Exciting news for parents of young gamers! PBS KIDS has just launched a brand-new animated series, Skillsville. Created by Twin Cities PBS (TPT), this engaging show is designed for kids ages 4-8 and teaches them essential life skills through the fun and familiar world of video games.
What is Skillsville? Skillsville follows three best friends—Cora, Dev, and Rae —who love to play together, whether on the playground or in their favorite digital game, “Skillsville.” With each episode, children will explore different career possibilities while learning important skills such as self-regulation, organization, focus, and creative thinking. The show is designed to help kids develop strategies they can use in real life, whether it’s managing emotions, remembering tasks, or solving problems.
Why Gaming? As parents, we often worry about screen time, but gaming can be an incredible tool for learning. According to PBS KIDS Senior Vice President Sara DeWitt, Skillsville leverages the best aspects of gaming to help children build resiliency by making mistakes, experiment with different approaches to solving problems, and stay persistent in their goals. Executive Producer Carol-Lynn Parente adds that the show is about more than just playing—it’s about teaching kids how to overcome challenges, think critically, and develop skills they’ll use for a lifetime.
Meet the Skillsville Team! Each episode starts in the real world, where Cora, Dev, and Rae face a challenge related to one of five key life skills: feel, focus, organize, remember, and think differently. When they enter the game world, they transform into their unique avatars – Parcora, Devosaurus, and Racer Rae – and receive guidance from Scout, a friendly dog with dragonfly wings. Together, they work through fun challenges, earn career-related badges, and bring their new skills back to the real world. The three main characters tackle challenges that tap their strengths and that encourage them to develop strategies for in cultivating the skills that are harder for them:
- Cora, whose mother is a game developer who created “Skillsville,” is a logical problem-solver who loves gaming but sometimes needs help trusting her instincts.
- Dev, whose greatest passion is dinosaurs, is a creative thinker with a vivid imagination, but he struggles with focus and managing emotions.
- Rae, who was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair, is adventurous and quick-thinking but learns the importance of slowing down to plan.
When Cora’s mom asks them to test out her new virtual reality game, the three friends embark on exciting adventures in “Skillsville”— a city filled with tiny residents called Beeples who need their help!
Learning Through Play In Skillsville, kids get to try out different careers while keeping their virtual city running smoothly. One day, they might be air traffic controllers for paper planes; another day, they could be running a lemonade stand or designing a rollercoaster. These experiences show kids how different jobs contribute to a community while reinforcing real-world skills like planning, perseverance, and teamwork.
To make the experience even more immersive, Skillsville will also feature interactive learning games on PBSKIDS.org and the PBS KIDS Games app, along with resources for parents and teachers on PBS LearningMedia.
Why Parents Will Love Skillsville If your child loves video games, this show is a great way to turn that interest into a valuable learning experience. By incorporating key life skills into engaging stories, Skillsville helps children see themselves as problem-solvers, thinkers, and future leaders.
So check your local programming! Skillsville is on the PBS KIDS app in both English and Spanish. Get ready for an adventure where learning and play goes hand in hand!
To explore the full universe of Skillsville, visit Skillsville.org.
