Review by Mieke VanderBorght, Common Sense Education | Updated March 2017

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PBS KIDS GO!

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One-stop shop for a wealth of fantastic PBS KIDS educational content

Common Sense Says:

5

Rating Details

Teachers Say (13 Reviews):

4

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Grades

Pre-K-6 This grade range is a recommendation by Common Sense Education and not the developer/publisher.

Great for:

See subjects & skills

Main directory for games and videos shows a variety of PBS KIDS programs.

Featured PBS KIDS shows address topics from math and literacy to science, nutrition, cultural understanding, and the environment.

At Webonauts Internet Academy, kids learn to navigate wisely through the Web.

A unique PBS KIDS Arthur game teaches critical thinking by distinguishing fact from opinion.

Short, taller, taller still, and tallest in a Cat in the Hat math game teaches about ordering objects.

Pros: Easy, one-stop access to the high-quality design and extensive resources available from PBS KIDS websites.

Cons: So much variety can be overwhelming; kids will need guidance and direction to access specific topics and games.

Bottom Line: Amazing collection of valuable learning resources covers an impressive array of topics.

Lesson & Activity Ideas

Teachers will want to spend some time exploring PBS KIDS to discover all it has to offer. They can use the site to assign games from specific shows as extensions or explorations of topics recently covered in the classroom, or consider using the sites as prerequisites for participating in class activities. For example, require kids to get a Webonauts diploma for media literacy before using computers in the computer lab. Games and videos can serve as springboards for class discussion and further exploration.

Because PBS KIDS is mostly a directory site for many other sites, teachers will either need to be very specific about which games they want their students to play (and then monitor them) or allow kids to explore games around a general topic. Doing a unit on math? Let kids play around on CyberChase. Kids can save their high scores and favorite games, but real performance tracking is limited, so teachers should not plan on using the site to assess performance.

Tool Overview

Editor's note: Teachers should know that PBS KIDS has some privacy concerns. Consult our full evaluation for details.

PBS KIDS is a directory for roughly 20 TV and Web-only PBS KIDS shows designed for older preschool and elementary-aged kids. From PBS KIDS kids can navigate directly to a particular show’s individual site, where they'll find games, videos, and other related content. Kids can also watch video clips, sign in to their Secret Box to track scores, save favorites, and store creations, or make cartoons in the cartoon studio.

Games match learning content to their companion show, so topics are as varied as the PBS KIDS lineup. For instance, Wild Kratts games address science and animals; Webonauts, media literacy; Eco World, environment and ecology; Design Squad, engineering; and Fetch, science and problem-solving. There are also games, activities, and videos for music, girl power in science, cultural understanding, critical thinking, American history, culture, and geography, as well as pre-teen social-emotional and personal issues such as friends, family, emotions, body, and money.

Learning Value

As a directory site, PBS KIDS gathers a wealth of content in one central location. Each individual PBS KIDS show is supported by specific learning goals, developed with expert advice and often tested to demonstrate effectiveness. With educational activities, creation tools, plenty of suggestions for extending learning offline, and lots of fun, the PBS KIDS sites are rich with learning potential.

The downside is that PBS KIDS could use more structure, as kids might easily get distracted. The site would be stronger if, for instance, it included better progress assessments and a clear listing of all the learning topics available.

Rating Details

Overall Rating

5

Engagement Is the product stimulating, entertaining, and engrossing? Will kids want to return?

5

With the vast selection of videos and games, kids will be hard-pressed not to find something that excites them. However, too many choices can be overwhelming, and kids risk wandering around the site without direction or purpose.

Pedagogy Is learning content seamlessly baked-in, and do kids build conceptual understanding? Is the product adaptable and empowering? Will skills transfer?

4

More than 230 games touch on topics like math, science, and even engineering and media literacy. Some games are rich with learning content and some are more for fun, but all boast typical PBS high-quality design and learning approach.

Support Does the product take into account learners of varying abilities, skill levels, and learning styles? Does it address both struggling and advanced students?

5

Each PBS show page includes a wealth of support information, including learning goals, printables, and suggestions for offline activities. Games have good instructions, and kids should find something that suits their learning needs.

