April is Earth Month, and as we eagerly await warmer weather and the emergence of “green” in the area around Rock Father HQ, now comes news that my friends at PBS KIDS are getting ready to celebrate with a month of Earth-themed programming, and it all kicks off on April 7 in partnership with The National Recreation and Park Association as the “Explore the Outdoors” initiative. Check out all the details below, right here on THE ROCK FATHER…
Explore the Outdoors On-air and Digital Content
WILD KRATTS “Season 3 Premiere Week” – April 7-11
Season 3 of WILD KRATTS kicks off on Monday, April 7, as the Kratt brothers discover hermit crabs and shells on the beach in “Hermit Crab Shell Exchange.” The week continues with the exploration of animals from across the globe, including bison, black-footed ferrets, flying fish and more. The brothers explore science concepts such as adaptation and habitats.
ARTHUR “Outdoor Week” – April 21-25
Arthur and friends explore the outdoors in a week of fun-filled, outdoor-themed episodes. “Outdoor Week” includes the premieres of two all-new ARTHUR episodes, “Speak Up Francine/Waiting for Snow,” which airs on April 21, and “Pets and Pests/Go Fly a Kite,” which airs on April 22. The episodes focus on teaching important values, such as speaking up for what you believe in, patience, sharing and teamwork. A new ARTHUR digital game, “Backyard Jungle,” will also launch in April. In “Backyard Jungle,” kids will join D.W. and Bud as they embark on an epic adventure using the power of their imaginations.
PLUM LANDING – Launching April 21
The adventure begins during ARTHUR “Outdoor Week,” which will include interstitials introducing viewers toPLUM LANDING, a digital project, produced by WGBH, that uses animated webisodes, online games, free apps, hands-on science activities and live-action videos to help connect 6- to 9-year-olds to nature, teach them about ecosystems and excite them about their role as caretakers of the planet.
At the PLUM LANDING website, pbskids.org/plumlanding, kids will be able to watch animated webisodes featuring Plum, a purple alien from Planet Blorb, and her five earthling friends on an epic exploration of Planet Earth. Clementine, Oliver, Gabi, Cooper and Brad trek across deserts, plunge over waterfalls, climb mountains and jam through the jungle on mega-fun Missions from Plum! Kids at home can explore the same ecosystems, wild creatures and science concepts as the animated characters through a rich array of online games, hands-on activities designed to get them thinking like scientists and web features that let kids share their observations of nature with Plum.
The CYBERCHASE Movie – April
PBS KIDS will premiere the first-ever CYBERCHASE movie this April. An eco-themed one-hour special, “The CYBERCHASE Movie” follows Matt, Jackie, Inez and Digit as they are called on to rescue the animals and restore harmony to Ecotopia after Hacker and his bumbling robots wreak havoc. Environmental and math topics explored include natural habitats, the impact of habitat loss and proportional reasoning. “The CYBERCHASE Movie” will air in mid-April (check local listings). Online at pbskids.org/cyberchase, three real-world CYBERCHASE games exploring the environmental topics of keystone species, waste reduction and solar power will debut for kids and families to print and play at home.
Explore more at pbsparents.org/outdoors
