By Gavin Boyle
In an effort to meet kids where they are at, PBS Kids has launched a gaming series that walks kids through some of the games available on PBS’s website.
“In each episode, they host the show from different Odd Squad precincts and communicate through two video chat windows, helping each other get the most out of a game from the PBS Kids universe,” a description of the series reads, per Variety. “The core of the show is the hosts interacting with each other, playing and reacting to both the game and one another.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP1v4nE_XJU
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When announcing the new series, PBS explained that gaming content remains extremely popular among kids. However, very few gaming content creators specifically target young kids and instead often play games that are not age-appropriate or include content that is more mature. PBS Kids hopes to fill this void by addressing both of these issues, while also promoting its games, which are specifically created to educate young players.
As kids’ screen time continues to lean towards platforms like Twitch and YouTube, which are not inherently child friendly, PBS works hard to provide children with content that is both entertaining and educational. For example, the network has run the show DANIEL TIGER for years, and a study from earlier this year found that 75% of kids who grew up watching the show remember its lessons and themes.
“Hearing how teens really valued and had an affection for Daniel Tiger and his family and friends shows how children’s media can really matter to young children,” Ellen Doherty, chief creative officer at Fred Rogers Productions, the studio behind the show, told Parents. “Children learn from the media they consume, whether it is designed for learning or not. Thinking about how kids might internalize the messages they learn from media is one of the guiding forces for how we create our series.”
“Child psychologists and other early learning experts help us select and tell stories that will best connect with kids in the target audience for our series,” she added. “Daniel Tiger is 4 years old, and our advisors help us understand how 4-year-olds process information and what matters to them.”
The impact of DANIEL TIGER illustrates why it is important that the content kids watch is edifying and educational – not just entertaining. Because they are consuming this media at such an important time in their lives, it impacts them forever. The same is true when they consume content on YouTube and Twitch, but the lessons they learn from these platforms are much less likely to be positive for their development.
While it is surprising that PBS would expand into the world of gaming content, it is encouraging to see the network work so hard to reach their audience to give them have positive content to consume.
Read Next: The Edutainment Your Kids Watch Could Impact the Rest of Their Lives
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