[1][2] Inspired by educational shows like Sesame Street and The Electric Company, but designed to give the kids who watched it a voice without adults on screen, it was, for the most part, unscripted.

[3] A cast of seven kids (ten in Season 4) known as ZOOMers presented various activities such as games, plays, poems, recipes, jokes, movies and science experiments, all suggested by viewer contributions.

These activities were introduced by such titles as ZOOMovie, ZOOM Play of the Week, ZOOMgame, ZOOMdo, ZOOMgoody, ZOOMphenomenon, etc.

[4] The cast was chosen by audition, and the producers made efforts to include children of multiple cultures and backgrounds.

[citation needed] Each show had one or two ZOOMguest sequences, short film documentaries about children with special talents (singing, tap-dancing, instrument-making, etc.)

The premiere episode featured a boy who built a boat by making a ring of sticks and twigs and covering them with a tarpaulin.

[citation needed] Throughout the show's run, Newton Wayland was the musical director, while Billy Wilson handled choreography during the first four seasons.

In 1973, the cast members from the first season released an album titled Playgrounds (LP OCLC 3399239) (produced by Rupert Holmes) that was available by mail order.

[citation needed] Two books for children were based on the 1970s ZOOM series: On December 1, 1998, WGBH released the video-and-book set Best of the 70s and ZOOMers Revisited — Where Are They Now?

The first DVD was a reissue of Best of the 70s, with extras consisting of behind the scenes stills set to the theme song and a 10-question quiz asking what a few of the cast members are doing today.