New App for Kids From the Hit PBS Kids Show, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood (Review)

 

PBS KIDS DEBUTS DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD APP TARGETING SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILL-BUILDING FOR KIDS 2 TO 4 

New Mister Rogers-inspired TV Series Launches App for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch

PBS KIDS has launched DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD: Play at Home with Daniel, its first app from the new series inspired by the work of Fred Rogers, which premieres on PBS KIDS on Monday, September 3 (check local listings).  The app, designed for children ages 2-4 and available now for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, makes the series’ social-emotional school readiness curriculum available to parents and children on the go.  In the app, kids play with 4-year-old Daniel Tiger, son of MISTER ROGERS’ NEIGHBORHOOD’s Daniel Striped Tiger, as he goes about his everyday activities, learning life’s little lessons along the way in the games “Doctor Daniel,” “Daniel's Bedtime” and “In Daniel's Bathroom.”

“There is a great need for kids to build social-emotional skills, which lay the foundation for effectively learning academic subjects once they start school,” said Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President, Children’s Media, PBS. “There are very few apps available that meet this need, so we are excited to introduce ’Play at Home with Daniel.’  Our first app based on DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD’s social-emotional curriculum, ‘Play at Home with Daniel’ features open-ended games, enabling children to explore new experiences – such as going to the doctor – and learn key life skills – like bedtime routines.”
Produced by The Fred Rogers Company and CloudKid, the new DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD: Play at Home with Daniel App teaches children about the world around them as they interact with Daniel and his everyday experiences.  For Daniel Tiger, playing is learning as kids explore bedtime and bath time and play pretend doctor in three interactive games:

Doctor Daniel - Kids play “Doctor Daniel” with toy versions of the instruments pediatricians use. When children play “doctor,” they’re in charge – making it easier to manage a real-life visit when they have to be the patient.
Daniel’s Bedtime - Children help Daniel go through the motions of getting ready to go to sleep. Kids can think about their own bedtime routines and the things that help them get ready for bed as they help Daniel.
In Daniel’s Bathroom - Kids wash, brush and flush with Daniel during his bathroom routine.  Children can practice and become familiar with their own bathroom routines.

The app also features a sticker book, which enables children to pretend-play by creating scenes with Daniel at home. As kids make their own creations featuring characters from DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD, the sticker book reinforces the themes from “Daniel’s Bedtime” and “In Daniel’s Bathroom.”

“Fred Rogers was a pioneer in using television to help children learn, and at PBS we continue that legacy of innovation across today's media platforms – with interactive online experiences, streaming video and mobile apps like 'Play at Home with Daniel,'” said Jason Seiken, Senior Vice President, Interactive, Product Development, and Innovation, PBS. “We have had great success in the children’s mobile space to date; more than half of our over 128 million monthly PBS KIDS video streams are on mobile.”*
The DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD: Play at Home with Daniel App is available for $1.99 for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The app can be downloaded from the App Store on iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

PBS KIDS has 19 apps available in the App Store, designed to help kids build literacy, math, science and school readiness skills and more. With a cross-platform approach, PBS KIDS is increasingly serving children and families across America wherever they live, learn and play.  More information about PBS KIDS’ apps is available on pbskids.org/mobile.

*Source: Google Analytics Event Tracking, February-July 2012

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My Thoughts:

Since the show premiered, our family has become instant fans of the show.  And, when we heard about the release of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood app for the iPad, we had to download it.  This has become Savannah's favorite app by far.  She loves being able to interact with Daniel and see all the rooms in his house.  She can't stop giggling when she goes into the bathroom.  Her favorite thing to do is fill the potty with toilet paper until Daniel tells her to flush.  I have never heard her laugh so hard.  Now if only she would use the potty. :-)

If you haven't seen this hit PBS kids show, you should definitely tune in.  I was a fan of Mr. Rogers growing up, and now love seeing this updated version for kids.  And, with an app to go along with the show, children can bring Daniel with them wherever they go, and be entertained for hours.



About DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD 

The first TV series inspired by the iconic, award-winning MISTER ROGERS' NEIGHBORHOOD, DANIEL TIGER'S NEIGHBORHOOD from The Fred Rogers Company stars 4-year-old Daniel Tiger, son of the original program’s Daniel Striped Tiger, who invites young viewers into his world, giving them a kid’s-eye view of his life. As they closely follow and share Daniel’s everyday adventures, preschoolers ages 2-4 and their families learn fun and practical strategies and skills necessary for growing and learning.

About PBS KIDS
PBS KIDS, the #1 educational media brand for kids, offers all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, online and community-based programs.