Families Can Extend the Thanksgiving Holiday with Friendship-Themed Stories, Games and Resources with PBS KIDS and PBS Parents
Arlington, VA November 13, 2006 - On Friday November 24, PBS KIDS is celebrating friendship with two-hours of themed preschool programming and online games for kids, as well as resources for parents to extend their child's learning beyond the screen. Miss Lori and Hooper, hosts of the PBS KIDS preschool block, will give kids ideas for how to stay in touch with long-distance friends and episodes from CURIOUS GEORGE, CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG, DRAGON TALES and IT'S A BIG BIG WORLD will show kids how to make new friends and keep the old. In addition, music videos featuring PBS KIDS characters will premiere throughout the block and online at pbskids.org to inspire kids to treat one another with respect.
"Making new friends can be daunting for some preschoolers. Friend Day offers engaging role models and content to support and encourage children through this life lesson," said Lesli Rotenberg, SVP PBS KIDS Next Generation Media. "Friends are just one more thing to be thankful for so it's a perfect message for the holidays."
PBS Parents will highlight content and resources on building and fostering friendships, including the PBS Parents Guide to Going to School which features "The Secrets to Your Child's Social Life," a series of articles that delves into the stages of friendships for kids beginning at babyhood, social groups, the complex relationship situations that kids will face and what parents can do to help. Additionally, an expert Q&A with Lawrence Cohen, Ph.D., about friends, bullies and fitting in will be featured.
According to an August 2006 Roper Public Opinion Poll conducted by PBS and PTA, 92% of parents feel media allows their children to learn about new and fascinating things and 81% feel their children's use of media will help them succeed in school. With a 360-degree approach towards learning and reaching children, PBS KIDS leverages the full spectrum of media and technology advancements as well as community to build knowledge, critical thinking, imagination and curiosity. PBS KIDS encourages children to interact as respectful citizens in a diverse society. By involving parents, teachers and caregivers as learning partners, PBS KIDS helps to empower children for success in school and in life.
Episodes on "Friend Day" (check local listings)
CURIOUS GEORGE "Water to Ducks": episode 111a After a big rain, George is ecstatic to discover ducks swimming in a big puddle next to the country house. But the puddle starts to shrink and the ducks begin to fly away. How can George keep that puddle from evaporating so he and Jumpy can continue to play peek-a-boo with that cute baby duck? "Animal Magnetism": episode 111b On a mission to find magnets to hang his newest masterpiece on the refrigerator, George learns a lot about magnets. His new knowledge comes in handy when he has to save his precious artwork from a giant magnetic crane at the junkyard.
CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG "Little Clifford" / "Welcome to Birdwell Island": episode 112 In "Little Clifford" Emily Elizabeth is sharing her favorite memory with her classmates. Her memory is the day she adopted "Clifford Her Little Red Puppy." It's hard to believe he was once the runt of the litter. The story continues in "Welcome to Birdwell Island" on the day that the Howards move to their new home. Not everyone took to the idea of Clifford right away, but he kind of grows on you!
DRAGON TALES "Fly With a New Friend, Part 1": episode 301a Max and Emmy have a new neighbor. His name is Enrique, and he's just moved to the U.S. from Colombia. Enrique's having trouble adjusting to life in his new country, so Max and Emmy invite him to Dragon Land. Enrique is amazed by what he sees there, and his new friends love hearing his stories. "Fly With a New Friend, Part 2": episode 301b Enrique wishes he could make friends more easily. During a tour of Dragon Land with Max, the dragon friends show off their favorite spots. They discover that all the Knuckerholes have vanished, and meet a wizard-in-training who accidentally summoned the Knuckerholes.
IT'S A BIG BIG WORLD "My Friend Will Bee Right Back": episode 105a Bob befriends a bee (Stripey), but when Stripey's swarm shows up, Bob learns from Burdette that Stripey must move on with her migrating swarm, and says goodbye - for now - to his new friend. "Learning to Fly": episode 105b Winslow decides to learn to fly, even challenging Burdette to a competition, but when he fails to fly like a bird, Winslow learns that flying like a monkey can be pretty fun too.
PBS KIDS, for preschoolers, and PBS KIDS GO!, for early elementary school kids, are committed to providing the highest quality non-commercial content and learning environment for children across the country. Providing age-appropriate, diverse programming for kids, PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! programs consistently earn more prestigious awards than any other broadcast or cable network. Only PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! have earned the unanimous endorsement of parents, children, industry leaders and teachers. With additional PBS resources to complement its programming, including PBS KIDS online (www.pbskids.org), PBS KIDS GO! online (www.pbskidsgo.org), PBS Parents (www.pbsparents.org), PBS TeacherSource (www.pbsteachersource.org), PBS Ready To Learn services and literacy events across the country, PBS is providing the tools necessary for positive child development. PBS is a nonprofit media enterprise owned and operated by the nation's 354 public television stations, serving nearly 90 million people each week and reaching 99% of American homes.
CONTACTS:
Jill Corderman, PBS KIDS, 703.739.5788 / jcorderman@pbs.org
Alan Winnikoff, 212.679.2982, alan@sayleswinnikoff.com
Carina Sayles, 609.397.6200, carina@sayleswinnikoff.com