Is there research that proves that kids learn critical skills from PBS KIDS?

PBS KIDS has decades of research showing that content has helped kids learn critical skills in science, literacy, math and more, in addition to important life skills, like collaboration, problem solving, empathy and self-regulation. Examples of this research include:

• An independent review of 45 studies, which included nearly 25,000 children between the ages of 2 and 8 years old, found that PBS KIDS media and resources increased children's early literacy skills, such as letter recognition, vocabulary development, and phonological and phonemic awareness¹.
• Research has found that children who watched DANIEL TIGER'S NEIGHBORHOOD and discussed it with their parents demonstrated greater empathy, recognized emotions better, and felt more confident in social interactions than peers who did not watch the show².
• DANIEL TIGER'S NEIGHBORHOOD has also had a lasting impact. Researchers looked at teens to see how the series has impacted them nearly 12 years since its debut, finding that they remember the series as a show that taught them life skills, including understanding others' emotions and managing their own, maintaining friendships, problem solving, and more. They also reflect on the series as bringing them feelings of comfort, companionship, and happiness as young children³.
• Research has shown positive gains in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) learning with use of PBS KIDS content and resources, including enhanced understanding of concepts like movement and force and increased use of science vocabulary⁴. THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT! increased children's interest and positive attitudes towards science, fostering a foundation for future learning⁴, while WORK IT OUT WOMBATS! helped to strengthen the foundational computation thinking skill or sequencing, which is critical for problem-solving and coding⁵.

These measurable, real-world impacts on children's learning is the goal of PBS KIDS programming. Additional research can be found on PBS LearningMedia.

Sources:

1. Hurwitz, L.B. (2019). Getting a read on Ready to Learn media: A meta-analytic review of effects on literacy. Child Development, 90(5), 1754-1771.
2. Rassmussen et al. 2016. Relation between active mediation, exposure to Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, and US preschoolers' social and emotional development. Journal of Children and Media, 10(4):1-19
3. UCLA Center for Scholars & Storytellers (CSS) study
4. Grindal, T., Silander, M., Gerard, S. Maxon, T., Garcia, E., Hupert, N., Vahey, P., Pasnik, S. (2019). Early Science and Engineering: The Impact of The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! on Learning. New York, NY, Menlo Park, CA: Education Development Center, Inc., & SRI International.
5. Relkin, E., Christensen, C., Silander, M., Gerard, S., Kook, J., Gardener, S., Vidiksis, R., Gaylor, E., Nelson, L., Hunt, E., Hupert, N., & Pasnik, S. The Impact of computational thinking and related skills: An Evaluation of Work It Out Wombats! from PBS KIDS.