PBS KIDS is looking to encourage an interest in problem-solving and earth science among elementary school students with two new 2D-animated series.

The pubcaster has greenlit Lyla in the Loop (pictured below) from Pennsylvania-based Mighty Picnic (Peg + Cat) and Canada’s Pipeline Studios (Alma’s Way). This 40 x 30-minute series centers around a seven-year-old girl who looks for creative solutions to daily problems such as building a train set for her brother, or locating a missing package sent by her auntie in Jamaica. The series was financed in part by grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the US Department of Education’s Ready to Learn Initiative. It targets kids ages four to eight and will premiere in early 2024. 

PBS KIDS has also ordered a STEM-based series for five to eights called Weather Hunters (pictured above), which stars an eight-year-old “weather detective” investigating weather patterns with her family. Each episode tackles questions like why climate differs across regions. New York’s Al Roker Entertainment (Kimberly’s Simply Southern) produces this 40 x 22-minute series, with funding from PBS and Minnesota-based Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies.

Lyla in the Loop

Both series feature prominent representation of Black families, STEM curriculum elements and a specific focus on narrower scientific topics. The climate change themes explored in Weather Hunters, in particular, should have a timely appeal, says Sara DeWitt, SVP and GM at PBS KIDS. “We know the skills in both of these series are critical to preparing kids to be active members of their communities, providing important building blocks to tackling future challenges in our society.”