Arizona PBS to Premiere ‘Nature Cat,’ ‘Ready Jet Go!’ in Early 2016

PHOENIX – (Jan. 12, 2015)

Arizona PBS encourages children to embark on scientific explorations with the series premiere of the CGI-animated educational series, “Ready Jet Go!” and all-new episodes of the animated PBS KIDS series “Nature Cat.”

“Nature Cat” will kick off its new homein the daily lineup with an hourlong special airing on Jan. 18 at 8 a.m. (repeating Jan. 22 at 8 a.m.). The special will also be available on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video App. New episodes of “Nature Cat” also will debut each day that week. New “Nature Cat” games, clips and full episodes will also be available on PBS KIDS’ digital platforms throughout the month.

Grounded in a natural science curriculum, “Nature Cat,” which premiered on PBS KIDS in November, is designed to encourage children ages 3 to 8, to go outside and explore the outdoors, while learning about a variety of scientific topics along the way. The “Nature Cat” special will include four 11-minute stories with Nature Cat, voiced by “Saturday Night Live” star Taran Killam, along with fellow SNL cast members Kate McKinnon, as the voice of Squeeks the mouse, and Bobby Moynihan as Hal the dog, and also featuring “The Big Bang Theory” actress Kate Micucci as Daisy, the pet rabbit. The animal pals embark on action-packed adventures, perilous missions, nature investigations and discovery moments. In each story, the characters model age-appropriate reasoning skills and explore natural science concepts, such as the role seeds play in plants’ life cycles and the types of wildlife found in various environments.

New digital content from “Nature Cat” will include “Racing Rapids,” an online game in which kids will use systems thinking skills to build a boat racer and then go on a water-based adventure with Nature Cat and his friends. The one- to two-player game lets kids race their favorite “Nature Cat” character and earn boat parts to unlock new races. From a stream to a river, players will learn how to create the best boat for each level’s environment. As they play the game, watch water-related clips and complete a “Build a Sailboat” do-it-yourself activity, kids will also have the opportunity to earn a new badge called “Ahoy Matey!” on pbskids.org/naturecat.

NATURE CAT one-hour special
Premieres Monday, Jan. 18, at 8 a.m., including four all-new 11-minute stories:

“Stream and Shout” − Nature Cat goes to his Nature Curiosity List for inspiration and finds number 73: “Where do streams begin?” This seemingly simple question leads the gang on an action-packed adventure, as they follow the stream uphill, exploring new environments and meeting a variety of friendly critters. When they finally find out where the stream begins, they are “whoa-ho-ho” amazed.

Curriculum:Streams start out as runoff from rain or snow and flow into larger and larger bodies of water, eventually reaching the ocean.

“Hal’s Day Off” − After a silly mishap leaves Hal alone in the big city (though he does have his chew-toy Mr. Chewinsky with him), it’s up to Nature Cat, Squeeks and Daisy to make their way to the city and find Hal. Even though Hal is having so much fun sightseeing, he will need to get home somehow. When Nature Cat, Squeeks and Daisy can’t locate Hal, they turn for help to animals that they never knew lived in the city.

Curriculum: Different kinds of wild animals can survive and even thrive in city neighborhoods.

“Tally Ho! A Rainbow” − After a rainstorm, Daisy wants to capture a picture of a rainbow for her Granny Bunny, and the four friends trek all over in search of it.

Curriculum: Just after a rainstorm, when the sun comes out, you can stand with your back to it and look for a rainbow in the sky.

“Travelin’ Seeds” − When Daisy finds a flower in her garden that she didn’t plant, it’s up to Nature Cat and his pals to find out where the flower came from. Their investigation leads them through the park and into the woods, where the clues show them that seeds can travel far distances and grow where they land. 

Curriculum: Some plants make seeds that travel to new growing places to continue the plants’ cycle of life.

Also coming to Arizona PBS is the all-new scientific explorations series, “Ready Jet Go!” which premieres Feb. 15 at 7:30 a.m. “Ready Jet Go!” takes viewers on a journey into outer space, building on children’s curiosity about science, technology and astronomy. The series follows two neighborhood kids: Sean, who has an all-consuming drive for science facts, and Sydney, who has a passion for science fiction and imagination. They both befriend the new kid on their street, Jet Propulsion, whose family members happen to be aliens from the planet Bortron 7. Together, they explore the solar system and the effects it has on the science of our planet, while learning about friendship and teamwork along the way.

Specifically tailored for kids ages three through eight years old, the series is specially designed to help children learn astronomy and Earth science concepts.  At the heart of every episode is a basic, kid-friendly question about outer space or Earth science. In the show, the characters often employ the scientific method to find the answers to their questions. “Ready Jet Go!” uses comedy to help frame educational content in an engaging context that connects with young audiences.

“Ready Jet Go!” features live-action interstitials with Jet Propulsion Laboratory astronomer Dr. Amy Mainzer, who is also the science curriculum consultant for the show. The series was created by Craig Bartlett, who also created the hit PBS KIDS’ series “Dinosaur Train.” Digital content related to the series, including games, hands-on activities and parent resources, will be available in early 2016 as well.

“Arizona PBS is committed to providing content that encourages children to use their critical thinking skills to explore educational concepts in an engaging and exciting format,” said Kimberly Flack, associate general manager of educational outreach at Arizona PBS. “Both ‘Nature Cat’ and ‘Ready Jet Go!’ challenge kids to explore the world around them, whether it’s playing outside in the backyard or using their imaginations to explore intergalactic science.”

“Nature Cat” airs Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. and Sundays at 10 a.m. “Ready Jet Go!” airs Monday through Friday at 7:30 a.m., beginning Feb. 15, and Sundays at 10:30 a.m., beginning Feb. 28.