what makes CoComelon’s rendition of the song so successful, I think it’s a combination of how the music and the visuals work together to create such a fun and engaging experience that really brings the song to life.”

CoComelon has previously placed three albums on Billboard‘s Kid Albums chart, including two top 10s: Nursery Rhymes by CoComelon, which peaked at No. 2 this year, and CoComelon Kids HIts, Vol. 1 (No. 8 this year).

The Melon Patch premieres Sept. 23 on YouTube, while CoComelon Nursery Rhymes (Songs From The Melon Patch) is out Friday.