Kid's TV Review: Sid the Science Kid

A relatively new show on PBS called Sid the Science Kid has begun to catch on with the three year old in my household, and I've got to say that I'm rather pleased with it. Produced by the Jim Henson Company, Sid the Science Kid is a computer animated half-hour show which focuses on a different science topic each week. The first run of episodes, which started running in September, consist of:

• The Sticker Chart
• The Rolie Polie
• Enough with the Seashells
• The Whale Episode
• Super Science Tools
• My Mushy Banana
• My Shrinking Shoes
• My Ice Pops
• The Perfect Pancake
• No More Changes
• The Itchy Tag
• What's That Smell?
• Grandma's Glasses
• Too Much Noise!
• All My Senses

The show follows Sid as he realizes there's something he wants to understand more about. He proceeds to talk to his family about the situation, then his friends and his teacher. Throughout the course of his day, he learns more and more about the situation or phenomenon, until he returns home at the end of the day to sum up his findings for the viewers.

The show does an excellent job of making the point that science is about asking questions and looking at the world around us to get answers to those questions. Overall, I'm fairly pleased with it. The questions aren't typically that directly related to physics, but it's certainly fun and is a great scientific introduction for young children. After we watch an episode, I like to ask my son what he learned about bananas although, in fairness, I do think the show is aimed a bit higher than three years old.

Find out more about Jim Henson's Sid the Science Kid at the PBS Sid the Science Kid site.