PBS KIDS: Autism Awareness Month

April is Autism Awareness Month and PBS KIDS will be airing some special shows featuring autistic characters in an effort to promote awareness, acceptance and understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder.  The highlight of these shows will be Sesame Street introducing a brand new Muppet character named Julia who has autism.  Autistic characters will also be featured in episodes of the animated series Arthur and Dinosaur Train.  PBS KIDS hopes that children with autism will find these characters relatable and these shows will help educate the broader public about this medical condition.  These will definitely be some valuable shows full of teachable moments.  Here is a listing of when each show will debut this month:

4/10  Sesame Street "Meet Julia"

When Big Bird doesn't understand why the new girl on the block won't talk to him the Sesame     Street gang explains to him that Julia may act differently than other kids but is special in her very own way.  Julia, a Muppet with autism, makes her debut in a television episode of Sesame Street.  Julia is performed by puppeteer Stacey Gordon, who uses her own experiences raising an autistic son to help make the actions of the character realistic.



Visit SesameStreet.org/Autism to read a free online storybook featuring Julia and to view some videos featuring the newest Muppet character. The website also includes an autism reference section that includes activity and discussion ideas plus informational tips.

4/10  Dinosaur Train “Junior Conductors Academy”

The kids are all excited! Why? Because they’re off to Junior Conductor’s Academy in Laramidia, to try to become Junior Conductors First Class. Buddy has a feeling he’s going to be a star in class, until he meets Dennis Deinocheirus – a kid who knows even more dinosaur facts than he does! Can Buddy get over his disappointment that he’s not the smartest kid in class, and make friends with Dennis (who seems like he’s having trouble making friends on his own)?

Click here for some Autism Awareness Month tips and resources courtesy of  Dinosaur Train.

Arthur is one of my family's favorite shows on PBS KIDS.  I enjoy watching this show with its subtle societal commentaries and humorous situations all most as much as my kids do.  Arthur is an entertaining and educational show providing kids with teachable moments that they may be learning from without even realizing it.  So it is no surprise that they've weighed in on the topic of autism.   There will be four autism-related episodes of Arthur being broadcast by PBS KIDS in April.

4/10   Arthur “When Carl Met George/D.W. Swims with the Fishes"

George is excited about spending time with his new friend, Carl, who seems to know all kind of cool facts about trains and about… well lots of things! Then George learns that Carl has Asperger's Syndrome - a form of autism that makes Carl see the world differently than most people. Can George and Carl remain good friends - and perhaps even learn from each other?  /  D.W. and James enter the pre-school swim meet and recruit their big siblings to coach them. All goes swimmingly until Arthur and Molly start taking their jobs a little too seriously. Who's this race about, anyway?

4/11  Arthur “Pets and Pests/Go Fly a Kite” 

There's a mouse loose in the Read home! And D.W. wants it gone…NOW! When traps fail, Arthur enlists the help of an expert mouse catcher…a fearless hunter who laughs in the face of danger: Nemo??  / While playing in the park, Binky, Muffy, and Ladonna stumble upon an abandoned kite. After failing to find the owner, the trio decides to take joint custody of the toy. But sharing it is easier said than done…

4/12  Arthur “Carl's Concerto/Too Much of a Good Thing”
Carl has agreed to play the accordion for George’s puppet show. But his routines are getting in the way of rehearsals. Now George must decide: keep Carl and risk the show, or replace Carl and risk his friendship? / Buster enlists Binky’s help to keep him from gorging on delicious Tuvaluna cookies. Will Buster’s self-control hold...or crumble?

4/13  Arthur “He Said, He Said/Bunny Trouble”
A special episode of Bionic Bunny is interrupted, and Arthur, Buster, and George try to remember what comes next. But Carl is the only one who can straighten out the story. / D.W. is excited to be taking care of the class bunny, Larry. But when Larry is feeling adventurous and wanders off, it’s up to Ladonna the “Bunny Whisperer” to help get him back.

These shows will be rebroadcast throughout the month after the initial airing listed above.  Check your with your PBS affiliate for more details regarding local programming schedules.

