Merry Christmas Morning!

In Elmo's Christmas Countdown, Elmo, Abby Cadabby and their new friend Stiller the Elf (Ben Stiller) are counting down to Christmas, but when the boxes in the Christmas Counter-Downer go missing, Christmas may never come again! Can Elmo, Abby Cadabby and Stiller the Elf save Christmas?

With the help of some very special all-star friends such as Anne Hathaway, Alicia Keys, Jamie Foxx, Sheryl Crow, Jennifer Hudson and Kevin James (as Santa Claus), Elmo and friends will learn to believe in Christmas miracles. Click the link for a preview (and by the looks of it, adults will enjoy this special as much as the children!) It's on Christmas morning at 7 a.m.

Then at 8 a.m., Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas sees our favorite little monkey into holiday antics and as always learning warm lessons of love. Enjoy the true spirit of the holiday season with Curious George and The Man with Yellow Hat! Curious George and The Man with the Yellow Hat are having a wonderful time getting ready for Christmas. There’s only one dilemma—neither of them can figure out what to give the other for a present!

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At 9 a.m., Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Christmas! Here's a preview.

Finally, at 10 am.m., it's Arthur's Perfect Christmas. Click here to see how all of Elwood City celebrates the holidays.

Best wishes for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 

from your Rhode Island PBS Kids Club friends!

It's Official: Holiday Season Has Begun!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We're previewing some fun new holiday shows during the Thanksgiving weekend.

While you prepare the fixings and stuff the turkey on Thanksgiving morning, the little ones in your life are bound to get excited over Thomas and Friends King of the Railway at 6 a.m. It's followed by the brand new Elmo's Christmas Countdown, and then the encore of Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot about Christmas at 8.

And because we know how much chidlren love replays of their favorites, we encore Elmo's Christmas Countdown and Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot about Christmas starting at 4:30 p.m.

Enjoy!

Study: PBS Kids Content in Classroom Improves Pre-Schoolers' Early Math Skills

We at Rhode Island PBS are so pleased to share this news with you:

Study Finds that Use of PBS KIDS Content in the Classroom

Improves Early Math Skills in Preschool Children

Combining engaging media with interactive

technology and teacher training improves learning

A new study conducted by Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), and SRI International found that the acquisition of essential early math skills, such as counting, recognizing numerals, recognizing shapes, and patterning, increased significantly among economically disadvantaged four- and five-year-old children who participated in a 10-week PBS KIDS Transmedia Math Supplement initiative. Transmedia includes the use of familiar characters, settings, and stories across different media formats.

CatintheHatHuffPuffaTron.jpg
Note: this is an image of the Huff-Puff-a-Tron game, located at: 
http://pbskids.org/catinthehat/games/huff-puff-a-tron.html 
Credit:The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!© 2013, 
CITH Productions, Inc. and Red Hat Animation Ltd. 
Underlying characters © 1957, 1985 Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P.

 The materials featured videos and interactive content from several PBS KIDS properties, such as Sid the Science Kid, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, Curious George, and Dinosaur Train, as well as non-digital activities, including books and foam shapes, designed to support the growth of math understanding.

Key findings of the 2013 Ready To Learn study include:

• Children who used the PBS KIDS math supplement, which incorporated videos, digital games, interactive whiteboards, laptop computers, teacher support, and hands-on math materials, improved significantly in their understanding of the targeted early mathematics skills compared to the control group.
• Children who used the same technology without the integrated math materials did not experience the same learning gains compared to the control.
• Teachers who used the math supplement reported significant changes in their confidence and comfort with early mathematics concepts and teaching with technology.

BuddysGemHunt.jpg
Note: this is an image of the Buddy’s Gem Hunt game, located at:
http://pbskids.org/dinosaurtrain/games/buddysgemhunt.html 
Credit: TM and © The Jim Henson Company. All Rights Reserved.

“With this study, we have a better understanding of the contribution transmedia resources can make to early learning settings,” said EDC’s Shelley Pasnik, vice president and director of the Center forChildren and Technology. “Children living in traditionally under-resourced communities were able to build foundational math skills when given necessary supports—in this case engaging digital content, opportunities to practice both on and away from screens, and knowledgeable adults—leaving them better prepared for kindergarten.”

