PBS Kids will premiere a new animated series Skillsville on 3 March 2025. Created by Twin Cities PBS (TPT), the series aims to encourage children in the age group of four to eight to power up the skills they need for future success by depicting the benefits of video games. The series will be available in English and Spanish.
Synopsis of the series: Taking its cue from some of the best elements that gaming has to offer, the fun new series centers on three best friends, Cora (ParCora), Dev (Devosaurus), and Rae (Racer Rae), who love to play together, whether it’s on the playground or in their favourite digital game, “Skillsville.” With each episode, young viewers will enter a world of career possibilities with the goal to hone their life skills, including self-regulation and strategies to help them to feel, focus, organise, remember and think differently.
The series is created by an Emmy award-winning team (Sesame Street, Hero Elementary) that includes executive producer Carol-Lynn Parente, head writer Christine Ferraro and creative director Eric Peterson. The series is animated by Sphere Media Productions (Curious George, Arthur, F is for Family).
PBS Kids SVP and general manager Sara DeWitt said, “Games aren’t just fun, they can also provide learning-rich opportunities for kids – letting them make mistakes, experiment through trial and error, pursue their goals, and remain persistent. Skillsville will encourage kids to explore these fundamental skills in a variety of relatable situations, which will support them in building a strong foundation for achieving success in school, in the future career path they choose, and in life.”
TPT executive producer and co-creator Parente stated, “Skillsville uses something kids already love—gaming—to help them practice essential life skills that can shape their future. Our goal is to empower young viewers with simple, effective self-regulation strategies as the tools they can use to overcome challenges and pursue their dreams. By combining the fun of career exploration with practical skills like pausing to think, planning, organising and persevering through setbacks, Skillsville inspires kids to see themselves as problem-solvers and change-makers who can lean on their unique strengths to help their community.”
In the beginning of every episode Cora, Dev, and Rae are in the real world and focus on one of the five life skills (feel, focus, organise, remember and think differently) they further cultivate in the game world. Once in the game, the characters appear as their avatars and summon Scout, a dog with dragonfly wings who flutters in and sniffs out trouble and supports them as they complete challenges. The players then work together and learn useful strategies to complete the task, win the game, and earn career-related badges. When they’re back in the real world, Cora, Dev, and Rae use the skills and strategies they’ve acquired in Skillsville, which are essential in helping people of all ages to learn, work, and manage the activities of daily living.
In addition to new episodes, the series will include four upcoming games on the website and the PBS Kids games app, as well as learning resources available on PBS Kids for parents and PBS learning media.
The series is funded by a Ready To Learn grant from the US department of education with the goal of enhancing workforce readiness for young children.