In addition to incorporating the topic of autism into PBS KIDS programming, the PBS Parents website has articles from doctors, disability experts and special education teachers on topics ranging from identifying autism to creating inclusive environments for autistic children.  Additionally, PBS Learning Media has great teacher resources and activities for children with autism that can be found here.

HULU Expands Childrens Programming Inking Licensing Deal With Disney-ABC Television Group

Hulu is pushing to be a go-to source for children's television programming through a new deal it just inked with The Disney - ABC Television Group which will make full prior seasons of top rated kids titles from Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney XD available through the online video streaming service.  Hulu niche has been providing its subscribers with access to the current season of shows from 5 of the 6 largest U.S. broadcast networks but is also bolstering its available library of past seasons of TV shows and original programming like The Mindy Project and the Golden Globe nominated comedy series Casual.  A subscription to Hulu is $7.99 per month with limited commercials or commercial free for $11.99.

The new agreement with The Disney-ABC Television Group makes Hulu the exclusive subscription video-on-demand home for all of the past seasons of  several popular shows that appeal to children, tweens, and teens including Disney XD's highly rated animated series Gravity Falls and Star vs. The Force of Evil plus the Disney Channel's live action shows K.C. Undercover, Austin & Ally and Dog With A Blog.  Additionally, the agreement provides Hulu with exclusivity for the Disney Junior shows Sheriff Callie's Wild West and Henry Hugglemonster which appeal to preschool audiences.  These shows join Doc McStuffins and Bunnytown from Disney Junior which Hulu had previously obtained exclusive rights to stream.

In addition to adding more than 500 episodes of kid friendly programming this deal also provides 20 Disney Channel Original Movies that will be available to stream on Hulu for the first time ever.  Other recent efforts by Hulu to bolster its children's programming lineup have included recent deals to obtain exclusivity for Nickelodeon's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Penguins of Madagascar and PBS Kids Curious George.  They've also created a special Kids Portal for their children's programming so that kids can watch it commercial free even if your family is on the basic $7.99 per month plan.  The streaming service also has a Kids Lock feature which restricts viewing to only shows designated as children's programming which can be triggered on your TV, PC, or mobile devices.  Between an expanded library of content and commercial-free children's programming, Hulu is doubling down on attracting parents and their kids to tune in with them.

For more information, visit Hulu.com
 

Dinosaur Train Nature Trackers Club

The Jim Henson Company, producers of the animated PBS Kids television series Dinosaur Train, want to help keep children exploring and learning over the summer break.  So this summer they've launched a ten week series of activities called the Nature Trackers Summer Challenge to help parents keep children engaged in learning throughout their break from school.  Beginning June 20th, each week will have a different theme starting with STARGAZING WEEK and be tied to a special episode airing on PBS.  Future themes include birds, insects and volcanoes, among other topics.

Here's a look at the list of the Nature Trackers Summer Challenge's first group of activities for STARGAZING WEEK:

WATCH - Dinosaur Train: Remember the Alamosaurus / Sunrise , Sunset on PBS. In this episode Dad takes the Pteranodon kids on an overnight camping trip where they watch both a sunrise and a sunset learning that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.  The kids also find out more about nocturnal (night-active) animals and diurnal (day-active) animals.  If you miss this episode airing on television, CLICK HERE to watch it online via Watch Cartoons Online at your own convenience.  Dinosaur Train episodes can also be streamed via Hulu, Netflix and YouTube.

PLAY - Under the Night Sky: Act Nocturnal!

DO -  Moon Observation!

EXPLORE -  Explore the sky from various locations in the world with NASA Watch the Skies! All Sky Camera Network.

For a complete list of challenges, visit the Nature Trackers page on PBS Parents!  As your kids participate in the Dinosaur Train Nature Trackers Summer Challenge share your experiences by posting your stories and photos at the Henson Family Hub on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #NatureTrackers.

Dinosaur Train airs special Autism Awareness Month episode on PBS Kids

Dinosaur Train was one of my children's favorite television shows when they were toddlers and if you have preschoolers in your life I'd highly recommend tuning in to watch this great animated television series from The Jim Henson Company on your local PBS station.  In support of April being designated Autism Awareness Month, Dinosaur Train has teamed up with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention's "Learn the Signs: Act Early" iniative (which aims to improve early identification of children with autism and other developmental disabilities so that they and their families can get the services and support they need) to address the topic in a brand-new episode that will be debuting on Wednesday April 6, 2016.  Check your local PBS station's programming schedule to see what time Dinosaur Train is broadcast in your area.



