HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (May 24, 2011) – SID THE SCIENCE KID™, the EMMY®-nominated animated preschool series that encourages early science exploration, demonstrates how fun a simple backyard campout can be for the whole family when the all-new episode “Sid’s Backyard Campout!” premieres on Monday, June 20, on PBS KIDS® (check local listings).
In “Backyard Campout!” Sid spends a fun-filled day finding answers about the outdoors with his dad and good friend Gerald. As the episode unfolds, Sid’s dad is eager to share his love of nature and demonstrates how to have a great time outside with the simplest of necessities. First they’ll set up tents for a campout in the backyard. Then they’ll look for animals, cook their own dinner, marvel at the stars in the sky, roast marshmallows, and sing songs around the campfire.
To kick off summer and in conjunction with National Backyard Campout Day on June 25, Sid encourages his viewers to enjoy the experience of Sid, Gerald and dad all summer long as encore broadcasts of “Sid’s Backyard Campout!” are scheduled for June 24, July 12, July 27 and August 19.
SID THE SCIENCE KID (PBSKIDS.org/sid) is part of a long line of successful preschool programming from The Jim Henson Company that includes the new smash hit DINOSAUR TRAIN as well as FRAGGLE ROCK and BEAR IN THE BIG BLUE HOUSE. SID THE SCIENCE KID is produced using the revolutionary Emmy® Award-winning Henson Digital Puppetry Studio, a proprietary technology that allows performers to puppeteer and voice digital characters in real-time, creating an unprecedented level of spontaneity, quality and interactivity.
SID THE SCIENCE KID, honored with four EMMY nominations and multiple prestigious awards (most recently the CINE Golden Eagle Award), is a co-production of The Jim Henson Company and KCET/Los Angeles for PBS KIDS. Lisa Henson and Halle Stanford of The Jim Henson Company, along with Bradley Zweig, serve as executive producers. Joyce Campbell is executive producer for KCET. Mary Mazur is executive in charge of production for KCET. The Jim Henson Company is handling all ancillary use of the property including licensing, video and merchandising.
Sid the Science Kid airs on PBS KIDS with funding provided by The Boeing Company and The Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional funding provided by MetLife Foundation, The Rose Hills Foundation, the S.D. Bechtel., Jr. Foundation, the Johnny Carson Foundation and The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations.
About PBS KIDS
PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for children, offers all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, online and community-based programs. More than 21 million children watch PBS KIDS on TV, and PBSKIDS.org, the number one kids’ entertainment site for free video streaming, attracts more than 9.5 million unique visitors per month (Neilsen NTI; comScore Video Metrix; Google Analytics). For more information on specific PBS KIDS programs supporting literacy, science, math and more, visit PBS.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter and Facebook.
PHOTO CREDIT – © 2011 The Jim Henson Company. JIM HENSON’S mark & logo, SID THE SCIENCE KID mark & logo, characters and elements are trademarks of The Jim Henson Company. All Rights Reserved.
Press Contacts
Barry Smith/Elizabeth Marmo, SWPR Group (818) 760-7131; bsmith@swprgroup.com, emarmo@swprgroup.com
Britney Bagley, Rogers Ruder Finn, (310) 552-4145; bagleyb@ruderfinn.com
Ann Schwarz, The Jim Henson Company, (323) 802-1667; aschwarz@henson.com
Nicole Goldman, The Jim Henson Company, (323) 802-1608; ngoldman@henson.com
Maria Vera, PBS (703) 739-3225; mvera@pbs.org