PBS Parents provides Halloween safety tips, healthy recipes, costume ideas and more!
Arlington, VA (October 11, 2007) - There's something for everyone on October 31 as PBS KIDS, PBS KIDS GO! and PBS Parents fill up the treat baskets with favorite episodes, creative games and resources for parents to help families have a fun and safe Halloween. From longtime favorites such as MISTER ROGERS' NEIGHBORHOOD to brand new series such as SUPER WHY!, PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! are featuring content throughout the day to inspire kids' creativity and help eliminate some of the fears that may creep up this time of year.
In mid-October, to help prepare for the festivities, kids can create e-cards, print coloring pages, make their own Halloween masks and much more on pbskids.org and pbskidsgo.org. Parents can find Halloween safety tips, recipes and costume ideas as well as themed educational activities to promote early math, creativity and more at PBS Parents (pbsparents.org).
"PBS KIDS is adding new traditions to this creative holiday with healthy recipes and themed activities," said Lesli Rotenberg, SVP PBS KIDS Next Generation Media. "And PBS Parents helps parents reinforce lessons in safety, moderation -- even math."
PBS's children's series offer additional materials to extend the learning at home and in the classroom. Through CYBERCHASE's "Parents & Teachers" section, parents and educators will be able to access ideas on how to make math less tricky and more of a treat by doing things such as budgeting time for trick-or-treating and inviting kids to figure out how much candy to buy and how to make it last over time to encourage moderation.
In addition, PBS KIDS and Produce for Kids (PFK) are encouraging kids to continue to eat healthy this time of year. PBS KIDS and PFK joined forces to launch an in-store and online initiative to promote healthy eating and smart food choices through the numerous benefits of eating fruits and vegetables. The initiative kicked off October 1 with a supermarket-based educational campaign encouraging children to "Eat Smart for a Great Start," and resources and activities on pbskids.org and PBS Parents. A portion of the proceeds from the in-store October campaign will go back into PBS's services and programs. For more information on the campaign visit pbs.org/pressroom.
Following is a listing of the episodes airing on October 31.
On PBS KIDS (check local listings):
CAILLOU (Episode 410)
"After Dark!"
Caillou and his new friends play hide and seek in the yard with a flashlight. Rexie is in search of the scary Spooking Doodle and Gilbert and Teddy go on a fairy hunt. Bad dreams keep Caillou awake long after bedtime. Caillou has a sleepover at Leo's but he misses his mommy and daddy.
CLIFFORD'S PUPPY DAYS (Episode 206)
"Clifford the Scary Puppy"
Evan goes a little too far when he's playing spooky tricks on the kids, until Clifford accidentally gives him a good scare.
"Things That Go Bump"
There's a costume camp out party in the courtyard on Halloween night. Everyone drifts off to sleep but Clifford, who's too spooked by unfamiliar sounds to close his eyes. Norville comes to his rescue, and together, they nervously uncover that the "things that go bump" are only frightening in their imaginations.
FRANNY'S FEET (Episode 113) Airs October 27 (check local listings)
"Happy Halloween"
Franny lands in a pumpkin patch, where she meets Ginny, who is growing a huge pumpkin for the fall festival. Ginny is determined to win first prize in the giant pumpkin contest - but unfortunately, a bigger pumpkin earns the blue ribbon. The girls then enter the pumpkin decorating contest, and have so much fun, they no longer care about winning. In Franny's Treasures, Franny and Bobby ask the audience to help them count and distribute treats evenly among three Halloween bags.
"Snowy Jamaica"
Franny goes to the sandy beaches of Jamaica, where she meets up with her friend, Johnny. When Franny learns that Johnny has never seen snow, she goes to great and imaginative lengths to help him experience it. They make snowflakes out of paper and make a snowman on the beach. Along the way, Franny learns that using her imagination can take her anywhere she wants to go. In Franny's Treasures, Franny and Bobby help viewers learn about snowflakes and have fun with snowmen.
JAKERS! THE ADVENTURES OF PIGGLEY WINKS (Episode 201)
"The Haunted Shipwreck"
When Piggley and friends come upon an old shipwreck which bears the legend of being haunted, they take it upon themselves to free the ghost of Captain White. In doing so, they create a memory - and an adventure story - to last a lifetime.