“Although early mathematics achievement has been widely recognized as a strong predictor of later school achievement, many preschool teachers have received limited training when it comes to supporting mathematics,” added Carlin Llorente, senior research social scientist in SRI’s Center for Technology in Learning. “This study’s positive findings are the direct result of giving teachers resources that support the vital role they play in orchestrating children’s learning experiences with media.”

The study was commissioned by the CPB-PBS Ready To Learn initiative to evaluate math learning via interactive media. The initiative creates educational programming and outreach activities for local public television stations and their communities. This study builds on a 2009 Ready To Learn study conducted by EDC and SRI, which showed that young children’s use of digital media led to gains in literacy skills.

The study is based on a sample of 92 classrooms (46 in New York City and 46 in the San Francisco Bay Area) from preschool agencies and centers serving three- to five-year-old children primarily from low-income households. A total of 157 teachers (84 in New York and 82 in the San Francisco Bay Area) participated in the study.

CuriousGeorgeApplePicking.jpg 
Note: this is an image of the Apple Picking game, located at: 
http://pbskids.org/curiousgeorge/busyday/apples/ 

The 2013 study was funded by the U.S. Department of Education through a Ready To Learn grant to CPB and PBS. The initiative was developed to enhance the reach of, and access to, innovative early math experiences for U.S. children, especially those from low-income families, who often fall behind in mathematics skills at an early age and have difficulty catching up.

“These findings are particularly significant given the growing recognition of the positive relationship between early math skills and later educational achievement,” said Debra Sanchez, senior vice president for Education and Children’s Content at CPB. “Educational leaders are seeking new ways to level the playing field for disadvantaged preschoolers. The study shows that PBS KIDS content, which reaches millions of children each year, can play an important role in enhancing children’s learning opportunities.”

To access the full study and related materials, go to: http://cct.edc.org/rtl.

First Curious George Halloween Special: A Halloween Boo Fest

CURIOUS GEORGE: A Halloween Boo Fest headlines PBS KIDS’ Halloween programming lineup this October. PBS Kids launches new digital content in tandem with the premiere.

On October 28 at 8 a.m., Rhode Island PBS will premiere the first ever CURIOUS GEORGE Halloween special – CURIOUS GEORGE: A Halloween Boo Fest. The centerpiece of PBS KIDS’ Halloween programming lineup this October, this one-hour special celebrates curiosity, friendship, and trying new things, all while providing safe and family-friendly holiday entertainment. CURIOUS GEORGE: A Halloween Boo Fest will encore at 8 a.m. on Halloween, October 31.

It’s George’s first Halloween in the country, and Bill tells him and Allie about the “Legend of No Noggin” – a spooky tale about a hat-kicking scarecrow who haunts the countryside on Halloween. But is the legend real? George and Allie are determined to find out by taking a picture of No Noggin in hat-kicking action. But first, George needs to figure out what he’s going to be for Halloween so he can win the costume contest at the town Boo Festival and give the prize to the Man with the Yellow Hat. Will George be able to put together the perfect costume and find out the truth about No Noggin? Only the curious will find out!

CURIOUS GEORGE: A Halloween Boo Fest features three original songs, including “It’s Halloween Today,” sung by Pat Monahan, the lead singer of Train. As part of this multiplatform event, CURIOUS GEORGE will also feature a new game for web and mobile and new streaming video content this October.

Throughout the week of October 28, PBS KIDS will feature Halloween programming from other family favorites as well, including Super Why! and new episodes from THOMAS & FRIENDS, and our newest series, PEG + CAT.

Online, a new Halloween-themed CURIOUS GEORGE game will launch in late October on pbskids.org/curiousgeorge. In the game, players will use problem-solving and logical thinking skills as they explore a pumpkin patch with George, encountering playful spooky surprises along the way. Developed in HTML5, the game will be playable across platforms – on computers, mobile devices or tablets. Families will be able to stream clips from CURIOUS GEORGE: A Halloween Boo Fest for free on the PBS KIDS Video App, online at pbskids.org/video and on the PBS KIDS Roku channel.

Add PEG + CAT to Your Child's Daily Brain Food Diet

Cute doesn't begin to describe Peg + Cat. It's smart, too. Yes, that's a plus sign in the title, announcing the show's strong math connections.

