PBS KIDS releases two new apps for math and literacy

PBS KIDS is excited to release two new, educational apps for kids from their hit TV series DINOSAUR TRAIN and THE ELECTRIC COMPANY.   Meant to encourage math and literacy skills, the apps use familiar characters from the series and interactive, engaging games to practice skills such as counting, measurement, geometry, telling time and much more!

•  In The Electric Company Party Game: Lost on Prankster Planet, children use their math and literacy skills to help Marcus and Jessica escape from Prankster Planet and get back to Earth.  Based on the show, THE ELECTRIC COMPANY,  the free app for iPad and Kindle Tablet allows kids to complete wacky challenges, counting races, silly brainstorms, math questions and more.  They will add, draw, discuss, think, act, problem solve, and dance their way back to Earth, all while practicing skills in subjects including geometry, data analysis and graphing, telling time and more!

• In the Dinosaur Train Classic in the Jurassic, Jr. app, based on the series, DINOSAUR TRAIN, kids play through three math-based games focused on sorting, balance and counting to help Gilbert get Troodon Town ready for the big event – the Classic in the Jurassic, Jr. games! This app is available for the iPad for $1.99.

 

Read Full Post »

DINOSAUR TRAIN’S Nature Trackers Club: December Activity

Get prepared with Dinosaur Train’s December Nature Trackers Club challenge.  Help children be prepared for natural emergencies by making a Go Bag together. Check out the Dinosaur Train episodes on natural emergencies such as earthquakes, hurricanes, fires, and droughts. Don’t worry it’s not scary! The Pteranodon family talks about safety practices and gets prepped so they are not in danger!

The Nature Trackers Club is a great way for parents of young children to introduce science concepts into everyday activities.  Check it out for some great ideas.

Read Full Post »

It’s “Big Big Dinosaur Week” on PBS KIDS!

Hey parents: are your kids in love with dinosaurs?  Join Buddy and his Dinosaur Train pals as they explore big dinosaurs, geysers, and nocturnal creatures. New episodes premiere during Dinosaur Train’s “Big Big Dinosaur Week” on PBS KIDS (Aug. 13-17).

After you watch the show, check out the website for fun games, dinosaur field guides, printable activities, and more video content.

Read Full Post »

DINOSAUR TRAIN’s Nature Trackers Club has a new May activity

Dinosaur Train’s Nature Trackers Club has a new A-Z adventure for May.  In their activity, Nature A-Z, kids see that everything in nature has a name. Scientists assign names to living things in order to classify, or group them, and to better understand their relationship to one another. Millions of organisms have been named by scientists with names that span the whole alphabet. In this month’s challenge, see if you can find one living thing for every letter in the alphabet.  Take a look at your surroundings either in your neighborhood or in your local park. See if you can find one living thing for every letter in the alphabet. Using a digital camera, find and take pictures of the 26 different natural items you find!

Read Full Post »

DINOSAUR TRAIN addresses ‘app gap’ through new distribution program

Recent research shows children in lower income households have less access to computers, smartphones and tablets, therefore, they have less access to educational media. PBS, CPB and Head Start have started a new program to help fill this “app gap”. By targeting community organizations that serve low income families and are already equipped with mobile and tablet devices, this program aims to increase access to educational mobile content.

The two new apps featured in this program come from The Jim Henson Company series Dinosaur Train and are designed to help children, ages 3 – 5, build critical math skills.

All Aboard the Dinosaur Train! (for iPad)

The Dinosaur Train is getting ready to leave and needs passengers! Children need to match the passengers with the right train cars, challenging them to problem-solve by estimating dinosaur sizes and comparing them with the train cars’ capacity.

Dinosaur Train Camera Catch! (for iPhone)
This app challenges players to snap photos of flying dinosaurs by moving their iPhone around. Kids “catch” the dinosaurs with their camera in a designated pattern, building patterning skills.

WGBY is a participating station in this great new program and anticipates distributing apps to over 500 local parents and children.  In addition to this special distribution in underserved communities, both apps are available to everyone in the App Store.

Learn more about these apps plus more Dinosaur Train educational games with PBS’ Ready to Learn site.

Read Full Post »

DINOSAUR TRAIN celebrates Weather Week February 6-10

It’s a T. Rex-sized weather phenomenon! Four new episodes of Dinosaur Train for “Weather Week,” February 6-10. Buddy and his family learn all about how earthquakes, forest fires, droughts and hurricanes affect animals and the environment.

 Don’t panic! Mom, Dad and Mr. Conductor have excellent advice on how to stay safe during a variety of different weather events. Download activity sheets for each kind of weather explored on the show:

• Hurricanes
• Droughts
• Forest Fires
• Earthquakes

Don’t forget to download the Nature Trackers Challenge for January: Weather Watchers.  Catch Dinosaur Train weekdays at 9:30am and 2:00pm on WGBY.

Read Full Post »

DINOSAUR TRAIN’s January Nature Trackers Club Challenge

Get ready for Weather Week with the January Nature Trackers Club Challenge! Join the Dinosaur Train Nature Trackers Club to receive a new nature themed challenge for families every month.  This January, become a Weather Watcher and try to forecast the weather in your neighborhood.  Go outside and observe the temperature, wind speed, precipitation and cloud cover.  Record your data each time you observe and after a few days, see if you can predict the next day’s weather! 

This activity can work great in preschool classrooms as well.

Read Full Post »

Join DINOSAUR TRAIN’s Nature Trackers Club

Dinosaur Train’s Nature Trackers Club is now up and ready for you to become a member.  Check out the new Nature Trackers page on the Dinosaur Train PBS Parents website and sign up for the Nature Trackers e-newsletter, view episode clips, download your printable Nature Trackers Guide Book and get your special monthly challenge! Remember, as the Pteranodon family sings, “Get up, get outside, get into nature”!

Read Full Post »

Video Lending Library Feature: DINOSAUR TRAIN

The Dinosaur Train series embraces and celebrates the fascination that preschoolers have with both dinosaurs and trains while sparking an interest in life science, natural history and paleontology. Two new DVDs have arrived to the Video Lending Library and are available for borrowing:

Dinosaurs in the Snow (I.D. 2069) –  Eight short segments with a total running time of two hours encourages children to compare the characteristics of ancient animals with those that are alive today. As they explore a variety of interesting animals past and present, children develop the inquiry skills and core knowledge needed to help them think, talk and act like scientists.Segments include: “Dinosaurs in the Snow”, “Cretaceous Confers”, “Night Train”, “Fossil Fred”, “King Cryolophosaurus”, “Dinosaur Block Party Surprise Party”, “Flowers for Mom”. The DVD also contains interactive games, printable coloring pages, and a reference guide for parents.

Here’s a sneak peak from Dinosaurs in the Snow:

Dino-Mighty Music (I.D. 2073) — Another Dinosaur Train video comprising four short segments with a total running time of one hour: “Valley of the Stygimolochs”, “I’m A T.rex!”, “One Smart Dinosaur”, “Surprise Party”.

Submit all borrowing requests to the WGBY Video Lending Library.

Read Full Post »