Do your children love PBS Kid’s shows? Who can resist the loveable characters that have been created over the years, that sing, dance and teach children in the early years. PBS Kids announced January 21, 2014, the production of a new children’s program that is sure to win the hearts of children everywhere - The ODD Squad. The show presents two new characters, Olive and Otto who are young agents on a mission to save the day, especially when unusual events occur. Children help the ODD Squad solve problems that are embedded with math concepts.
Each episode features two 11 minute cases in which Olive and Otto work together to investigate and solve problems and correct the unusual odd problem in their town. An exact release date is not given at this time, but PBS Kids promises it will be soon. The pair wrangles escaped book characters, and face off with various villains while laying a foundation of math learning. On top of the cases, there is a mini- learning session in could feature an agent training video, tour of the agent headquarters or a demonstration of the math tools that are show in the episode.
In addition to the on-air shows, The ODD Squad will also feature multi-media learning online and mobile. Kids will be able to interact with the ODD Squad as well as sign up to be a member of the squad. These digital features will be free to parents. Parent resources will also be added to the mobile apps to assist caregivers in assisting their children with their math learning.
“Research shows that children who have positive, enriching experiences with math learning at a young age will have greater long-term success,” said Lesli Rotenberg, General Manager, Children’s Programming, PBS. “These early math experiences are especially important for kids from low-income families, who typically start school with lower scores in math than their middle-income peers. Grounded in a standards-based math framework, ODD SQUAD is designed to help children build these critical math skills and skills such as problem-solving, resilience and collaboration, to help them establish a solid foundation for success in school and in life.”
According to PBS Kids, ODD SQUAD is created by Tim McKeon (Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Adventure Time, The Electric Company) and Adam Peltzman (The Electric Company, The Backyardigans, Wallykazam!) and produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment and The Fred Rogers Company. ODD SQUAD is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Education through the Ready To Learn Initiative, a program that supports the development of innovative educational television and digital media targeted to preschool and early elementary school children and their families, and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).