Christmas Eve with Your Child's Favorites

Starting bright and early on the morning of Christmas Eve, these beloved PBS Kids characters will share holiday adventures with your child.

5:30 a.m. Thomas and Friends: Christmas Cheer!
“Duncan The Humbug” - Everyone is happy at Christmastime except Duncan, the Scottish narrow gauge engine, who seems to be grumbling even more than usual. Victor offers Duncan a new coat of paint if he can refrain from grumbling for one whole day. Duncan rises to the challenge, but it is not so easy for an engine who likes to grumble to give up a lifetime habit.
“The Perfect Gift” - The whole island is celebrating Christmas and there are decorations everywhere.  But it doesn't look very Christmas-y at the scrap yard. Percy starts to worry that Reg is missing out and he tries to find something to give Reg to cheer him up. But Reg only seems happy about scrap. Percy discovers that Reg is celebrating Christmas in his own way and has been making decorations from the scrap.

6:00 a.m. The Cat In the Hat Knows A Lot About Christmas

7:00 a.m. 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.

8:00 a.m. Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas
Go on a holiday adventure with Curious George as he and the Man with the Yellow Hat prepare for Christmas. As George and the Man struggle to find a perfect gift for each other, they learn about the true spirit of the holidays. Including Christmas carols and three original songs, enjoy this holiday special!

9:00 a.m. Peg+Cat+Holidays
“The Hanukkah Problem” - When Albert Einstein invites Peg and Cat over for Hanukkah, he shows them how to make a 2D piece of paper into a 3D dreidel. Later, they need to use this process to bring peace to Al’s home and save his Hanukkah. “The Christmas Problem” - When Santa Claus is in trouble, Peg and Cat have to solve their biggest problem ever: how to make and wrap presents for all the children of the world, and then deliver them using 100 sleighs. “The Penguin Problem” - Peg and Cat coach a team of skiing penguins, who would have a shot at the Olympic gold medal if only they knew “over,” “under,” and “in between."

10:00 a.m. The Cat In the Hat Knows A Lot About Christmas

Then, in the afternoon, there's an encore presentation of three favorites:
3:30 p.m. Thomas and Friends: Christmas Cheer!
4:00 p.m. The Cat In the Hat Knows A Lot About Christmas
5:00 p.m. Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas

Count on ODD SQUAD to launch November 26

Following its announcement in January, ODD SQUAD, a brand new live-action media property designed to help kids ages 5-8 learn math, is ready to launch with a one-hour special on Rhode Island PBS on Wednesday, November 26 at 4 p.m. and on Learn, tune in Thursday, November 27 at 6:30 a.m.

The show focuses on two young agents, Olive and Otto, who are part of the Odd Squad, an agency whose mission is to save the day whenever something unusual happens in their town. A math concept is embedded in each of their cases, as Olive and Otto work together to problem-solve and correct the oddity du jour in each episode.

Each episode of ODD SQUAD includes two 11-minute cases in which the agents investigate weird and unusual phenomena around them and use math to put things right. From recapturing a gallon-sized blob that has separated into smaller pieces, to dealing with a slew of unicorns, dinosaurs and wizards that have escaped from books, there is no occurrence that is too strange for the Odd Squad as they face off against various villains that wreak havoc around town.

The ODD SQUAD television series is part of a multi-platform media experience that will include free interactive content online and on mobile. ODD SQUAD’s digital content will put kids in the driver’s seat, giving them the opportunity to sign up and join the Odd Squad, solve cases and stop oddness, just like Olive and Otto. The show’s interactive features will include games, parent resources, mobile apps and more.

On-air, online and on mobile, ODD SQUAD is created by Tim McKeon (Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Adventure Time, The Electric Company) and Adam Peltzman (The Electric Company, The Backyardigans, Wallykazam!) and produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment and The Fred Rogers Company. ODD SQUAD is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Education through the Ready To Learn Initiative, and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

Click here to see the Website.

Curious George Halloween Boo Fest on Monday, October 27

Celebrate Halloween with Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest and new episodes. Don’t miss the one-hour, super spooky special starting Monday, Oct. 27, plus new episodes of George, only on PBS KIDS!

5th Annual Halloween Costume Spooktacular Coming October 24

Rhode Island PBS invites you to our 5th annual Rhode Island PBS Kids Club Halloween Costume Spooktacular Friday, October 24 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at the Rhode Island PBS studios. 