It's the brand new animated preschool series that follows the adorable, spirited Peg and her sidekick Cat as they embark on adventures and learn foundational math concepts and skills. The series will air in the PBS Kids line-up every weekday on WSBE Rhode Island PBS starting Monday, October 7 at 9 a.m., after Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That and before Sid the Science Kid.

Co-creators Billy Aronson (Rent, Postcards from Buster) and Jennifer Oxley (Little Bill, The Wonder Pets!) have teamed with The Fred Rogers Company to bring young viewers a new way to experience math through Peg and Cat’s relatable, and often hilarious, adventures. Each Peg + Cat episode features original songs and fascinating stories in which Peg and Cat encounter a problem that requires them to use math and problem-solving skills in order to move forward.

Today, PBS KIDS launched a collection of new online and mobile games and activities. The collection includes a new app: the Peg + Cat Big Gig App for iPad, Kindle Fire and other Android devices, in addition to online games and offline activities that families can enjoy together. A new series for preschoolers, Peg + Cat premieres on PBS KIDS on October 7 (check local listings) and follows the adorable Peg and her sidekick Cat as they embark on adventures, solve problems and learn foundational math concepts and skills. The zany quandaries that Peg and Cat face happen in a variety of different worlds – from a farm to a distant planet, from a pirate island to a prehistoric valley, and more.

"At PBS KIDS, we are committed to providing educational and engaging content for children across media platforms, encouraging them to continue learning and exploring long after the screen is turned off," said Lesli Rotenberg, General Manager, Children’s Programming, PBS. "Peg + Cat was built as an on-air, online and mobile experience for kids, with related content for parents. With integrated episodes, games and hands-on activities, Peg + Cat will help kids learn math and problem-solving concepts in a variety of ways, deepening not only how much fun they will have with these great characters, but also how many critical skills they will build."

Peg + Cat Big Gig App
Designed for children ages 3 to 6, the Peg + Cat Big Gig App leverages the original music from Peg + Cat to help kids understand math concepts such as numbers, counting, patterns and more. The app includes two activities: Big Gig and Sound Check. The Peg + Cat Big Gig App is available from the App Store on iPad or at www.AppStore.com/PBSKIDS. The app is also available for Android tablets on the Amazon Appstore.

Big Gig: Big Gig invites children to pick an instrument and play songs with Peg, Cat and their friends wherever they may be – on the farm, Pirate Island, the Magic Forest, even on the Purple Planet! While playing “warm-ups” and simple melodies from Peg + Cat  children practice counting up and down by ones and twos, adding ones, and extending patterns. Once they play the song, the show begins and kids can watch and sing along as the characters rock out. There’s even a karaoke-style feature that helps players follow along with the lyrics.

Sound Check: In Sound Check, children are invited to explore and make music on their own. They’ll find a chorus of chickens ready to cheep, musical instruments, song loops, and characters who will sing and shout on cue. Players can even record little ditties and play them back.

The Peg + Cat Big Gig App will be made available for free to families in low-income communities through the PBS KIDS Mobile Learning Program, a national outreach program in collaboration with PBS stations nationwide that distributes free app download codes so that educators and families can better support children’s learning in Head Start centers, Title I schools and other community-based organizations in low-income neighborhoods.

Online Games
Through this series of online games, players join Peg and Cat as they travel to a variety of whimsical worlds and help complete the “rockin’-est” rock collection in the galaxy. The Totally Rocks collection includes eight online games (each set in a different world from Peg + Cat , plus three open-ended activities, including a global reward system called Peg’s Rock Collection, where players can use these colorful rocks to make art and to practice counting skills. In these games, kids practice counting, 2D and 3D shape recognition and spatial skills, location and direction, and measurement, all while helping Peg and her friends solve a story-based problem. The games, listed below, are all available on pbskids.org/peg and will also be made available to educators on PBS LearningMedia.

