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Hollywood, CA -- The Jim Henson Company [1] announced the production of an all-new third season of the EMMY-nominated and Parents’ Choice Recommended animated PBS KIDS series Dinosaur Train. A hit with both U.S. and international audiences, the new season will premiere in fall 2013 in the U.S. on PBS KIDS where it ranks consistently in the top ten children’s programs among kids ages 2 to 5.
The third season of Dinosaur Train will consist of 13 CG-animated, half-hour episodes (or 26 x 11 minute episodes), each produced to inspire and encourage children (and their parents) to be more adventurous by exploring elements of the natural world around them. Buddy, his family and friends introduce viewers to the wonders of nature, from bird watching and caving, to bullfrogs and butterflies. Of course, there’s plenty of fun as Buddy and his friends participate in a Nature Trackers Adventure Camp, learning how to “read” plants, animals and even the clouds in the sky to understand more about their environment. Capping off the excitement of season three, Dinosaur Train’s Pteranodon family and friends also attend “The Classic in the Jurassic,” where creatures from the three time periods covered in the series—Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous—compete in fun contests.
“Dinosaur Train continues to be a wonderfully engaging way to introduce young audiences to the wonders of both natural history and paleontology in a fun, participatory format,” said Lisa Henson, CEO of The Jim Henson Company.
There is also a strong demand in the international marketplace for Dinosaur Train, which currently airs in over 175 countries across the globe with key broadcast partners, including TVO and TFO (Canada), Nickelodeon (UK), Disney Channel (Germany), France 5 (France), SVT (Sweden), NRK (Norway), YLE (Finland), Canal+ (Poland), Channel 1 (Russia), Nick Jr. (Australia) and Discovery Kids (Latin America).
Dinosaur Train, created by Craig Bartlett (Hey Arnold!), embraces and celebrates the fascination that preschoolers have with both dinosaurs and trains while encouraging basic scientific thinking and skills. Each episode includes animated segments with live-action sequences featuring a paleontologist who brings to life the show's natural science and natural history curriculum for preschoolers, giving specific facts about dinosaurs and comparing their features to animals of today.
In Dinosaur Train, viewers join Buddy and his adoptive family of Pteranodons on whimsical adventures through prehistoric jungles, swamps, volcanoes and oceans as they unearth basic concepts in natural science, natural history and paleontology. The Dinosaur Train is a colorful locomotive, customized to accommodate all kinds of dinosaurs and has the ability to visit the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous worlds. The Train’s Conductor, a knowledgeable Troodon, provides passengers with fascinating facts along the way.
In addition to the television series, there is also a Dinosaur Train interactive website at PBSKIDS.org/dinosaurtrain [2]. It was recently honored with a 2013 KidScreen Award for Best preschool companion website. The website is also a recipient of a Parents’ Choice Silver Award and the prestigious Prix Jeunesse Award, the site attracts over 2.4 million visitors per month.
Lisa Henson, Halle Stanford and Craig Bartlett will executive produce the new season. The Jim Henson Company oversees all ancillary exploitation of the property, including licensing and merchandising. PBS handles DVD distribution to consumer and education markets.
Source: The Jim Henson Company
Links:
[1] http://www.henson.com/
[2] http://www.pbskids.org/dinosaurtrain