Arlington, VA April 2, 2010 - PBS KIDS today announced the availability of its SUPER WHY! App for iPad on the App Store, based on the award-winning preschool series from Out of the Blue Enterprises. The app is designed to take advantage of iPad's larger screen and Multi-Touch user interface to enhance the educational experience, helping children achieve the power to read with four SUPER WHY! interactive literacy games.
"The PBS KIDS characters that children love will help them explore the wonderful world of reading on the iPad," said Lesli Rotenberg, SVP, Children's Media, PBS. "Our trusted characters provide guidance for children as they engage with exciting new features and technologies to make any time a learning time."
"The iPad has incredible potential as a learning tool and PBS is there on day one providing a safe, educational app for iPad," said Jason Seiken, SVP Interactive, Product Development, and Innovation, PBS. "Our PBSKIDS.org traffic numbers demonstrate parents and caregivers appreciate the engaging learning opportunities PBS KIDS digital media provides, and we think that success will continue with SUPER WHY! for iPad."
The SUPER WHY! App for iPad helps children learn to read with four SUPER WHY! interactive literacy games in addition to a virtual sticker book. Children can play along with each of the four main characters from the TV series: Alpha Pig, Princess Presto, Wonder Red, and, of course, Super Why, while practicing the alphabet, rhyming, spelling, writing and reading.
The app was developed as a part of PBS KIDS Raising Readers, a national initiative which uses the power of public media to build the reading skills of children ages 2 to 8, with an emphasis on children from low-income families. The effort is funded by a Ready To Learn grant from the U.S. Department of Education, part of a cooperative agreement with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), PBS and The Ready To Learn Partnership.
The SUPER WHY! App for iPad is available for $2.99 from the App Store on the iPad or at www.itunes.com/appstore
For more information on PBS KIDS apps please visit PBSKIDS.org/mobile.
About PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO!
PBS KIDS, for preschoolers, and PBS KIDS GO!, for early elementary school kids, offer all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, online and community-based programs. With positive role models and content designed to nurture a child's total well-being, family and educator resources - including PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! television series, PBSKIDS.ORG, PBSKIDSGO.ORG, PBS Parents ( PBSPARENTS.org), PBS Teachers (PBSTEACHERS.org). PBS is a nonprofit media enterprise owned and operated by the nation's nearly 360 public television stations, serving more than 124 million people on-air and online each month. For more information on specific shows supporting literacy, science, math and more, visit PBS.org/pressroom.
About Out of the Blue Enterprises
Out of the Blue Enterprises is dedicated to developing a groundbreaking portfolio of individually-targeted children's entertainment properties under the direction of a proven management team led by Co-Founders Angela C. Santomero, M.A. developmental Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University and a Creator of the preschool entertainment phenomenon, Blue's Clues, and Samantha Freeman, MBA from Harvard Business School and former Nickelodeon entertainment executive with extensive children's marketing experience. The company creates breakthrough, interactive and curriculum-based entertainment concepts that span a variety of viable platforms, including television, video, publishing and consumer products. In doing so, Out of the Blue stimulates the minds of kids and families, involves them in fresh and original ways and elevates their educational entertainment experiences to a whole new level.
CONTACTS:
Caitlin Melnick, 360 Public Relations, 617.585.5775 / cmelnick@360publicrelations.com
Jake Landis, PBS, 703.739.5362 / jwlandis@pbs.org
# # #
The contents of this release were developed under a grant, #PRU295A050003 and #PRU295B050003, from the U.S. Department of Education. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
---