8 Interactive Games:

• Magical Shape Hunt – Players join Peg to find 3D shapes.
• Star Swiper – In this game, players clap their hands to help add stars to the sky, using counting and addition skills.
• Chicken Blast Off – Kids use their powers (of geometry and compound shape selection) to build a spaceship.
• Hungry Pirates - The Pirates are on the hunt for the buried treasure chest full of delicious snacks! Players must follow the maps and some clues to where X marks the spot.
• Peg’s Pizza Place - Players use counting skills to make pizzas that have the right number of toppings.
• Chicken Dance – Players learn patterns as they help the chickens complete their dance routines.
• Scrub-a-dub – Kids help farm animals get clean by matching them to containers that are the right size.
• 3-2-1 Snack – Players use their numbers and counting skills to help feed Cat his snack.

3 Free-play Activities:

• Rock Art – Players explore Peg’s out-of-this-world collection of rocks.
• Costume Box – Kids dress up characters like Peg, Cat, Ramone and Pig in wild and silly outfits.
• Paint-a-long – Kids doodle to their hearts’ content in this digital paint activity, and they can use one of the pre-made templates to learn how to draw shapes or characters from Peg + Cat.

Offline Activities
Related offline activities are also part of Peg + Cat Totally Rocks. Parents and kids can do a variety of things together to explore math along with Peg and Cat. The activities, listed below, are all available on pbskids.org/peg.

• 4 Peg + Cat flip books that kids and parents can print, cut out and assemble.
• Pirates and Peaches – Kids and parents collect and share peaches in this fun make-it-yourself Peg + Cat board game for 2 - 4 players.
• Peg + Cat Stick Puppets - Using paper, wooden craft sticks and a little yarn (for Peg’s hair), it's easy to make these shapely stick puppets.
• Recipe: The Pirates’ Great Banana Fruit Salad - Make a tasty fruit salad, counting each fruit yourself. Then turn it into little treasures by dividing it among special, make-it-yourself treasure chests.
• Recipe: Peg’s Perfect Pizza - Make, or cut, this pizza into different shapes, with some “dough-it-yourself” edible geometric fun.
• Recipe: Peg and Cat’s Incredibly Popular Honey Cake - This cake is fun to make and even more fun to decorate with fruity patterns.

Peg + Cat  is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Education through the Ready To Learn Initiative, a program that supports the development of innovative educational television and digital media targeted at preschool and early elementary school children and their families, and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

"Peg + Cat is the first original preschool transmedia property developed as part of the federal Ready To Learn Initiative, a program that supports the development of innovative educational television and media content especially for preschool and early elementary children and their families," said Debra Sanchez, Senior Vice President for Education and Children’s Content, Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). "CPB is pleased to be helping kids build the skills they need to succeed in school and life through this long-standing partnership with PBS KIDS and the U.S. Department of Education."

New Rhode Island PBS Kids Weekday Line-Up for Autumn Starts October 7

There is some leap-frogging and rearranging going on this autumn as we spruce up the children's program schedule and make room for new math skills fun on Peg + Cat. Starting on Monday, October 7, start times of some of your child's favorite shows may be changing. New times are in bold:


  6:00 a.m. - Thomas & Friends
  6:30 a.m. - Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood
  7:00 a.m. - Sesame Street
  8:00 a.m. - Curious George
  8:30 a.m. - Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That
  9:00 a.m. - Peg + Cat
  9:30 a.m. - Sid the Science Kid
10:00 a.m. - Super Why!
10:30 a.m. - Dinosaur Train


  4:00 p.m. - Martha Speaks
  4:30 p.m. - Arthur
  5:00 p.m. - Word Girl
  5:30 p.m. - Wild Kratts

Cat in the Hat "Let's Get Wet Week" July 22-26

Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! presents "Let's Get Wet Week" July 22 - 26. Here are the upcoming episodes:

Monday, July 22: Episode #216
“Wrapper's Delight” / “Dive Swim Scoop”

Wrapper’s Delight – Sally and Nick are trying to wrap a present for their moms. But they're having problems. Why meeting Cat's good friend Gina the Giraffe Weevil, will help! Gina shows them how she uses leaves to wrap her eggs to protect them while she waits for them to hatch. They learn how to carefully roll and fold the leaf so it doesn't rip and it protects the egg. Back at home they can finally finish wrapping their present - a statue of the Cat in the Hat!