In Dinosaur Train's "Junior Conductors Academy", Buddy and his siblings become friends with a dinosaur named Dennis who knows A LOT MORE about dinosaurs than Buddy does, but he has some trouble making new friends.  Like all dinosaurs, their new friend Dennis Deinocheirus has his own dinosaur features.  And like all of us, he has strengths in some areas and challenges in others.  As Buddy and Dennis develop a friendship at the Dinosaur Train Junior Conductor's Academy, the episode explains Autism in a manner that preschoolers can understand and relate to while underscoring with parents the importance of identifyin children with autism early.



In addition to the messaging contained within the "Junior Conductor's Academy" episode of Dinosaur Train, The Jim Henson Company has also released an informational essay from Dr. Stephanie Meyer on the topic titled Learning To Be Curious: Lessons From The Jim Henson Company's Dinosaur Train on PBS.  Dr. Meyer, a child psychologist with over 20 years of research and clincial experience served as a consultant on this special Autism focused episode of Dinosaur Train.



The Jim Henson Company sent us this coloring sheet of Dennis and has asked our A Geek Daddy readers to help introduce the newest member of the Dinosaur Train family to the world. It would be appreciated if families with young children would have their kiddos decorate this Dennis coloring sheet and then tweet out a picture of their art work including @DinosaurTrain and #MeetDennis in the message.



As part of its Autism Awareness Month outreach to families with young children, the CDC is also asking parents with children between the ages of 2 and 4 to read AMAZING ME - IT'S BUSY BEING 3 to their kids in that age range.  The story is about Joey, an amazing 3 year old kangaroo who is very excited about all that he can do now that he is three.  Joey doesn't know it, but these amazing things are called developmental milestones, and that is a very important part of each child's growth.  This book highlights for parents what milestones to look for as a child grows and develops plus provides plus provides an opportunity to interact with a child to see if they can do the same things Joey can do.  Print out the book below for a hard copy to read or AMAZING ME - IT'S BUSY BEING 3 can also be viewed online or as a free iBook for iPad.



For more information about Dinosaur Train, visit pbskids.org/dinosaurtrain/  For more information about Autism Awareness Month visit autismspeaks.org

Sid the Science Kid: THE MOVIE!

Sid, the inquisitive preschooler who has a popular 1/2 hour television show on PBS where he and his friends engage in scientific and educational themed adventures is getting his own feature length movie.  SID THE SCIENCE KID: THE MOVIE will be airing on Monday, March 25 on PBS stations across the United States and than will be available for purchase on DVD and via iTunes on April 2, 2013.  CLICK HERE to check out when the movie will be broadcast by your local PBS affiliate.  

While most of the Sid the Science Kid tv series episodes are based at Sid's preschool or home, the movie takes the adventure on the road.  Sid wins a contest and gets to go for a VIP tour of the Super Ultimate Science Museum along with his friend Gabriela who he picks to tag along with him on the trip.  When they get to the museum their tour is led by a scientist named Dr. Bonabodon, voiced by the man who set the standard for crazy scientist characters in movies Back to the Future's Christopher Lloyd, and his robotic tour guides.  From their hijinks and adventure ensue!

Check out this preview from the movie:

PBS has a nice web site section for parents that gives an overview of Sid the Science Kid: The Movie and provides some interesting tips and tools to use for interacting with your kids to increase the fun and educational value of watching the movie together.  It shows you how to make a marshmallow catapult and a robot from recycled materials. It also provides a fun coloring sheet for your kids.  Visit www.pbs.org/parents/sid-the-science-kid-the-movie to download the info. I know we'll be trying out this catapult idea and tuning in to the movie at our house next week!

Sid the Science Kid is produced by the JIM HENSON COMPANY ( www.henson.com ) who originally created Sesame Street & the Muppets and are now working on entertaining and educational projects for children like Dinosaur Train and the Pajanimals.