When PEG + CAT first landed on my radar back in May of 2013, I was attending the PBS Annual Meeting in Miami, where series creators Jennifer Oxley and Billy Aronson were on-hand to discuss their creation. With two daughters, the thought of a math-based series with a little girl as the lead was a compelling idea, and the fact that she wields a string-based instrument was a bonus. A year-and-a-half later, PEG + CAT is a true hit – a dual EMMY-winner that’s watched regularly here at Rock Father HQ, with Peg’s little ukulele-driven jingles a regular earworm. With the release of Chickens on the Loose and other REALLY Big Problems on DVD, the learning adventures are available at any time.
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Led by THE CHICKEN PROBLEM (which was also the subject of a book that was released prior to the series), PEG + CAT uses an inquiry-based approach to problem solving as the characters go back-and-forth in their quest to solve all of the REALLY big problems they face.
From the graph paper backgrounds (with clouds made from infinity symbols) to the hand-drawn, jotted-down look, PEG + CAT is a prime example of reaching little ones in a way that they’ll understand with relatable, entertaining characters that help kids learn without them even realizing that they’re being taught. PBS KIDS is known for that, and it’s a large part of why I’ve always been such a vocal champion and partner to the content that they put out there.
ROCK FATHER-Approved!
Chickens on the Loose and other REALLY Big Problems features the following eight 11-minute episodes:
- The Chicken Problem – Peg and Cat have to get 100 chickens back in the coop before the farmer sees.
- The Space Creature Problem – Peg, Cat and Richard must get the 100 chickens away from Big Mouth and back to their spaceship.
- The Messy Room Problem – Peg and Cat sort through the mess in Peg’s room just in time for company to come over and see Cat’s masterpiece, “The Circles.”
- The Golden Pyramid Problem – Peg the Bold and Brave Sir Cat, Knights of the Round Table, search far and wide to retrieve the Mermaid’s golden pyramids.
- The Three Bears Problem – Peg and Cat bring the Three Bears, the Three Little Pigs, and the Three Billy Goats Gruff together to form a super group: “The Electric Eleven.”
- The Giant Problem – Peg and Cat must attempt a great escape when they think the Giants want to eat them and their 8 fairy tale friends for lunch.
- The Dinosaur Problem – When Peg and Cat get lost riding dinosaurs through a prehistoric forest, they use a diagram to find their way to safety before the Baby T-Rex catches up to them.
- The Beethoven Problem – When Peg and Cat are helping their pal Ludwig Van Beethoven write a symphony, Cat laughs in a certain pattern that gives Beethoven a great idea.
PEG + CAT and other great PBS KIDS titles are available via my associate, Amazon:
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