Dive Swim Scoop – There's a frog in Nick and Sally's pool! They have to get him out but can't catch him. Cat's good friend Penny the Pelican can teach them how to catch things in water! Along the way they meet a gannett who shows them how he dives deep into the water to catch his food and a cormorant that zigs and zags through the water to catch hers. But that won't help them catch the frog in their shallow pool. They finally find Penny and watch how she scoops with her big bill, like a net! Now Nick and Sally know how they can rescue the frog in their pool.

Tuesday, July 23: Episode #204
“No Night Today” / “Fun in the Sun”

No Night Today – Nick and Sally want to keep playing, but it's getting dark. Why does nighttime have to come? The Cat knows someone who can answer that question - Astronaut Audrey! With a trip to her International Space Station and a large model of the solar system, the kids learn that it's the earth's spinning near the sun that makes it night or day.

Fun in the Sun – Phew it's hot! Too hot to play outside. Not according to The Cat! His friend Hilda the Hippo knows all about having fun in the sun. A visit to Muddymoo River teaches them that hippos make their very own sunscreen to protect them from the hot sun. Now that they all have their sunscreen on, it's time for some fun in the sun!

Wednesday, July 24: Episode #206
“Manatees and Mermaids” / “The Last Chocolate”

Manatees and Mermaids – Sally and Nick are pretending to swim, but why not go for a real swim asks the Cat! Off to the Glippydrippy Gulf to meet Matilda the Manatee and her son Marlin. Matilda and Marlon teach their guests how to swim slowly and gracefully. Until they hear the sound of a boat motor! Those can be dangerous for manatees, but luckily the Cat, Nick and Sally help their new friends to stay safe. And when they get back home, Nick and Sally will be sure to tell everyone to "Slow down for manatees!"

The Last Chocolate – Only two chocolates left in the whole box, what a great present for Nick and Sally's Moms. That is until The Cat excitedly eats them! Oh no! How are they going to find more chocolate to give to their moms? Why a trip to visit Princess Lottachoca in the Cocoalicious Forest will help them! There, the Princess teaches Nick and Sally the chocolate-making song and they help to pick the beans, roast them, and to heat the juice and add sugar. And then, pouring the hot liquid into molds of any shape. Now that the chocolate has cooled, it's time to go home and surprise their moms!

Thursday, July 25: Episode #207
“Tough Enough” / “How Cool Is Coral”

Tough Enough – Nick and Sally are trying to guess what animal is the toughest one - is it a lion? Oh no, it must be the enormous elephant! Why not at all, says The Cat. The toughest of all is a teeny tiny Waterbear. Huh? Off to meet Cat's friend Wally the Waterbear. After shrinking down in the Thingamajigger, they find Wally and start to play the Tough Enough game! Wally is tough enough to live anywhere, so it's off to Freeze Your Knees Snowland to test it out. Then they go to the super-hot Gritchity-Gratch Desert, then even a trip into space! Wally can live anywhere! He really is the toughest of all!

How Cool is Coral – The Cat needs help! He needs to get his fish friend Ting Tang Tony back to his family. Off to Scoobamareen they go! Tony and Cat got distracted while he was drawing pictures of the beautiful coral that's all around them. Using Cat's drawings as a map, they swim to get Tony back home. Along the way they meet little polyps that live in the coral and learn that they actually helped to make it! They learn about how long it takes to make and how delicate it is. Luckily they soon find Tony's family and they're reunited. Back home Nick and Sally make their own coral drawings, cause you never know when the Cat might need help again!

Friday, July 26: Episode #134
“Amazing Eyes” / “Water Walkers”

Amazing Eyes – Sally and Nick are trying to guess which game Harvey the guinea pig might like to play with them. The Cat takes them to meet his friend Katie the Cavy, a wild guinea pig. But when they try to ask her, she playfully runs off! With the help of three different animals with very different ways of seeing, they finally find Katie and discover a guinea pig's favorite game - hide and seek!

Water Walkers – Nick and Sally are waiting for Mom to come back so they can play in the pool. Cat suggests that playing on water is even more fun! But how? A trip to Splishy Splashy Pond to meet Walker the water strider will show them. Walker shows how he's able to stay on top of the water with the help of air bubbles as he journeys to the other side of the pond. Back at home, Sally and Nick are ready travel to the other side of the pool!

