"Why are my shoes shrinking?" PBS Kids and SID THE SCIENCE KID help us find the answer

This month, PBS Kids launched a new educational animated television series which attempts to promote "exploration, discovery and science readiness" among preschoolers. The Jim Henson Company and KCET/Los Angeles produced 40 half-hour episodes of the new program - called SID THE SCIENCE KID.

According to PBSKids.org, the show is The Jim Henson Company's first series for PBS KIDS that features a practical in-school science curriculum, and uses music and humor to celebrate children's curiosity about science in everyday life. The main character - Sid - starts each episode with a new question such as "Why are my shoes shrinking?" or "Why do bananas get mushy?", then starts on an adventure of finding answers with the help of family and friends.

PBS believes kids who ask, "Why are the leaves falling off the trees? Why are my shoes too small? Where'd my snowman go?" – are wondering about transformation and change. "What's hair for? Why are my teeth different shapes? How do birds fly, and why can't I?" are questions about form and function. Sid helps explore these areas.

PBS says the main goals of Sid the Science Kid are:

• to encourage children to think, talk and work the way scientists do by building on preschoolers' natural curiosity about the world
• show that science is all around us - we all interact with and are capable of learning about scientific concepts
• to contribute to school readiness by fostering children's intellectual skills, motivation to learn, and confidence in themselves as learners
• and support children's learning by partnering with parents and teachers to create a "climate of curiosity" for children.

Check-out your local TV listings for program schedules. Sid the Science Kid also offers an interactive website for children 3-6 and the adults who care for them.