Common Sense Reviewer

Mieke VanderBorght Researcher

About our ratings and privacy evaluation.

Teacher Reviews

Write a review

A big mixed bag - choose wisely
1

Victor K.
Piney Ridge Elementary School
Sykesville, MD

3

October 29, 2013
A great teaching tool for social media pitfalls! A great way to teach students ethics pertaining to social media and...

Mitch G.
Liberty Ranch High School
Galt, CA

4

June 22, 2016
PBS Kids Go is awesome, great for reading, and provides nice character profiles!

Jessica M.
Hite Saunders Elementary School
Huntington, WV

5

May 9, 2016
pbs kids rocks!

Danielle F.

4

April 19, 2016
Great Interactive Site with Games and Videos- SAFE!

Calla W.

3

August 26, 2015
An engaging way for students to learn and play at the same time.

Donna N.

4

August 12, 2015

See All 13 Teacher Reviews

© Common Sense Media Inc. 2017 All rights reserved. Common Sense, Common Sense Media, Common Sense Education and Common Sense Kids Action, associated names, associated trademarks, and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. (FEIN 41-2024986) Teaching strategies and digital citizenship tools for educators.

Geometry
1.G: Reason With Shapes And Their Attributes.
1.G.2	Compose two-dimensional shapes (rectangles, squares, trapezoids, triangles, half-circles, and quarter-circles) or three-dimensional shapes (cubes, right rectangular prisms, right circular cones, and right circular cylinders) to create a composite shape, and compose new shapes from the composite shape.4
Measurement And Data
1.MD: Measure Lengths Indirectly And By Iterating Length Units.
1.MD.1	Order three objects by length; compare the lengths of two objects indirectly by using a third object.
2.MD: Measure And Estimate Lengths In Standard Units.
2.MD.1	Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools such as rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes.
3.MD: Solve Problems Involving Measurement And Estimation Of Intervals Of Time, Liquid Volumes, And Masses Of Objects.
3.MD.2	Measure and estimate liquid volumes and masses of objects using standard units of grams (g), kilograms (kg), and liters (l).6 Add, subtract, multiply, or divide to solve one-step word problems involving masses or volumes that are given in the same units, e.g., by using drawings (such as a beaker with a measurement scale) to represent the problem.7
5.MD: Geometric Measurement: Understand Concepts Of Volume And Relate Volume To Multiplication And To Addition.
5.MD.4	Measure volumes by counting unit cubes, using cubic cm, cubic in, cubic ft, and improvised units.

Language
L.K: Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.K.6	Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts.
L.1: Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.1.4a	Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

L.1.5c	Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., note places at home that are cozy).

L.1.6	Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple relationships (e.g., because).
L.2: Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.2.6	Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using adjectives and adverbs to describe (e.g., When other kids are happy that makes me happy).
L.3: Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.3.5b	Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe people who are friendly or helpful).
L.4: Knowledge of Language
L.4.3a	Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.*

L.4.3b	Choose punctuation for effect.*
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.4.4a	Use context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

L.4.5c	Demonstrate understanding of words by relating them to their opposites (antonyms) and to words with similar but not identical meanings (synonyms).
L.5: Vocabulary acquisition and Use
L.5.4a	Use context (e.g., cause/effect relationships and comparisons in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

L.5.5c	Use the relationship between particular words (e.g., synonyms, antonyms, homographs) to better understand each of the words.
L.6: Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.6.4	Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 6 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

L.6.5	Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

PBS KIDS GO!

One-stop shop for a wealth of fantastic PBS KIDS educational content

Subjects and Skills: PBS KIDS GO!

Lesson & Activity Ideas

Tool Overview

Learning Value

Rating Details

Overall Rating

Engagement Is the product stimulating, entertaining, and engrossing? Will kids want to return?

Pedagogy Is learning content seamlessly baked-in, and do kids build conceptual understanding? Is the product adaptable and empowering? Will skills transfer?

Support Does the product take into account learners of varying abilities, skill levels, and learning styles? Does it address both struggling and advanced students?

Key Standards Supported

Geometry

Measurement And Data

Key Standards Supported

Language

Teacher Reviews

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