__________________________

Online, parents and caregivers can find free, downloadable activity guides and printables to host reading parties and more on PBSPARENTS.org/read. Literacy-focused games and activities are available for kids at PBSKIDS.org/read.

Tie-in books from Random House

King Cecil the Sea Horse

A Whale of a Tale! All About Porpoises, Dolphins, and Whales

Wish for a Fish: All About Sea Creatures

Born to Run 

How Wet Can You Get?

Rhode Island PBS Family Fun at the Pawtucket Red Sox

Rhode Island PBS and the Pawtucket Red Sox have a great opportunity to share with you for a family night of summertime fun.

Yes, it's barely June and the kids are still in school, but be sure to mark your calendar now for "Back to School Kit Night" at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, RI, Tuesday, August 20.

Your family four pack of tickets includes all-you-can-eat barbecue under the tent two hours (5 p.m.) before the game, and four general admission seats for the 7:05 p.m. game between the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Buffalo Bisons.

These family four-packs of tickets are valued at $110 and are free for Rhode Island PBS members! Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis, with a strict limit of 4 tickets per family. Contact us now! You can call us at 401-222-3636, extension 209.

Not a member? Not a problem! Click here to become a member at the $45 level and your PawSox tickets will be on their way to you.

We're so happy to bring you this benefit of membership. This generous offer is courtesy of the Pawtucket Red Sox.

Flying Kites Art Project

Kids are kids, everywhere in the world. It's only how and where they do things that's different!

Kids in the village of Kinangop, in the country of Kenya, on the continent of Africa, live and go to school with family helpers and teachers who are part of a group called Flying Kites.

Just like kids in Rhode Island, in the country of United States, on the continent of North America, the children in Kinangop laugh, play, cry, have friends, do chores, and go to school. What they don't have are moms and dads to take care of them. These children are orphans. The Flying Kites group helps care for and teach these children to grow and reach their full potential.

Kids who watch Rhode Island PBS are invited to connect with the kids in Kenya in a special way: draw, paint, color, or take a picture of you (your child) flying a kite as a greeting of friendship, hope, and encouragement. Send the artwork to Rhode Island PBS by May 30, 2013, and we'll send the picture to the children of Flying Kites in Kenya

Reach for the sky and make a connection across the world!

This invitation is part of a Rhode Island PBS project with students at Bryant University, working with Flying Kites of Newport, Rhode Island, and Kinangop, Kenya.

Paper Bag Players - 50-Year Tradition of Live Theater for Kids

There is nothing like an old-fashioned “Western Welcome” to get a show off to a rousing start! When The Paper Bag Players cowboys and cowgirls gallop onto the stage, singing and wishing a great big “Howdy!”in the all-new show, The Paper Bag Players Saddles and Sunshine,  audiences will be up on their  feet, clapping and singing along!

The Paper Bag Players are a company of adults who create and perform original musical theater based on a child's everyday experiences, dreams, and fantasies. Paper bags, bits of cardboard, and objects found in the attic or garage are transformed into the most fantastic sets, props, and costumes. The troupe, founded in 1958 by Judith Martin, performs in their native New York, and takes the show on the road for several months in a year. Targeting children 3 - 8 years old, the performances are usually on weekday mornings and, in large part, mostly for school children as a class trip.


The Paper Bag Players Saddles and Sunshine will tour for eight months throughout the Northeast with stops including Middleton, Hempstead, East Hampton and Port Washington, NY; all five boroughs of New York City; Englewood, NJ; Newark, DE; Rahway, NJ; Towanda and Lewisburg PA; Mamaroneck, NY; Annapolis, MD; Baltimore, MD; Morristown and West Long Branch, NJ; Tarrytown, NY; Trenton, NJ, Glenside, PA; Boston, Springfield, and Worcester MA; and Providence, RI. The Paper Bag Players perform three shows at Roberts Auditorium at Rhode Island College: 10 a.m. and noon on May 14, and 10 a.m. on May 15.

The performance group's latest show, The Paper Bag Players Saddles and Sunshine combines funny stories, charming characters, lively music, dancing, and lots of opportunities for the audience to be a part of the fun. Created especially for children ages 3 through 8 there is enough fun in this show to entertain the entire family.

