PBS is bringing its Super Why brand to the Android platform via an application that helps kids learn while on the go.

The company has experienced success with several of its apps, with more than 2 million downloads of PBS apps to date. It hopes to extend that success onto the growing Android platform.

?PBS Kids wants to help kids learn, grow and have fun regardless of platform,? said Jason Seiken, senior vice president, interactive, at PBS, Arlington, VA. ?With the growing market share of Android, we?re moving aggressively to provide apps for PBS fans on that platform.?

PBS? Super Why app for the iPad was in the iTunes store the day the iPad launched.

Most recently, the company launched the Super Why Paint! App for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.
The Super Why apps are based on the Super Why preschool PBS Kids series from Out of the Blue Enterprises.

PBS currently offers 10 apps in the kids space, another four for grown-ups and makes more than 500 hours of video available in its iPhone and iPad apps.

?We are the most aggressive traditional media company in terms of offering full-length video in apps,? Mr. Seiken said.

Education apps are fun
The Super Why app for Android focuses on developing key literacy skills, such as rhyming and letter identification, in a fun and engaging way.

The app features four interactive literacy games, Super Why?s Story Saver, Princess Presto?s Wands Up Writing, Wonder Red?s Rhyming Time and Alpha Pig?s Lickety Letter Hunt. 

Users can play along with each of the four main characters from the series.

Additionally, users can play a game and then exit and play a different game at any time.

Every time users successfully complete a game, they win a ?sticker? that can be added to a virtual sticker book. Users can paste their stickers on different pictures in the My Super Sticker section,
The Super Why app for Android is available for $2.99 in the Amazon Appstore for Android.

The app attempts to address the need for high-quality educational apps on mobile platforms.

?It?s important for parents to know that an independent educational testing firm has conducted research that showed literacy gains for kids who used the iPhone version of this app for two weeks, compared with a control group,? Mr. Seiken said.

Final Take
PBS' Super Why app demo