Children are asked to come dressed in costume - adults can dress up, too!  This year the Audubon Society of Rhode Island will present a special live raptor demonstration, and Wood Items and More will be providing a Halloween craft activity. Liberty Mutual will provide treats.

Plus, we'll have music, special Halloween goodies, and children will also get to trick or treat, so be sure to bring a treat bag!

 

Kids Club members can attend for free along with one (1) parent or guardian. Additional guests are welcome at $10 per person. However, advance registration for additional guests is required at the time of RSVP. To join our Kids Club please call 401-222-3636 x 204. 

For more information please visit www.ripbs.org. 

*Space is limited for this event and it will fill up fast! Be sure to RSVP no later than Wednesday, October 22, by calling 401-222-3636 x 204.  Don't forget to bring your camera, too!  

The Rhode Island PBS studios are located at 50 Park Lane, Providence, RI.

• Live raptor demonstration by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island!
• Special Halloween craft provided by Wood Items and More!
• Halloween treats courtesy of Liberty Mutual Insurance
• Music, dancing!
• Trick or Treating!

Space Racers! Launch New App

Dear Space Racers Fans, 

We are excited to announce the launch of the Space Racers! FREE app now available on iPhone™ and iPad™. It can be downloaded from the App Store here:

 

We want to get the app into as many little hands as possible, and we need your help to do so.  Here is what you can do:
 

1. DOWNLOAD the free app from the App Store
2. RATE IT on the App Store 
3. WRITE A REVIEW why you and your kids love it
4. SHARE IT with people you know

The easiest way to share is by clicking on the "share button" in the top right of the app screen indicated by the green circle below:
 

About the Space Racers! app: 

A twist on the traditional flying game, kids can tag-team between four characters--Eagle, Robyn, Hawk, and Starling—as they soar through space, and around Stardust Bay, collecting stars and avoiding obstacles...just don't run out of fuel!

Learning values include overcoming challenges, as children need to consider variables such as the effects of wind on speed and magnets on metal objects.

As they move through game rounds, children will experiment and make choices based on knowledge gained in previous levels.

The game is designed to create perseverance, mastery, and curiosity for preschoolers, as they learn and succeed through exploration.  Here's what you'll find on the app: 

• 32 rounds of game play 
• 8 engaging worlds to explore  
• 4 characters who tag-team throughout the course!
• Surprise “power-ups” 

Watch Space Racers on Rhode Island PBS Saturday mornings at 9:30 a.m.

"Public Media Teaches Me..." [selfie time!]

It's back to school time and Protect My Public Media is celebrating public media's contributions to lifelong learning with a photo contest.

You don't need to be in school to participate. You just need to have learned something from your local public media station. Maybe you learned your ABCs and 123s on Rhode Island PBS's trusted and effective children’s programming. Possibly you learned how to cook from public media’s hallmark cooking programs. Perhaps you learned about current events happening in your local community or around the globe on public television. We want to know what public media has taught you in your life.

Here’s how you can take part:

1. Download and print the postcard below. To download, right-click the postcard, and then select save as. Save the image, and then print it.

2. With a marker, fill in the blank: Public Media Teaches Me_________. Tell us what you've learned from public media.

3. Take a picture of yourself with the postcard.

4. Then, click here. Upload your new picture and fill out the required fields. Be sure to state what public media has taught you and why it's important.

You can also share your photos on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #PubMediaSmarts.

Protect My Public Media will pick the most creative entries to feature on their blog, Facebook and Twitter on Friday, September 19, 2014. So, you have until Thursday, September 18, 2014 at 11:00 p.m. to tell us what you've learned from public media. We hope you'll join us in honoring the work by public television to make us smarter, and teach us and our children new skills every day.

New Cookie Monster's Challenge App

Help kids practice self-control, focus, memory and more with the new Cookie Monster’s Challenge App from PBS KIDS and Sesame Street: http://to.pbs.org/cookie_appstore

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

PBS KIDS and Sesame Workshop today announced the launch of Cookie Monster’s Challenge for iPad, a new SESAME STREET app and the first app that the two children’s media organizations have created together. Designed for children ages 3-5, the app builds on SESAME STREET’s 45^th anniversary season’s curricular focus: self-regulation and executive function skills that teachers identify as critical for school readiness. Cookie Monster’s Challenge offers a series of games designed to engage children and challenge them to practice self-control, focus, memory, following directions and problem-solving. The app launches just in time for the debut of SESAME STREET’s 45^th season, which premieres September 15 at 7 a.m. on Rhode Island PBS.

