All our kids have either gone back to school already or will do so very, very soon. To make the transition more fun, and to help get them back to that sharp, ready-to-learn mode, we recommend the Curious George Parent-Child Activities, as well as the Family Activity Booklet (it’s at the very bottom of the page). All these activities are perfect for parents and kids in their first years of school to explore the basics of math, science, and engineering. As the site says, “Just like George, children are curious about the world and how things work.” If your kids are a bit old for this K-1 stuff, check out these Word Girl Activities to help your kids’ hone their vocabulary and reading comprehension skills as they the new school year.
For more back-to-school tips from the new PBS Parents website, click here.

The STA’s Summer Tips are ideas for projects and activities inspired by your kids’ favorite shows, to help them learn while the TV is on and after it’s off. Look for more tips all summer long, to OutSmart the 150% Summer Spike in childrens’ television viewing.

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Winnie the Pooh and his pals have just the stuff to get your kids excited about going back to school – whether they already started or won’t do so until next week. Check out the My Friends Tigger & Pooh First Day of School Celebration Center pages. There are healthy, yummy recipes, like Tigger’s Boingy Homemade Fruit Leathers and Eeyore’s Chocolate Banana Smoothie, as well as a number of fun games and activities. As the Celebration Center page says, everything is aimed at one thing: to get kids “Ready-Set-Go for school!” So check it out!

The STA’s Summer Tips are ideas for projects and activities inspired by your kids’ favorite shows, to help them learn while the TV is on and after it’s off. Look for more tips all summer long, to OutSmart the 150% Summer Spike in childrens’ television viewing.

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The Clifford website has some great activities for kids who love The Big Red Dog –and for parents who like saving money. Seriously! Check out Clifford’s Card Maker and your kid can make cards for upcoming birthdays, for thank-you-notes, to say “feel better” to a sick friend or family member, and more – and you can save the $2-$5 a greeting card would’ve cost. Plus, your kid gets to have fun, be creative, and tell someone they care in a thoughtful, personal way.
For more fun and learning with Clifford, click here for games and printables, and here for “Ideas to Grow On” activities.

The STA’s Summer Tips are ideas for projects and activities inspired by your kids’ favorite shows, to help them learn while the TV is on and after it’s off. Look for more tips all summer long, to OutSmart the 150% Summer Spike in childrens’ television viewing.

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Don’t be fooled by the nonsensical title – kids can learn a lot from Pinky Dinky Doo. The Noggin website features dozens of printables related to all their great shows, but we’re extra fond of the set of Pinky Dinky Doo printables, which feature 19 coloring vocabulary pages. So take a look, print a few out, and help your kid learn about words like “ridiculous,” “duplicate,” “xylophone,” and “gargantuan” as they have fun coloring their favorite Pinky Dinky Doo characters.

The STA’s Summer Tips are ideas for projects and activities inspired by your kids’ favorite shows, to help them learn while the TV is on and after it’s off. Look for more tips all summer long, to OutSmart the 150% Summer Spike in childrens’ television viewing.

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If you have any little dancers in your family – or anyone else who enjoys Angelina Ballerina – check out Angelina’s website for printable designs and detailed instructions for making very cute – and of course, very pretty – pop-up cards. Your kids may also enjoy the charming printable coloring pages featuring Angelina and her friends.

The STA’s Summer Tips are ideas for projects and activities inspired by your kids’ favorite shows, to help them learn while the TV is on and after it’s off. Look for more tips all summer long, to OutSmart the 150% Summer Spike in childrens’ television viewing.

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Calling all Higglytown Heroes fans! Check out this Higgleytown Mixing Colors learning activity at the Playhouse Disney grown-ups’ and educators’ site. With this activity guide, help your child learn the basics about colors and mixing colors with a piece of white bread, food coloring, and some milk. For more Playhouse Disney learning activities, click here.

The STA’s Summer Tips are ideas for projects and activities inspired by your kids’ favorite shows, to help them learn while the TV is on and after it’s off. Look for more tips all summer long, to OutSmart the 150% Summer Spike in childrens’ television viewing.

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If you and your family love Veggie Tales as much as we do, check out the Big Idea Activities on the Big Idea/Veggie Tales website. There is a list of “One Child-One Parent” activities and another list of “Large Group” activities – although most of the “One Child-One Parent” activities are good for large groups as well. Our favorites include High Tower, Picture That, and Mayday Message. So go on, try these great games with your kids!

The STA’s Summer Tips are ideas for projects and activities inspired by your kids’ favorite shows, to help them learn while the TV is on and after it’s off. Look for more tips all summer long, to OutSmart the 150% Summer Spike in childrens’ television viewing.

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You probably know that the PBS Kids show Arthur teaches kids important life lessons and is also just a lot of fun to watch. What you may not know about are the many activities on the show’s website that can reinforce and build on all that learning – and not just with life lessons. Check out Sign Design and have fun learning sign language basics – with Arthur himself. For more printable Arthur activities and games, click here.

The STA’s Summer Tips are ideas for projects and activities inspired by your kids’ favorite shows, to help them learn while the TV is on and after it’s off. Look for more tips all summer long, to OutSmart the 150% Summer Spike in childrens’ television viewing.

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Don’t let “end of summer” talk bring you and your family down! Whether your kids have a few weeks or a few days left before school starts up again, make the most of it! Keep energy levels high by with recipes in the LazyTown Energy Cookbook. From Pixels’ Power Up Pinwheels to Stingy’s Zingy Zucchini Pie – yes, zucchini – all six of these healthy, high-energy recipes are written for early readers to follow and help make. As the website says, “If You Need Energy. . . Try Cooking By The Book!”

The STA’s Summer Tips are ideas for projects and activities inspired by your kids’ favorite shows, to help them learn while the TV is on and after it’s off. Look for more tips all summer long, to OutSmart the 150% Summer Spike in childrens’ television viewing.

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The Discovery Kids show Trading Spaces: Boys vs. Girls might technically be a reality show, but there are exceptions to every rule, and this show is great, period. During each fun, competitive half-hour of kids’ TV, four young friends work with professional carpenters and designers to create dream rooms to match their hobbies and interests. If you and your kids get a kick out of Trading Spaces: Boys vs. Girls, try some of the Get Crafty ideas at the show’s website. You can get your kid’s creative juices flowing making mobiles, glow-in-the-dark fabric curtains (how cool is that?!), or a number of other things, to turn their own room, or someone else’s, into a dream room.

The STA’s Summer Tips are ideas for projects and activities inspired by your kids’ favorite shows, to help them learn while the TV is on and after it’s off. Look for more tips all summer long, to OutSmart the 150% Summer Spike in childrens’ television viewing.

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