Over here in our home, we’re hardcore. About PBS that is. I’ve always trusted the entertaining, educational content PBS produces for our kids. We don’t have fancy cable at home and rely on PBS Kids to keep the kids entertained.
I’m excited to see that PBS Kids has upped the ante with their new interactive games, PBS Kids Lab. The new games have been designed not only for the home user, but for teachers to use on their whiteboards. I’m new to the concept of whiteboards, and seeing a Fizzy’s Lunch Lab game played on the one was eye opening. I can just imagine a classroom of kids clamoring to tap the correct answer on their whiteboards.
My favorite games are two Curious George games. First is Bubble Pop. Bubble Pop utilizes your computer’s microphone (optional) and allows your child to make Curious George’s bath bubbles pop. Jaxson loved clapping his hands or yelling “POP!” at the computer to pop the bubbles. As Jaxson pops each bubble, he learns to count with Curious George. I’ve also turned down the sound and used this game to teach him how to count in Vietnamese.
In Monkey Jump, you can turn on your webcam to help George shoot balls into a box. Your child can see himself on the screen. When Jaxson jumps or makes a movement, he makes George jump. I love playing this game with Jaxson. He laughs as his jumps makes George jump. Monkey Jump is also a counting game, so I count with Jaxson in Vietnamese with this game.
Since my new Android smartphone plays flash game (which all of these games are), I can pull up the website and keep the kids entertained. It’s come in quite handy when we’ve been stuck in line somewhere or got stuck in DC traffic.
PBS Kids Lab also offers games based off other its popular kids shows such as Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman (Sophia’s favorite), The Cat in the Hat, The Electric Company and more. Try it out!
I was invited to PBS HQ to learn more about the new PBS Kids Lab and received a bag of gifts for attending. Receiving The Cat’s hat in no way influenced how much my kids liked the games. In fact, Jaxson hated the hat.