Features of the Cookie Monster’s Challenge App include:

• Ten Mini-games – Games present exciting challenges designed to give children the opportunity to practice self-control, focus and memory.

• Nine Levels – With each level, the mini games become more challenging, keeping children engaged and motivated.

• One Crazy Cookie Making Contraption – As children complete levels, they earn pieces of a giant and hilarious cookie-making machine that they can use to decorate the cookies they've earned and deliver them to their hungry friend, Cookie Monster.

• Profiles – Children and parents can create up to three separate profiles so that everyone in the family can progress through the game at their own pace.

Autumn Shuffle: September Schedule Changes

Back-to-school usually means a shift in the whole family from your summer saunter to your autumn shuffle. At Rhode Island PBS, we're doing a little autumn shuffle, too. Starting Monday, September 1, this is the morning and afternoon schedule, with moves in blue:

5:30 a.m.   Thomas and Friends
6:00 a.m.   Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood
6:30 a.m.   Super Why!
7:00 a.m.   Sesame Street
8:00 a.m.   Sid the Science Kid
8:30 a.m.   Curious George
9:00 a.m.   Peg + Cat
9:30 a.m.   Dinosaur Train
10:00 a.m.  Martha Speaks
10:30 a.m.  Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot about That

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

High Cuteness Alert: Interviews with Writers Contest Winners

High Cuteness Alert!! (Don't say you weren't warned.)

The four winners of the 2014 Rhode Island PBS Kids Healthy Living Writers Contest (one each from Kindergarten, First, Second, and Third Grades) were recently invited back to the Rhode Island PBS studios to read their stories and chat a bit about themselves.

Here are the short versions of the profiles for each child. These profiles will air on Rhode Island PBS (36.1) and Learn (36.2) at various times during the day and evening between programs. Air dates and times for the first week are listed for your convenience. The longer profiles (a minute or so in length) will be posted online when editing is complete.

Enjoy these charming young authors!


Farmer Jack by Oliver S., Kindergarten



















Thursday, 6/12
Rhode Island PBS   5:28 pm
Learn  6:29 am; 2:28 pm

Friday, 6/13
Rhode Island PBS  8:58 am
Learn  6:26 am, 12:28 pm, 8:56 pm

Saturday, 6/14
Rhode Island PBS   9:28 am
Learn   7:28 am, 12:27 pm, 12:59 pm

Sunday, 6/15
Learn    6:58 am, 2:58 pm, 4:57 pm

Monday, 6/16
Rhode Island PBS    6:58 am
Learn    10:58 am; 6:57 pm

Tuesday, 6/17
Rhode Island PBS    6:58 am
Learn   11:28 am; 4:58 pm

Wednesday, 6/18
Rhode Island PBS  5:28 am; 5:28 pm
Learn   9:28 am


Be Healthy by Iris B. L., First Grade

Thursday, 6/12
Rhode Island PBS (36.1)   4:58 pm,  6:59 pm
Learn (36.2)   7:58 am , 4:28 pm

Friday, 6/13
Rhode Island PBS (36.1)  9:58 am
Learn (36.2)  7:58 am, 2:21 pm and 9:28 pm

Saturday, 6/14
Rhode Island PBS (36.1)  8:28 am
Learn (36.2)  8:29 am,  1:26 pm

Sunday, 6/15
Learn (32.2)  10:28 am,  3:28 pm, 5:29 pm

Monday, 6/16
Rhode Island PBS (36.1)  8:28 am
Learn (36.2)  1:58 am, 6:29 am

Tuesday, 6/17
Rhode Island PBS (36.1)  9:28 am, 4:58 pm , 5:58 pm 
Learn (36.2)  6:58 pm

