LazyTown, the award-winning global children’s entertainment brand dedicated to motivating kids and families to make healthier lifestyle choices, is gearing up for a busy year in the US market.

A brand new series of LazyTown recently premiered in the U.S. on Sprout, the 24-hour preschool network. The new episodes air at 7 a.m. (ET) Monday through Friday, and this fall the new season of LazyTown will also run on Saturday mornings during the NBC Kids block. Additionally LazyTown airs in Spanish on Telemundo. LazyTown has signed Buddy Fruits as a new official healthy snacks-on-the-go partner. Buddy Fruits markets a full range of all-natural, fruit-based snacks that are ideal for snacking occasions for young children. Buddy Fruits will leverage the partnership with LazyTown and its focus on healthy choices to drive awareness and preference for their products. The platform will include point of sale in Buddy Fruit’s national retail program, special online digital campaigns, and live events with Sportacus in local markets.

LazyTown and their media partner Sprout have joined forces with YMCA around Healthy Kids Day, the Y’s national initiative to improve families’ health and well-being, which takes place at 1,900 Y’s throughout the country. The aim is to encourage healthier behaviors throughout the summer, a critical out-of-school time for children’s health. Sprout and LazyTown will air national TV spots to drive parents to a special website where they can find a full range of solutions, tips and ideas to keep their families healthy and active this summer.

LazyTown will also educate and inspire the American Heart Association’s youngest Heart Walk participants and families with the help of Sportacus, the star of the LazyTown television series, appearing at up to 25 various Heart Walks across the country throughout 2013. The American Heart Association, the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke, and LazyTown will work together to inspire preschool children and their parents to get active and learn about heart health.

As SportsCandy is a major element in every episode of LazyTown, it’s no surprise the brand has partnered for a second straight year with Produce For Kids, a year-round healthy eating resource for families. Both Sprout and LazyTown are supporting the Produce for Kids national campaign featuring point of sale kiosks in fresh produce departments in over 3,000 grocery stores, as well as national TV spots, live appearances and a new emphasis on digital recipes and support to parents.

LazyTown partnered with Ad Council to support their massive oral health campaign encouraging kids to “brush 2 minutes 2 times a day”. The campaign included a substantial PR and marketing focus to drive children to an interactive website (www.2min2x.org) where a range of properties had provided 2 minute videos children could watch to have fun while they brushed their teeth.