Families Invited to Join PBS for a Summer of Possibilities

by PBS Publicity • Published on May 18, 2021

New activities, resources and content from PBS KIDS and PBS LearningMedia encourage children to play and learn their own way this summer

Arlington, VA, May 18, 2021– After a year of remote learning, this summer offers new possibilities as parents, caregivers and educators take the time to regroup and refresh. PBS will offer fun new resources, content, and activities for families and educators, as well as tools to support the social and emotional growth of young children.

“After a year unlike any other, we recognize that parents and kids are eager to celebrate the potential for learning and fun that each summer day brings,” said Lesli Rotenberg, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, Children’s Media and Education, PBS. “Through PBS’ wealth of flexible, grab-and-go resources, families can approach the upcoming summer months in any way they choose, chasing kids’ curiosities and seeking out new discoveries from the living room to the park, and beyond.”

PBS and local stations across the country will offer shows, online resources, and community-based support throughout the summer to engage families and educators.

Fans of PBS KIDS will get a chance to see episodes from favorite series, including new one-hour specials from MOLLY OF DENALI (June 7) and WILD KRATTS (July 12). And on the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel, beginning June 4, families can tune in to PBS KIDS Family Night every weekend for themed programming, including nature, space, family traditions, arts, friends and neighbors, water, animals, storytelling, and routines. Each of these ten themes was selected to support key learning areas identified by educators and experts and curated to provide flexible play and learn opportunities, while corresponding with supplemental resources and games that will be sent weekly through the PBS KIDS for Parents newsletter.

And PBS KIDS will encourage families to play their way all summer long with activities and resources on PBS KIDS for Parents – from a summer activity book featuring scavenger hunts to a summer checklist. Kids can also find curated game collections on pbskids.org and video playlists on the PBS KIDS Video app and the PBS KIDS YouTube channel.

PBS KIDS Read-Alongs, which have featured PBS KIDS friends like the Kratt Brothers and special guest readers including Michelle Obama, Christian Robinson, Kristen Bell, Jenna Bush Hager and many others, will continue this summer on PBS KIDS’ Facebook and YouTube.

For the many educators continuing to teach, preparing for the coming school year, or seeking professional learning opportunities over the summer, PBS LearningMedia provides updated collections, including:

Summer Camp collection (PreK-5)
Summer Learning collection (Grades 6-12)
Teacher Planning Kits (Grades PreK-12)
Self-Paced Professional Learning (Grades PreK-2)

Images and additional programming information are available on PBS PressRoom.

About PBS
PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 126 million people through television and 26 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’ broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS’ premier children’s media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV – including a 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.