Wednesday, 6/18
Rhode Island PBS (36.1)  6:58 am
Learn (36.2)  10:59 am

Healthy Power by Asher P., Second Grade

Thursday, 6/12
Rhode Island PBS 8:58 am
Learn   11:28 am,  4:58 pm

Friday, 6/13
Rhode Island PBS    10:58 am
Learn  9:28 am, 4:28 pm, 6:56 pm

Saturday, 6/14
Rhode Island PBS   6:28 am
Learn  10:58 am , 5:57 pm

Sunday, 6/15
Learn  5:59 am, 12:28 pm , 4:29 pm

Monday, 6/16
Rhode Island PBS  4:58 pm
Learn 12:28 pm

Tuesday, 6/17
Rhode Island PBS  7:58 am
Learn 9:29 am, 5:28 pm

Wednesday, 6/18
Rhode Island PBS   8:28 am
Learn 3:58 pm


Healthy Living by Raye O.S., Third Grade

Thursday, 6/12

Rhode Island PBS    7:58 am

Learn   12:28 pm, 5:28 pm

Friday, 6/13

Rhode Island PBS  4:28 pm

Learn  5:59 am, 1:58 pm, 8:29 pm

Saturday, 6/14

Learn    9:57 am, 7:28 pm

Sunday, 6/15

Learn   7:58 am, 1:58 pm, 6:26 pm

Monday, 6/16

Rhode Island PBS   9:58 am

Learn   9:28 am

Tuesday, 6/17

Learn   7:29 am ,  7:57 pm

Wednesday, 6/18

Rhode Island PBS   9:58 am

Learn  1:58 pm

The 2014 Rhode Island PBS Kids Writers Contest was made possible by support from    

Winning Writers Contest Stories Now Published Online

We're eagerly awaiting word from the national PBS Kids Writers Contest about how our local winners fared. The first place winning stories (one from each grade) were entered into the national PBS contest to compete with entries from across the country. National winners will be announced by PBS sometime this month!

In the meantime, all of the local winning stories (first, second, third, and honorable mention) have been scanned and turned into cool looking books - complete with the sound of paper pages turning! The books are now published to the Rhode Island PBS Kids Club Web site.

We're grateful to
FlipBuilder.com for donating the Flip PDF Pro software that made these great stories look so good and so much fun online! The software was easy to use - we just imported the stories as PDFs. The program let us customize the background with our own photo (the desktop with a green blotter you see in the photo to the right). Also important to us was the ability to add our own logo and the sponsor logos. We looked at other flipping book software, but Flip PDF Pro was the program that had all the features we wanted that would best showcase the children's stories and serve our branding needs, too. So, see these great books in action! Follow this link or click the individual story links below.


Congratulations!

Winners of the 2014 Rhode Island PBS Kids Club Writers Contest are:

Kindergarten

Oliver S. of Newport, RI, for his story “Farmer Jack.”

First Grade

Iris B. L. of Providence, RI, for her story “Soccer is Fun and Healthy”

Sage B. of Cumberland, RI, for his story “The Food Problem”

Nola T. of Providence, RI, for her story “Stay Healthy”

George G. of Providence, RI, for his story “Be Healthy”

Second Grade

Asher P. of Providence, RI, for his story “Healthy Power!”

Grace M. of Providence, RI, for her story “Being Healthy”

Morgan F. of Pawtucket, RI, for her story “Cat and Sam’s Healthy Eating”

Jacob A. of Providence, RI, for his story “Katey and the Carrot”

Third Grade

Raye O. S. of Providence, RI, for her story “Healthy Living”

Meghan H. of Rehoboth, MA, for her story “Carly’s Healthy Tips”

Trevor K. of Providence, RI, for his story “The Wizard and the Dog”

Sommadina A. of North Providence, RI, for her story “The Fruit Portal”

Helping Hands 
Several organizations from across the state collaborated with Rhode Island PBS to promote the contest, as well as guide the children through the writing process, and ensure that entries qualified. These collaborators include: Cranston Public Library, Henry Barnard School in Providence, The Lincoln School in Providence, East Smithfield Public Library, Joy Feldman and The Picture of Children’s Health, Redwood Library and Athenaeum in Newport, the Rhode Island Department of Health, and Salve Regina University in Newport. Contest judges were Carolyn Belisle and Alissa Becker from Blue Cross Blue Shield of RI, Kathryn Rok and Dr. Gia Renaud from Salve Regina University, and Megan Weeden from the Cranston Public Library.

The local contest was made possible by Blue Ribbon Sponsor Corner Bakery Café, with additional support provided by Red Ribbon Sponsors Blue Cross Blue Shield of RI and CVS | Caremark. National contest sponsors are LeapFrog and Highlights for Children magazine.

Mark Your Calendar! 
Next year's Rhode Island PBS Kids Club Writers Contest will run from January 26 through March 20, 2015. 

