PBS
For quality, not-overly-commercialized entertainment for kids, it's tough to beat PBS―especially when it comes to educational-yet-fun programming. My mom credits Sesame Street with teaching me how to read by age three, and years later the show did the same thing for my own kids.
Sadly, it's been a while since anyone watched PBS in our house, but every once in a while, I'll still pause and smile when I pass it on TV. (Occasionally, I’ll even stop and watch for a few minutes—sometimes out of nostalgia, sometimes because I want to see the latest celebrity who dropped in to hang out with Elmo or Big Bird).
And now there’s word that PBS is planning a big Halloween extravaganza, complete with special spooky (yet kid-friendly) shows, games and even craft projects. A marathon of Halloween episodes will air on PBS on October 30, but all throughout this month, kids and parents can watch videos, make e-cards, play games and do fun projects at PBS.
Naturally the Count will play a vital role―he is, after all, a perfect fit for Halloween, but personally I am really looking forward to the special episodes of Curious George. Mainly, though, I can't wait to spend some quality time with my six-year-old niece while we share some laughs, and maybe learn a few new things, as we watch the Halloween episodes of Arthur, Dinosaur Train and Sid the Science Kid. Hopefully I don't give her an unintentional scare when I do some impromptu kid-style karaoke with my impersonation of Cookie Monster singing his smash hit "C is for Cookie."
