PBS KIDS Offers Free, Fun and Educational Content and Tools for Families is Summer

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PBS KIDS OFFERS FREE, FUN AND EDUCATIONAL CONTENT AND TOOLS FOR FAMILIES THIS SUMMER

Multiplatform content and activities in communities help kids and parents learn and explore together and prevent learning loss all summer

ARLINGTON, VA, June 2, 2014 This summer, PBS KIDS provides free resources on-air, on digital platforms and in communities to help bridge the summer learning gap. PBS KIDS has developed a new summer schedule, as well as a variety of digital resources and community activities in partnership with PBS stations, Pottery Barn Kids, Carson-Dellosa Publishing, LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. and MeeGenius to keep families learning and exploring all summer long.

Research shows that children experience significant learning loss when they do not participate in educational activities during the summer months, and that loss is even greater among children in low-income communities, said Lesli Rotenberg, General Manager, Children's Programming, PBS. PBS KIDS and our stations in communities across the country are working with partners to help parents find free resources and activities to combat the summer slump.

On-air Programming

Double Your Fun, Double Your Learning: Starting today, PBS KIDS will roll out a new weekday schedule on-air, featuring back-to-back episodes of family favorites WILD KRATTS, CURIOUS GEORGE, DANIEL TIGER'S NEIGHBORHOOD, DINOSAUR TRAIN and ARTHUR throughout the day. The new schedule promises families double the fun and double the learning with double episodes. Check local listings to learn more.

Digital Resources

PBSKIDS.org/learn: PBS KIDS provides parents with daily learning tips, extended learning ideas and recommended games and activities now through August 22 at pbskids.org/learn.

Camp PBS Parents: Parents can also be inspired to make this a summer full of learning and fun. Every week, parent bloggers will provide educational activities, crafts, experiments and other resources for parents to explore with their children at pbsparents.org/camp.

PBS KIDS Partner Resources: Throughout the summer, parents can download free summer learning materials from Carson-Dellosa at www.summerlearningactivities.com/PBS and from LeapFrog at leapfrog.com.

Free Apps: PBS KIDS offers a variety of free apps for parents and kids to support summer learning, including the new PBS KIDS Super Vision App and PBS KIDS Video. Information about the apps is available at pbskids.org/apps.

Free Episodes and E-books: Parents can download a free PBS KIDS episode each week at iTunes.com/PBSRaisingReaders. Special episode collections will also be available to download. Through August 22, the award-winning app MeeGenius will also offer a free read-along audio e-book each week (along with special PBS KIDS product offers) at www.meegenius.com/PBSLearning. Special offers will also be available in the LeapFrog App Center (http://www.leapfrog.com/AppCenter) throughout the summer.

Community Activities

PBS member stations: More than 75 PBS stations in communities across the country are partnering with local organizations, including school and library systems, United Way, Head Start, camps, daycare providers and more, to help kids keep learning all summer long. Collectively, PBS member stations estimate they will serve more than half-a-million children and adults through partnerships, local events and educational activities.

Carson-Dellosa Publishing: PBS KIDS and Carson-Dellosa Publishing are working together to address summer learning loss in communities across the country through the distribution of more than 100,000 free summer activity books that will be distributed by PBS member stations. Additionally, Carson-Dellosa is donating up to 15,000 books and learning materials for PBS stations to provide to children from low-income homes in their communities.

Pottery Barn Kids: Through July 17, PBS KIDS is partnering with Pottery Barn Kids' Summer Reading Challenge to encourage children to read during the summer months. Live appearances by PBS KIDS characters and activities from PBS KIDS will be featured at select Pottery Barn Kids story time events in communities across the United States and Canada. More information is available at www.potterybarnkids.com/events.

Parents can follow PBS KIDS on Twitter and Facebook for more information on free summer learning resources and special offers from PBS KIDS and its partners.

Press materials related to PBS KIDS' summer learning initiatives are available on PBS PressRoom.

About PBS KIDS

PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for kids, offers all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, online, mobile and community-based programs. Kidscreen- and Webby-award winning pbskids.org provides engaging interactive content, including the PBS KIDS video player, now offering free streaming video accessible on computer- and mobile-device-based browsers. For more information on specific PBS KIDS content supporting literacy, science, math and more, visit pbs.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter and Facebook.

Contacts

Maria Vera, PBS; 703.739.3225; mvera@pbs.org

Meredith Gandy, 360PR; 646.568.3238; mgandy@360pr.com

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LINK:	http://www.pbs.org/about/news/archive/2014/summer-learning/...
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