Kids for Character

Kids for Character is a 1996 American direct-to-video special that featured many children's characters that were popular in the United States at the time. The video uses segments from different TV shows to help teach the values of having good character. The video was released only in the United States on 23 April 1996.

Thomas is not one of the stars of the video, instead he makes a special appearance during the song also called Kids for Character at the end of the video. He is portrayed by the life-sized Thomas replica used in the United States at the time, with two young boys sitting on him.

Lyrics[]

We're kids for character

Here we stand, we're unified

Side by side

Let's get together while we can

Come on and take a stand for character

Arm in arm, all across the land

Hand in hand,

The future is ours

We are kids for character

You hold the key

To make the world a better place to be

Let others know that you care

Show respect to those around you

Be courteous and be polite

Appreciate your friends for who they are.

We're kids for character

Here we stand, we're unified

Side by side

Let's get together while we can

Come on and take a stand for character

Arm in arm, all across the land

Hand in hand,

The future is ours

We are kids for character

It's up to you

To accept responsibility

In all the things you say and do

Just to fess up when you mess up

Walk your talk, it shows integrity

Be trusted by your friends

And you will be...

A kid for character

Here we stand, we're unified

Side by side

Let's get together while we can

Come on and take a stand for character

Arm in arm, all across the land

Hand in hand,

The future is ours

We are kids for character

You've got to keep an open mind

When you are listening

Show fairness

In all the things you do

And if you do your part:

Obey the rules, respect authority

A good citizen is what you'll be.

We're kids for character

Here we stand, we're unified

Side by side

Let's get together while we can

Come on and take a stand for character

Arm in arm, all across the land

Hand in hand,

The future is ours

We are kids for character

We're kids for character

Here we stand, we're unified

Side by side

Let's get together while we can

Come on and take a stand for character

Arm in arm, all across the land

Hand in hand,

The future is yours

Be a kid for character

'Cause character counts!

The future is yours

Be a kid for character

'Cause character counts!

The future is yours

Be a kid for character

Characters[]

Thomas (does not speak)

Trivia[]

The song in the video is the only original song not affiliated with the Thomas & Friends franchise.
The same life-sized Thomas replica was also used during United States President Bill Clinton's inauguration in 1993 alongside characters from other PBS shows, including Sesame Street, Barney & Friends and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. It was later used for the Thomas and the Magic Railroad Sweepstakes Nick Jr. held in the United States.
Around the time the Kids for Character video was made, Shining Time Station was still airing on PBS through reruns. Some of the characters featured in the video were stars from other PBS programmes that aired around the same time, including The Puzzle Place, Barney & Friends, The Magic School Bus and Lamb Chop's Play-Along.
One of the composers for the video, Joe Phillips, would later go on to write the King of the Railway song It's Gonna be a Great Day.
Thomas, Peter Rabbit and Spot the Dog are the only British characters that appear in the video.

Goofs[]

In the last shot, Thomas wobbles a bit.

Gallery[]