Ted Brackett (who also directs), Laura Canty-Samuel, Amy Walsh, Kevin Richard Woodall, John Stone at the electric piano, and scenic artist Jon Peck all guarantee every moment is full of theatrical magic.

The Paper Bag Players touring has taken them to 37 states and to Canada, England, Scotland, Wales, Israel, Iran, Egypt, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan. This year’s show will be seen by over 66,000 children in performances for the general public and for school children at 40 locations.

The Paper Bag Players have received The Award for Excellence in Theater and Education from The Broadway Theater Institute, and American Theater Wing Award, The New York State Artists Award, and The American Alliance for Theater and Education Award for meritorious achievement in the field of theater for young people.

For more information, visit their Web site at  thepaperbagplayers.org

Super Why at the Warwick Mall

Super Why! and RI PBS Kids Club will be at the Summer Camp & Children's Programs Expo at the Warwick Mall on Saturday, April 6, 2013.

The Expo runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Super Why! will be at the RI PBS Kids Club table for high-fives and hugs between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Exhibitors will present shows and demos from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. There will be entertainment all day, with something for all ages.

At the Expo, representatives from a variety of summer camps, enrichment programs, activities, products, services, will be on hand with information to plan a fun and safe summer for your child.

For information, visit the Warwick Mall events page.

Tickets to Sesame Street Live: Elmo's Super Heroes

Super Grover has lost his super-ness and Sesame Street needs a hero. Never fear, the fabulous five Super Heroes are here -- featuring Elmo as Captain Fuzzy!

Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Big Bird and all their friends are on a quest to put the “super” back in Super Grover. Singing and dancing their way through fun lessons on healthy habits, they discover how exercise, rest, nutritious food, and good hygiene can save Super Grover -- and turn your children into Super Heroes, too.

You’ll be feeling good when Elmo’s Super Heroes comes to the Providence Performing Arts Center, April 4 - 7.

Rhode Island PBS has family packs of tickets to give away.

Experience Nature Up Close and Personal with Audubon and Rhode Island PBS

Rhode Island PBS and Audubon Society of Rhode Island present three interconnected ways for you and your family to experience nature up close and personal:

(1) Explore those wild places around Rhode Island you can only access on foot. From April 14 - 22, Audubon Society of Rhode Island is offering a week-long schedule of free guided "Earth Day" hikes at wildlife refuges across the state and in nearby Massachusetts. There are programs to suit all ages, interests, and capabilities. Although free, the hikes do require registration (you can do that through the Audubon Web site).

(2) The Passport to the Trails is back! Travel across the state and explore Audubon wildlife refuges. Passports will be available at all "Earth Day" hikes and programs, or visit the Audubon Environmental Education Center in Bristol or Powder Mill Ledges Nature Shop in Smithfield to receive your free passport.

Head out with your passport, visit Audubon wildlife refuges, and discover the varied habitats and creatures that call Rhode Island home. Along the way, you will be directed to a “hidden” stencil template at each refuge. Make a crayon or pencil rubbing at each destination and return the completed passport to Audubon by September 30, 2013 for a reward and the opportunity to be entered into grand prize raffle. For more info, visit www.asri.org.

(3) Do you enjoy nature photography? Snap images of landscapes, birds, creatures or people interacting with nature at any of Audubon Society of Rhode Island’s wildlife refuges that are open to the public. Submit your favorite photographs (maximum of three) by September 30, 2013 for entry into the Audubon 2013 "Earth Day" Photo Contest. A panel of qualified judges will choose the winning photographs. For details, visit www.asri.org.

New Cat in the Hat Episodes in March

It’s Dr. Seuss’ 109th birthday on March 2, and PBS KIDS is celebrating with new content on-air, online and on mobile beginning March 1. Viewers can join everyone’s favorite cat in two new episodes of THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT! as the Cat, Nick and Sally explore science concepts from as far away as space and as close as inside our own bodies. Kids will also be able to continue the science adventure with the new “Swirly Whirly Pearl Hunt” online game and video content online and on mobile.                                                                                                                        

THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT! will feature two brand new episodes. “Rumbly Tumbly / Planet Name Game” features a super shrunken trip into Thing One's stomach as well as a whirlwind trip to each of the eight planets, and “Top of the Sky / Jiggle Bones” follows the Cat, Nick and Sally as they travel to Audrey the Astronaut’s space station and visit Dr. Giggles to see why bones are important.

