PBS KIDS(R) Announces SUPER WHY! and PBS KIDS Photo Factory Apps Now Available on App Store

ARLINGTON, Va., March 17 /PRNewswire/ -- PBS KIDS announces two new iPhone and iPod touch apps, SUPER WHY! and PBS KIDS Photo Factory are now available on the App Store. SUPER WHY! and PBS KIDS Photo Factory join the successful lineup of PBS KIDS apps, including Curious George Coloring Book, Martha Speaks Dog Party and Mister Rogers Make A Journal, all designed to enable children and parents instant access to innovative educational content supporting childhood development, including social emotional development, artistic expression, language development, and reading skills.

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"These apps empower children to explore the world around them with guidance from their favorite PBS KIDS characters," said Lesli Rotenberg, SVP, Children's Media. "They also provide parents and caregivers with a new way to foster learning anywhere, anytime and help their children reach their full potential."

"PBS transformed television into an instrument for teaching and learning a generation ago, and now we're blazing new trails in digital media with iPhone and iPod touch," said Jason Seiken, SVP, Interactive. "We're constantly experimenting with ways to use media to engage users of all ages with new experiences and opportunities to learn something new."

SUPER WHY!

The SUPER WHY! App helps children achieve the power to read with four SUPER WHY! interactive literacy games in addition to a virtual sticker book. Children can play along with each of the four main characters from the TV series: Alpha Pig, Princess Presto, Wonder Red, and, of course, Super Why, while practicing the alphabet, rhyming, spelling, writing and reading. 

The SUPER WHY! App was developed as a part of PBS KIDS Raising Readers, a national initiative which uses the power of public media to build the reading skills of children ages 2 to 8, with an emphasis on children from low-income families.  The effort is funded by a Ready To Learn grant from the U.S. Department of Education, part of a cooperative agreement with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), PBS and The Ready To Learn Partnership. 

PBS KIDS Photo Factory

The PBS KIDS Photo Factory App makes it simple to bring favorite PBS KIDS characters along on any adventure, featuring art from 11 PBS KIDS series that can be added to any family photo, as well as localized tune-in information for featured series. Photos can be shared via iPhoto, e-mail, Facebook, or Twitter. Kids can also take part in the fun with this safe and easy-to-use app, arranging art from favorite series ARTHUR, CAILLOU, CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG, CURIOUS GEORGE, DINOSAUR TRAIN, DRAGON TALES, FETCH! WITH RUFF RUFFMAN, SESAME STREET, SID THE SCIENCE KID, SUPER WHY! and WORDGIRL.

The SUPER WHY! App is available for $2.99 and the PBS KIDS Photo Factory App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/.

For more information on PBS Kids apps please visit  http://pbskids.org/mobile/.

About PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO!

PBS KIDS, for preschoolers, and PBS KIDS GO! for early elementary school kids, offer all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, online and community-based programs. With positive role models and content designed to nurture a child's total well-being, PBS's children's media and family and educator resources - including PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! television series, PBSKIDS.org, PBSKIDSGO.org, PBS Parents (PBSPARENTS.org), PBS Teachers (PBSTEACHERS.org), PBS KIDS Raising Readers and literacy events across the country - leverage the full spectrum of media, technology and community to build knowledge, critical thinking, imagination and curiosity. Empowering children for success in school and in life, only PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! have earned the unanimous endorsement of parents, children, industry leaders and teachers. In September 2008, PBS KIDS GO! launched its video player (PBSKIDSGO.org/video), featuring hundreds of video clips and dozens of full-length episodes. Since launch, the site is averaging 1.3 million streams per week. PBSKIDS.org averages nine million unique visitors a month. PBS is a nonprofit media enterprise owned and operated by the nation's nearly 360 public television stations, serving more than 115 million people on-air and online each month. For more information on specific shows supporting literacy, science, math, and more, visit PBS.org/pressroom.

The contents of this release were developed under a grant, #PRU295A050003 and #PRU295B050003, from the U.S. Department of Education.  However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.

SOURCE PBS KIDS