Music Videos

	Series 3	Thomas' Anthem
	Series 4	Gone Fishing \| Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover \| Really Useful Engine \| The Island Song \| Let's Have a Race \| Toby
	Series 5	Night Train \| Percy's Seaside Trip \| Come for the Ride \| Harold the Helicopter \| Donald's Duck \| Sir Topham Hatt \| Accidents Will Happen \| Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining \| It's Great to Be an Engine \| The Snow Song
	Thomas and the Magic Railroad	Shining Time \| I Know How the Moon Must Feel \| The Locomotion \| Some Things Never Leave You \| Summer Sunday \| ~~The Whistling Song~~ \| ~~Girl in Green~~
	Series 6	Boo! Boo! Choo-Choo \| Little Engines \| Never, Never, Never Give Up \| James the Really Splendid Engine \| Winter Wonderland \| Down by the Docks
	Series 7	Five New Engines in the Shed \| Troublesome Trucks \| The Red Balloon \| Salty \| The Whistle Song \| There Once Was an Engine Who Ran Away
	Series 8	Sounds \| Engine Roll Call \| A World Around You \| Emily \| Surprises \| Determination \| Patience \| Ode to Gordon
	Calling All Engines!	Busy \| Trying \| Together \| The Dream Song
	Series 9	Brave \| Day and Night \| Party Time \| Pride \| Every Day's a Special Day on Sodor \| Buffer Up and Share \| Togetherness
	Jack and the Pack	The Work Song \| One Friendly Family
	Series 10	Doing It Right \| Favourite Place \| H Is for Harold \| Navigation \| There's Always Something New \| Responsibility \| Strength
	Series 11	The Narrow Gauge Engines
	The Great Discovery	Thomas and James Are Racing \| There's a Job for Everyone \| Where, oh Where Is Thomas? \| Thomas, You're the Leader
	Hero of the Rails	Go, Go Thomas
	Series 13	Roll Along
	Misty Island Rescue	Misty Island Rescue
	Series 14	All You Need \| The Fat Controller
	Day of the Diesels	Day of the Diesels
	Series 15	Hear the Engines Coming
	Blue Mountain Mystery	Working Together \| Blue Mountain Mystery
	Series 16	Thomas and Percy
	King of the Railway	Searching Everywhere \| It's Gonna Be a Great Day
	Series 17	Hey, Hey Thomas! \| On a Journey Today
	Tale of the Brave	Monsters Everywhere \| Tale of the Brave \| Let's Be Brave
	Series 18	It's Christmas Time \| The Best Friends Express
	Thomas' YouTube World Tour	Rules and Regulations \| That's What Friends Are For
	Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure	Never Overlook a Little Engine \| We Make a Team Together
	Series 19	There's Snow Place Like Home \| Let's Go! \| Race with You \| Spring Is Here!
	The Great Race	Will You, Won't You? \| Streamlining \| Full of Surprises \| You Can Only Be You \| The Shooting Star is Coming Through \| Be Who You Are and Go Far
	Series 20	Glynn's Christmas Wish \| It's Halloween
	Journey Beyond Sodor	Somebody Has to Be the Favourite \| Who's Thomas? \| The Hottest Place in Town \| I Want to Go Home \| We Can't Do Anything \| The Most Important Thing Is Being Friends
	Series 21	Set Friendship in Motion
	Big World! Big Adventures!	Where in the World Is Thomas? \| Wake Up \| Enda Ulale \| We're Friends \| Free and Easy \| Sometimes You Make a Friend
	Series 22	Big World! Big Adventures! \| The Journey Never Ends \| All the Girls Around the World \| The Steam Team \| Let's Dream
	Series 23	Legend of the Lost Engine \| The Sodor Construction Crew \| Don't Stop
	Series 24	Party Train \| How Does It Work? \| Fall Is So Much Fun \| The Little Engine Who Believed \| New Year's Day with Thomas
	Nursery Rhymes	Six Little Trains \| Percy! \| Tunnels, Bridges, Tracks and Hills \| The Wheels on the Train \| Chuff, Chuff, Chuff Along \| If You're Happy and You Know It \| Another Day on Sodor \| Old McColl's Farm \| Hickory Tickory Tock \| Pop Goes the Diesel! \| Thomas Found a Little Lamb \| Twinkle, Twinkle Sodor Sky \| My Name is Thomas \| Five Little Railway Friends \| Happy Birthday to You
	Miscellaneous	I'm Thomas the Tank Engine \| Thomas' Christmas Song \| The Official BBC Children in Need Medley \| Kids for Character \| Courage \| Teamwork \| Problem Solving \| Responsibility \| He's So Brave \| Friendship \| A Thomas Birthday Wish \| A Sodor Summertime \| Watch Out, Thomas!
	Series 1	I'm Gonna Chug \| Secret Agents \| Chugga-Chugga Snooze Snooze \| Knights of the Turntable \| I Sure Am Feeling Lucky \| A Partner on the Rails \| Music is Everywhere \| Chasing Rainbows \| The Mail Delivery Song \| If I Was a Super Train \| Get on the Laugh Track \| On My Own \| Everyone is Afraid a Little \| What Brave Engines Do \| Between You and Me \| Feet, Tailbone, Ribs and Claws \| The Number One Engine \| What's Awesome About This Place \| Blowing Off Steam \| A Gift to Remember \| Fall Fun \| My Rusty Can \| Together We Can \| He Should Have Given You Back \| Celebrate \| Song of Sodor
	Race for the Sodor Cup	When I Go Fast \| The Training Song \| Look It's Us
	Series 2	You Can't Stop Me! \| Fast to Go Slow \| Welcome to Sodor \| A Mistake is What it Takes \| This Was Unexpected \| Stuck in the Mud at Night \| Christmas Spirit \| Good as New \| Plow to Have Fun on the Job \| Feel the Hush \| The World Has a Mind of Its Own \| What's Really Real \| What I Can Do and What I Can't \| Peep Peep, We're Counting Sheep \| How to Solve a Mystery \| Sandy's Strengths \| The Sodor Shanty \| When You Go to Sea \| Blues Buddy \| Good Sports \| Work Together \| Friendship Map \| Talking Makes it Better \| Take a Closer Look \| The Waiting Game \| The Sights of Sodor
	The Mystery of Lookout Mountain	Warning: Biggest Adventure Ahead \| A Whole New Place \| Job to Do
	The Great Bubbly Build	Focus on the FUNction \| Put the Fun in Function
	Series 3	Worth Doing Right \| Abraca-Diesel \| Stuff \| Instead \| I Wish \| Make Things Right \| Find a New Way \| Building Better for Everyone \| Slow It on Down \| When the Night Comes on \| Quackity Quack \| Winter Games \| The Smells of Sodor
	The Christmas Letter Express	Christmastime on the Rails \| A Christmas Wish \| Ho-Ho-Hold on Santa Claus!
	Series 4	Stay on Track with Yourself \| The True You \| I Am A-Okay \| Spring Start \| Do Your Best \| What I See \| Good Friends Will Help \| Choo-Choo-Choose \| The Do-Over Dance \| Surprise \| Nothing's Stopping Me Now \| Are You Asleep Yet? \| Sense of Sodor
	Sodor Sings Together	Tonight Is the Night \| Deliver the Music \| Just Think of It \| Make Room for Music \| All Together Now
	Miscellaneous	Theme Song \| Train School Song