The celebration will continue online and on mobile. Video clips from both episodes will be available for free online at pbskids.org/video and on the PBS KIDS Video App starting March 1.

Viewers will also have a chance to interact with the Cat in the Hat with the new “Swirly Whirly Pearl Hunt” game. In this game, the Swirly Whirly Ocean is filled with aquatic creatures of all colors, shapes and sizes, and players can catch a ride on the Thinga-ma-jigger to travel deeper and deeper through silly, Seussian schools of fish. The Swirly Whirly Pearl is waiting somewhere far below, along with the chance to create a personalized school of mix-and-match sea creatures. “Swirly Whirly Pearl Hunt” will be available on pbskids.org/catinthehat on March 1.

These are the new March episodes of THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT!

Tumbly / Planet Name Game

"Rumbly Tumbly"
Nick's hungry tummy is rumbling! But why do our stomachs make noises when they're hungry? A super shrunken trip into Thing One's stomach will show them the answer! They learn how chewing and stomach juices help to break down the food, and the tummy sounds are actually the stomach working. When your tummy is empty, the sounds are much louder! There's only one way to quiet Nick's rumbly tumbly… a chewy chocolate chunky chunk chip cookie!

"Planet Name Game"
Nick and Sally have run out of things to name in the garden. Good thing Cat needs help putting his model of the solar system back together – they can help him name the planets! Off in the Space-a-ma-racer they go on a whirlwind trip around the universe, learning the names of the eight planets as they go.




Top of the Sky / Jiggle Bones

"Top of the Sky"
Sally, Nick and Cat are playing with their toy rocket. Using the Cat's "Whoa-Look-At-It-Go-Launcher," he shoots the rocket up, up, and up! But now they need to go find it. Off to the top of the sky! They keep going higher until they're in space! They meet Audrey the Astronaut who explains that there is no top to the sky. The sky turns into space and space goes on forever!  Just when the kids think their rocket is lost, they find it in Audrey's space station. Though they can't launch their rocket to the top of the sky, launching it to the moon is just as cool!

"Jiggle Bones"
Nick and Sally are wiggling and jiggling like the jelly mold in front of them. But they can't quite wiggle the same way. How come?  “Bones of course!” announces the Cat. Bones keep their bodies from being wiggly and jiggly. But why do they need bones? A visit to Dr. Giggles will answer that question! They learn about the big strong bones that help us stand and walk, the small bones that help us bend and move, and the all important bones that help protect our squishy bits! Even though they won't let you wiggle and jiggle like jelly, bones are important!

Wild Kratts Lost at Sea January 21

PBS KIDS’ popular WILD KRATTS series will have kids and parents diving into a creature adventure on Monday, January 21 at 4 p.m. on Rhode Island PBS, with the premiere of a new science special — WILD KRATTS “Lost at Sea.” 

During the one-hour show, brothers and wildlife explorers Martin and Chris Kratt go under the sea in two new episodes filled with humor, excitement and a whole lot of science. 

Kids will also be able to explore natural science with the Kratts through new science games and science videos online, and new videos on mobile.

“Blowfish Blowout”

When the miniaturized Kratt bros are swept up and lost in a swath of plankton, they become part of a crowd of fish larvae all headed to the most populated and diverse habitat on Earth — the coral reef. As Aviva and the gang search for them, the lost bros take up residence on the reef alongside a newfound porcupinefish friend, who will hopefully show them how to survive in this fish-eat-fish world until they are rescued. But when Donita shows up searching for a special Sea Crown fit for a fashion queen, the gang must return the favor and rescue their friend.

“Speaking Dolphinese”

The Wild Kratts team is on a mission to decode the secret language of one of the smartest creatures on Earth — dolphins! With the help of Aviva’s experimental Dolphin Decoder and two young dolphin tutors, Chris and Martin join a pod and try to speak “dolphinese.” But when their newfound friends are caught in a jam with the dolphins’ only true creature enemy — a hungry shark — the bros are embroiled in a hair-raising rescue mission that tests their new creature language skills.