MISTER ROGERS' NEIGHBORHOOD (Episodes 1467-1470, airing week of October 31st)
"Superheroes"
In this week of programs Mister Rogers reassures his young viewers that all monsters and superheroes on television, in movies, and books are either people dressed in costumes or pictures that people have made. He watches as an actor puts on his costume and make-up and becomes a "superhero." Visiting a dinosaur exhibit with a museum curator, he sees some enormous dinosaur skeletons and assures children that there are no such creatures alive on earth anymore, anywhere.
SUPER WHY! (Episode 111)
"Little Miss Muffet"
Poor Red wants nothing more than to play with Little Boy Blue, but he keeps running away! The Super Readers venture into the tale of Miss Muffet and meet a spider who is frightening his friend right off her tuffet! The Super Readers help Spider find a better way to approach Miss Muffet, and everyone learns that curds and whey taste better when shared with someone special.
TELETUBBIES (Episode 535)
"Pumpkin Face"
The Teletubbies leave their favorite things to watch Alex make a pumpkin head. She uses glue to stick big leaves on a pumpkin as ears, and a triangle shaped piece of paper for the nose. Alex puts marshmallows on the pumpkin for eyes and raisins on a smiley bit of material for teeth. Finally she adds straw for the pumpkin's hair and finds a hat for it to wear. A pumpkin appears in Teletubbyland. It has two ears, a nose, two eyes and big smile. Laa-Laa and Dipsy are very impressed with the pumpkin until it wears Dipsy's hat. The Teletubbies dance the round and round dance.
On PBS KIDS GO! (check local listings):
ARTHUR (Episode 804)
"Hic or Treat"
D.W. gets a case of the hiccups that just won't go away. No matter how much advice she gets from Arthur and his friends, she just can't find the right cure. (Well, at least her Halloween costume as "Hiccup Girl" is all set) Will D.W. ever get relief - or will she have the hiccups for the rest of her life and set the world record?
"Mr. Alwaysright"
It seems that Brain is always right about everything and it's really starting to get on Buster's nerves. But Buster is convinced that someday Brain will make a mistake - and when he does, Buster will be waiting. But is friendship really about being right or wrong?
CYBERCHASE (Episode 501)
"The Halloween Howl"
The annual "Halloween Howl" bash in Castleblanca promises to be spooktacular-until Hacker takes over the Mayor's Castle and brings its seven stone gargoyles to life. Obeying Hacker's every command, the gargoyles capture the Mayor and imprison him in the dungeon. To gain control of the creepy creatures, the CyberSquad must figure out how to use division to evenly split up bunches of garlic and rock candy. But can they do it in time to rescue the Mayor and save The Halloween Howl?
MAYA & MIGUEL (Episode 109)
"La Calavera"
When Maya wants to add some oomph to her presentation about Mexico for school, she consults her Abuela Elena, who allows her to borrow a prized possession: a calavera, or skull made of sugar, that is used in the yearly Day of the Dead celebration. Maya promises to let nothing happen to this special calavera. Her presentation goes well, but Maya loses the calavera! After Theo, Maggie, Chrissy and Andy each share their fantastical ideas about how the lost calavera will make Abuela feel, Maya herself feels horrible. She promised her abuela that she wouldn't let anything happen to it! Then, as luck would have it, Maya discovers that she accidentally switched backpacks with another student, and the calavera is recovered. An excited Maya can't contain herself, and while jumping up and down, breaks the calavera! Maya is determined not to let her abuela down, and goes to great lengths to have the calavera re-made. Unfortunately, this too is a disaster. When Abuela is finally told the truth, Maya is surprised - Abuela is happy! Not about the calavera, but about Maya's good grade on her presentation. And though Abuela misses the calavera, she thinks that rebuilding it together would make her even happier.
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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 (pbskids.org), PBS KIDS GO! online (pbskidsgo.org), PBS Parents (pbsparents.org), PBS Teachers (pbs.org/teachers), 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 355 public television stations, serving nearly 73 million people each week and reaching 99% of American homes.
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