Kids and Sleep - It's Scientastic!

Geared toward 8-to-13-year olds, SCIENTASTIC! builds upon kids' innate interest in science during the late elementary- and early middle-school years.

The live-action program mixes drama and reality genres, incorporating a fictional plot with interviews from educators, scientists and other experts.

SCIENTASTIC! explores science, health and social issues through the eyes of a smart, inquisitive and engaging girl 14-year-old named Cassie (played by Gabrielle Phillips).

In the program, Cassie and her irrepressible younger brother Dean set out to solve the universal problem of sleep deprivation, particularly among schoolchildren. The duo finds their way into many leading educational venues to investigate why people need sleep and how they can improve their sleep habits.

•  A sleep anthropologist takes Cassie inside a historic rock shelter to show the way people slept thousands of years ago. 
• The director of the Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens talks about the calming properties of chamomile flowers. 
• A coach at a local prep school explains the importance of sleep for helping athletic performance. 
• An educator from the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium explains the different ways in which sharks, lions, elephants, owls, possum and giraffes sleep. 
• And an artist from the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh speaks about the connection between sleep and creativity. 

Along the way, Cassie and her friends participate in a two-day sleep study, organize a sleep fair and contribute to their school's winning the regional "Science Bowl."

Rhode Island PBS presents Scientastic! on Saturday, May 3 at 1 p.m.

Biz Kid$: Three Minutes to Change the World

A new, hour-long special from the producers of the Emmy®-winning financial literacy series BIZ KID$ follows four young entrepreneurs as they compete in an international contest to change the world.

Sharing their lives, passions, joys and hardships, these semi-finalists from the United States, Canada, India and Singapore must present their business ideas to some of the world’s most influential technology leaders — in just 180 seconds.

BIZ KID$: Three Minutes to Change the World inspires people of all ages to use innovation and technology to bring about change in their communities.

Rhode Island PBS presents BIZ KID$: Three Minutes to Change the World on Saturday, May 3 at noon.

Winning Young Authors Named in Rhode Island PBS Contest

From Farmer Jack’s tractor to rebellious fruits, to talking carrots and magic portals, the message about nutritious eating and healthy living came through loud and clear - and creatively - in the winning stories in the Rhode Island PBS Kids Club Writers Contest. The purpose of the annual national contest is to promote reading and imaginative writing and illustration among children in Kindergarten through third grade.

More than 70 young authors in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts submitted stories with a healthy living theme to the Rhode Island PBS inaugural contest by the March 21 deadline. Of the qualified entries, up to four winners (first, second, and third places, plus an honorable mention) were chosen per grade to receive special recognition and prizes during a ceremony at Rhode Island PBS studios on April 16. All participants received a certificate.

The first place winning stories (one from each grade) will go on to compete with entries from across the country in the national PBS contest, which will be judged in May. National winners will be announced by PBS in June.

Locally, the four first place winners will be recorded reading their stories at Rhode Island PBS studios later in April. Their stories and all of the local winning entries will be scanned and posted to the Rhode Island PBS Kids Club Web site (ripbs.org/kidswrite) in May.

Congratulations!
Winners of the 2014 Rhode Island PBS Kids Club Writers Contest are:

Kindergarten
Oliver S. of Newport, RI, for his story “Farmer Jack.”

First Grade
Iris B. L. of Providence, RI, for her story “Soccer is Fun and Healthy”
Sage B. of Cumberland, RI, for his story “The Food Problem”
Nola T. of Providence, RI, for her story “Stay Healthy”
George G. of Providence, RI, for his story “Be Healthy”

Second Grade
Asher P. of Providence, RI, for his story “Healthy Power!”
Grace M. of Providence, RI, for her story “Being Healthy”
Morgan F. of Pawtucket, RI, for her story “Cat and Sam’s Healthy Eating”
Jacob A. of Providence, RI, for his story “Katey and the Carrot”

Third Grade
Raye O. S. of Providence, RI, for her story “Healthy Living”
Meghan H. of Rehoboth, MA, for her story “Carly’s Healthy Tips”
Trevor K. of Providence, RI, for his story “The Wizard and the Dog”
Sommadina A. of North Providence, RI, for her story “The Fruit Portal”

Helping Hands
Several organizations from across the state collaborated with Rhode Island PBS to promote the contest, as well as guide the children through the writing process, and ensure that entries qualified. These collaborators include: Cranston Public Library, Henry Barnard School in Providence, The Lincoln School in Providence, East Smithfield Public Library, Joy Feldman & The Picture of Children’s Health, Redwood Library and Athenaeum in Newport, the Rhode Island Department of Health, and Salve Regina University in Newport.

