Reading Rainbow
Two stories, one fictional and one real-life, demonstrate the healing power of the human spirit. In Helen Ward's book The Tin Forest, a sad old man decides to change things and gradually transforms his surroundings from gloomy and lonely to lush and full. Jeff Bridges reads the story, and LeVar relates the book's theme to what happened in downtown Manhattan following the 9/11 attacks.
Free Printables and Activities
This past school year was unusual. But with students heading back to school, there's a lot we can do to bolster our children’s feelings of confidence and security as they head into a new year. Here are ways to get in the back-to-school mindset and cope with any anxieties or emotions.
PBS KIDS' weekday newsletter offers activities and tips you can use to help kids play and learn at home.
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WNET
WNET Parenting Minutes are short videos that focus on topics related to early childhood learning and family engagement. Each video has additional tips and facts and links to more free resources and information for parents and caregivers. You can catch Parenting Minute videos on WNED PBS and WNED PBS Kids channels and be on the lookout for a Parenting Minute workshop coming this summer!
PBS KIDS
Learn about PBS KIDS and Buffalo Toronto Public Media’s fun and educational STEAM initiative here!
Compact Science is an engaging new YouTube series from WNED PBS and the Buffalo Museum of Science that explores the wonders of science. Host Sarajane Gomlak Green investigates the geology of Niagara Falls, discovers the chemistry at work in sponge candy, learns how density is the key to lake-effect snow, and more. If you’re curious about the world around you, there’s a lot to explore and Compact Science will be your guide.
Geared towards children (grades K-6), their families, and anyone with a curiosity of the world around them, each episode frames a scientific concept with a signature regional connection that celebrates the science and history of the Western New York and Southern Ontario region.
The videos are available here on our website along with instructions for the viewer challenge experiments that can be performed at home or in a classroom.
Compact Science is funded by The Joy Family Foundation.
ALMA’S WAY, a new animated series from Fred Rogers Productions, will premiere on October 4, 2021. The series is created by Sonia Manzano, beloved by generations as “Maria” on Sesame Street, who broke new ground as one of the first Latino characters on national TV.
Inspired by Manzano’s own childhood, ALMA’S WAY centers on 6-year-old Alma Rivera, a proud, confident Puerto Rican girl who lives in the Bronx with her family among a diverse group of close-knit friends and community members. Infused with Manzano’s humor and grounded in a social and emotional curriculum, the series will give children ages 4-6 the tools to find their own answers, express what they think and feel, and recognize and respect the unique perspective of others.
Each episode showcases different aspects of Latino cultures through language, food, music, and customs. All viewers will see how other families are both alike and different from their own. Music is the “backbeat” of the series and includes traditional Puerto Rican styles like Plena, Bomba, and salsa along with other Latino genres such as Cuban son and Colombian cumbia. The original theme song, written and produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Bill Sherman, is performed by Flaco Navaja and Summer Rose Castillo, who plays Alma. The series music is composed by Asher Lenz, Stephen Skratt, and Fabiola M. Mendez. The series will be available for viewers in both English and Spanish on all PBS KIDS platforms.
ALMA’S WAY will debut on PBS stations and begin streaming free on PBS KIDS October 4. Launching in tandem with the show, digital content for kids, parents and teachers will further the messages and goals of ALMA’S WAY. Series-inspired games will be available in English and Spanish on pbskids.org and on the free PBS KIDS Games App. Spanish and English language parent resources, including tips and hands-on activities to extend the learning at home, will be available on the PBS KIDS for Parents site, and PBS LearningMedia will offer tools for teachers, including video excerpts, games, teaching tips, and printable activities.
PBS PArents
Families can now tune into their favorite PBS KIDS series through podcasts! These podcasts will take families off the screens and even deeper into the worlds of their favorite PBS KIDS characters. Learn more about the benefits of listening to podcasts together as a family and discover new stories from Molly of Denali, Pinkalicious & Peterrific, and Odd Squad.
PBS KIDS FOR PARENTs
Preschoolers need lots of support from adults to help them develop the habits they need to thrive in school and beyond. Find resources to support your child's early learning.
BTPM CREATES COMMUNITY CLASSROOM
We are here to support families, educators, and students as a community classroom during these challenging times. Find special program schedules, tool & resources.
BTPM & Bright by text
Bright by Text provides quality information and trusted resources to parents and caregivers of children prenatal to eight.
We know it can be a scary time for families as normal routines are disrupted due to the COVID-19 outbreak. This is a great time to talk to children about what is happening, and empower them to be helpers to keep each other healthy.
In the words of Mister Rogers: "Anything that's human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting and less scary.”
Vaccines are important, but can be scary. Learn how scientists and vaccines help keep us healthy.
Activity: Vaccine Coloring Sheet(pdf)
You can be a germ buster by wearing a cloth mask. Learn more about how a mask can keep you healthy.
Meet an epidemiologist and see how these disease detectives are working to help the spread of the Coronavirus.
A doctor helper explains the coronavirus and how children can be good helpers.
Social distancing is necessary to stay healthy from coronavirus, but can be difficult for children to understand.
Here are some tips for how parents can talk to their children about coronavirus.
We can all be helpers. Here are a few tips!
Explaining a virus to children in a way they can understand, can help stop the spreading of germs.
A few do's &don'ts for families during the coronavirus outbreak.
Be a good helper and remember to wash your hands often!!
Wash Your Hands
Catch that Cough
Rest is Best
Make Others Feel Better
The past year has been tough. Families are having to adapt and respond to what seems like a never ending year of abnormalities.
Enjoy family viewing events featuring movie specials of themed programming Friday nights from 7-9pm on the WNED PBS KIDS channel.
Parenting resources and tips on raising children, child development articles, crafts and games for you and your child, planning birthday parties, and kids activities.
PBS PArents
PBS Parents has articles from parents and experts.
Camp TV
Welcome to Camp TV, a day camp experience for kids ages 5-10 in your living room!
Whether you're looking for music and dance activities, science experiments, family-friendly adventures, or learning about dinosaurs (plus more!), you will find media and activity resources in the Camp PBS LearningMedia collection. We've gathered fun, exploratory resources for you to use as you plan learning fun.
A national survey of parents with young children age 2-6 has found that media and technology are an essential part of preparing children to enter elementary school. Overwhelmingly, PBS KIDS stands out as the most trusted and relied upon media brand for this school readiness, ranking first in delivering on every measured skill.
PBS Parents
There’s nothing else like having a playful, imaginative, and supportive sibling at your side! In these stories, brothers and sisters bond over nature, art, adventure, and more.
PBS PARENTS
To encourage conversations about race and diversity with your children, check out this list of children's books to read together as a family.
PBS Parents
Find fun, educational activities and crafts for kids from PBS Parents.
Check out PBS KIDS apps! Download by favorite character or type of device.
A new app that offers parents a real-time connection to their child's activity on pbskids.org.
Buffalo Toronto Public Media has partnered with the Family Justice Center of Erie County to bring you Reach Out - Recognize Relationship Abuse, online and on television to help give you the tools you need to start a conversation with someone you think might be in an abusive relationship.
WBFO Facebook live event
WBFO's Eileen Buckley lead a panel of experts discussing cyberbullying and how to tackle a 24/7 torment. Learn strategies students, teachers and parents can use to minimize it.
Watch our conversation with Buffalo School Superintendent Kriner Cash. WBFO Senior Reporter Eileen Buckley and Tiffany Lankes of The Buffalo News talked with Cash about many critical education issues and asked questions posed by our Facebook Live audience.
