Category Archives: PBS Kids VIP

PBS Kids VIP

Talking to your Kids about the Presidential Election

The Democracy Project

At our house we are pretty much burnt out on the political ads that have been swamping the TV. They are so prevalent that Eva has been able to quote them and seems to have made her decision on who to vote for in many of the races. She asks Allison about the ads and the people in them and she is curious. I suspect that many of your children are curious as well. PBS KIDS has created the Democracy Project to help you talk to your kids about the Presidential Election and is a great resource that you can use to start a discussion with your kids. Here’s the info.

The Democracy Project:

PBS KIDS has redesigned The Democracy Project to provide fun, interactive election-themed activities for early-elementary age kids to learn about the candidates, and the election process, online, offline and on tablets. The Democracy Project includes campaign posters, presidential trade cards and:

  • Sticker Race: Kids can create and share campaign stickers about the issues that are important to them and the candidates that they support. They can also cast their vote for their favorite stickers helping to highlight the creativity of the community as well as which issues matter the most.
  • Meet the Candidates: An Election 2012 infographic illustrates fun facts about the presidential candidates and the race.
  • President for a Day: After applying to become president, kids will have the opportunity to role play as the president for a day, making decisions about different events that a president might actually experience while in office.

PBS Kids VIP

PBS has Tremendous Value

When I was asked to be a PBS KIDS VIP (Very Involved Parent) I was very excited. The first television that Eva was ever allowed to watch was PBS KIDS. We’d watch Curious George, Sesame Street, Super Why and other shows. By building on what she was seeing on those shows and her natural curiosity we were able to create a more positive and educational experience than just by watching TV. Our experience is probably similar to many other parents when it comes to PBS. However, some people have truly outstanding and personal experiences with PBS. PBS is looking to talk with those people. Just take a look at this story.


Pretty inspiring stuff. If you have a story like Christian’s PBS would like to talk with you.

One of the newest shows on PBS KIDS is Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. This show follows young Daniel Tiger, the son of Daniel Striped Tiger, the puppet from MR. Roger’s Neighborhood. The main focus of this show is to teach children social-emotional skills to prepare them for school and life beyond. Already this show is becoming a favorite among parents and children alike. There are many great strategies in the show and PBS KIDS has identified five tips for parents that I’d like to share with you.

PBS KIDS has developed five simple tips, adapted from the new series DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD, which launched earlier this month, to help parents support their children’s social-emotional development, and to give kids practical strategies for dealing with various emotions:
Tip #1: When your child is disappointed about something, help him/her find something positive about the situation to focus on instead.
Tip #2: When your child gets angry, encourage him/her to take a deep breath and count to four.
Tip #3: Encourage your child to keep trying when he/she is struggling with a challenging task.
Tip #4: When your child is feeling apprehensive about a new experience – like going to the doctor or starting school – talk to him/her about what to expect beforehand.
Tip #5: Teach your child patience by coming up with activities to do while you’re waiting, like singing a song or playing a quiet game.