Contest judges were Carolyn Belisle and Alissa Becker from Blue Cross Blue Shield of RI, Kathryn Rok and Dr. Gia Renaud from Salve Regina University, and Megan Weeden from the Cranston Public Library.

The local contest was made possible by Blue Ribbon Sponsor Corner Bakery Café, with additional support provided by Red Ribbon Sponsors Blue Cross Blue Shield of RI and CVS | Caremark. National contest sponsors are LeapFrog and Highlights for Children magazine.

Mark Your Calendar for Next Year!
The 2015 Rhode Island PBS Kids Club Writers Contest will run from Monday, January 26 through March 20.

WILD KRATTS World Adventure App for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch

PBS KIDS has announced the launch of the all-new WILD KRATTS World Adventure App for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, a science-focused app based on the popular animal-themed children’s series. A must-have app for WILD KRATTS fans, World Adventure is now available only on the App Store, just in time for Earth Month and the start of WILD KRATTS’ third season on PBS KIDS. Through 30 levels of gameplay, WILD KRATTS World Adventure helps build key skills and encourages science inquiry. With the app, children ages 4 to 8 can tilt and tap their way through games that help them learn how different animals live and adapt to their habitats.

“Celebrating creatures from around the globe, WILD KRATTS helps young viewers discover that animals can take them anywhere in science,” said Lesli Rotenberg, General Manager, Children’s Programming, PBS. “WILD KRATTS is one of PBS KIDS’ most popular series online, and the World Adventure App extends the WILD KRATTS experience, helping young children learn natural science concepts as they peck along with woodpeckers, swing with orangutans and jump alongside dolphins.”

WILD KRATTS World Adventure brings animal science to life. In each of the three games, kids observe, explore and use creature power suits to complete missions and help the Kratt Brothers. As children play along with Martin and Chris, they will learn important concepts such as how orangutans use momentum to swing from tree to tree, how dolphins jump in and out of the ocean and how woodpeckers find food in trees. As levels are completed, kids earn creature power “selfies,” habitat stickers and “Wow! Facts” that help further their environmental science and natural history learning.

“WILD KRATTS World Adventure is the ultimate app for WILD KRATTS fans,” said Chris Kratt, co-creator of the family favorite series. “The app offers all-new, interactive experiences that further kids’ knowledge and passion for animals and the environment.”

“Our goal is to make natural and environmental science fun for young children and to establish that enthusiasm early on, delivering the best content experience for every child across today’s many media platforms,” added co-creator Martin Kratt.

The WILD KRATTS World Adventure App is available for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch for $2.99, only on the App Store or at www.AppStore.com/PBSKIDS.

Governor Lincoln Chafee Visits Sesame Street

The National Governors Association and Sesame Workshop teamed up to produce spots that encourage healthy habits. This is the spot with Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee.

Providence Children's Film Festival this week

Big family happenings in Providence: It's the Providence Children's Film Festival, now through February 23.

From the Web site:

The Providence Children’s Film Festival (PCFF) brings high quality films for children and youth from around the world to Rhode Island and presents them as shared theatrical experiences for families and the community. The anchor event for the organization is an annual multi-day film festival of feature length and short films encompassing many genres, including live-action, animation and documentary, during the extended President’s Day weekend in February. 

Click here for a link to the Web site for film information, and show dates and times. Fun activities and fun learning!

Carol Burnett Makes Guest "Appearance" in New Curious George Episode

Renowned actress Carol Burnett joins George and The Man with the Yellow Hat in the first of three new engineering-themed episodes airing in February 2014. Great Aunt Sylvia (Burnett) goes with George to a toy factory to fix a broken toy in “Toy Monkey” premiering Monday, February 10 on PBS KIDS. 

Here are descriptions of the new episodes:

2/10: Toy Monkey/George and Allie's Game Plan (guest star Carol Burnett) 

Toy Monkey (guest star Carol Burnett) George is ecstatic. Great Aunt Sylvia dropped by with a special present – a toy front loader that’s...defective? No problem! Aunt Sylvia and George take the front loader back to the toy factory. But they find a room full of broken toys and no one to fix them. What will they do? With a hand drill, pickles, and a little ingenuity...anything is possible! 

George and Allie’s Game Plan

It's "fair day" at the elementary school and Allie is determined to win the giant stuffed bear. But knocking down all the ducks is not as easy as it looks (or quacks). George builds a practice game at home complete with quacking sounds. Will Allie’s practice and perseverance help her win the bear? 

2/11: Monkey Hoedown/Curious George Clowns Around 

Monkey Hoedown 

The Man with the Yellow Hat can’t wait to join the Uptown Bluegrass Band for a good old-fashioned country hoedown. When George accidentally ruins the Man’s guitar while trying to clean it, George and Allie decide to make a new guitar! With a shoestring, rubber band, fishing wire, and yoyo, George creates the world's first monkey birdhouse bandolin! 

Curious George Clowns Around 

 George and the Man with the Yellow Hat are excited to visit the Clown College for Pepe El Loco's Big Show. While the Man tries to find a parking spot, George is mistaken for a messenger clown and is tasked with picking up parts for a top-secret gadget for Pepe. While navigating his way through the building, will George figure out a way to keep track of what floor he’s on in time to make it to Pepe’s big show? 

2/12: #803 George's Backwards Flight Plan/Curious George, Hog Trainer 

George’s Backwards Flight Plan

Help! Professor Wiseman is set to launch B.I.R.D., her bird migration tracking device, at sunset, but the remote control isn’t functioning properly. Up is down. Left is right. Off is on. Can George and Marco master the tricky remote control in time or will this B.I.R.D. be flying North for the winter? 

Curious George, Hog Trainer

George and Allie are determined to help Howie the Hog win a blue ribbon at the state fair, but the portly pig doesn’t like to train for the competition. Once they figure out how to keep Howie clean, George and Allie use their creativity to find ways to keep Howie motivated and cool while exercising. Will Howie be in hog heaven this year and win the blue ribbon?

Follow us on the Rhode Island PBS Kids Club Facebook page.

Visit the Curious George Facebook page.

Calling Young Authors: Send Us Your Best Stories!

 

Children in Kindergarten through 3rd grade are invited to write and illustrate a story and submit that story to the Rhode Island PBS Kids Healthy Living Writers Contest presented by Corner Bakery Cafe. 

The local Rhode Island PBS contest started January 27 and continues through March 21. Entries will be judged and winners chosen from in each grade, so there will be four first place winners. Winners and participants will be honored during an awards celebration in April. Local winners will be entered into the national contest, which is judged in May and June. 

The theme for our 2014 contest is "Healthy Living" - a huge idea wide open to creative storytelling about any number of topics: food, cooking and nutritious eating; planting, gardening and farming; sports and physical activity including adventures in nature; healthy and safe choices and habits. These are just a few general ideas - we're confident your child will come up with several more before choosing just the right story to tell. 

To make participating and entering the contest more fun, we are collaborating with the YMCA of Greater Providence, libraries, after-school programs, schools, and other organizations where children gather. Ask your local librarian or organization leader if they would like to coordinate a small group of students to work on stories for submission.

 All children in grades Kindergarten through Grade 3 are welcome to enter!

The place to go for information and to upload your child's entry is ripbs.org/kidswrite. There, you will find general rules, fun and creative brainstorming and writing resources you can download and print out, and an official entry form. Plus, if a little inspiration is needed, last year's national winning entries are available at pbskids.org/writerscontest.

      2014 Blue Ribbon Sponsor 

2014 Red Ribbon Sponsors

                     

(children's illustrations by cieleke)

Attend Adventure Camp with Nature Trackers and Dinosaur Train

On Monday morning, January 20 at 9, jump into Adventure Camp on Dinosaur Train as part of the Nature Trackers Club.

What is the Nature Trackers Club? 

Dinosaur Train Nature Trackers Club is a community of young children, their families and educators committed to learning about nature and doing good things for their environment. Nature Trackers enjoy exploring and having adventures, respecting their environment, collecting things, tracking and observing plants and animals, and challenging themselves to get outside and make discoveries every day. We post new Nature Trackers Challenges monthly – sign up for our e-newsletter (above) to get them sent right to you inbox!

Read more here at PBS Kids. Dinosaur Train airs on WSBE Learn, digital 36.2, Cox 808, Verizon FiOS 478, Full Channel 89, Comcast in Southern MA 294 or 312.