Premiering Nationwide on Public Television Beginning July 13
Playworks announced a content partnership with The WNET Group’s Camp TV, a new one-hour public television series that brings the day camp experience to children nationwide weekdays beginning Monday, July 13 on public television (check local listings). In the New York metro area, Camp TV premieres Monday, July 13 at 10 a.m. on WLIW21, 11 a.m. on THIRTEEN, and 12 p.m. on NJTV. Episodes will also be available to stream at camptv.org.
Providing ideas for fun activities to kids who can’t go to camp this summer, Camp TV is hosted by a head counselor played by Zachary Noah Piser, a Broadway performer (“Dear Evan Hansen,” “Wicked”) who guides campers as they learn through play.
“During this challenging time, we hope we’re able to bring kids some of the magic, learning, and fun of summer camp through Camp TV,” said Neal Shapiro, President & CEO of The WNET Group.
“Public media stations have stepped forward to fill gaps in creative ways to help children learning at home during the pandemic,” said Pat Harrison, president and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. “CPB is proud to support this public media effort, which brings the camp experience to children sheltering at home, while also helping to prevent a ‘summer slide’ in student learning.”
“We are thrilled to engage kids in play every day in partnership with WNET,” said Executive Director of Playworks New York and New Jersey Robin Grossman. “We specifically modified some of our favorite engaging games for young children to be played with social distancing, limited space, and little to no equipment so that every child can experience the benefits of play from home.”
Head counselor Zach kicks off each episode with a welcome song and announces the day’s theme: silly hat day, camping day, rhyme day, silly sock day, backwards day, and more. Zach then guides campers through a variety of activities — exploring nature, math, science, the arts, movement, storytelling, writing, and more. For example, kids will learn about surface tension while making bouncing bubbles and discover shapes while creating a flying origami star. They will learn how to do magic tricks, turn sneakers into tap shoes, create an oboe from a straw, and make guacamole. They will meet all kinds of animals, from a playful bearcat to chickens who like classical music. Every episode also includes a storytelling segment that features a different book of the day.
Confirmed Camp TV content partners include Bedtime Math, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Brooklyn Public Library, Chamber Music Society, Children’s Museum of the Arts, Franklin Institute, Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum, Let’s Learn NYC!, Liberty Science Center, Lincoln Center , Macmillan, Memphis Zoo, National Dance Institute, New Victory Theater, New York Botanical Garden, New York Public Library, New York Road Runners, Playworks, ReadWorks, Story Pirates, and Wildlife Conservation Society. Additional content is provided by teachers who participated in The WNET Group’s NJTV Learning Live series.
Camp TV is a production of THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC for WNET. The program is distributed nationally by The WNET Group. Sandra Sheppard is executive producer. Melinda Toporoff is series producer and writer, Kevin Di Salvo is coordinating producer. Maria Stoian is producer.
Major funding for Camp TV is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional funding is provided by Joan Ganz Cooney.
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About Playworks
Playworks is the leading national nonprofit leveraging the power of play to transform children’s social and emotional health. We are changing school culture by leveraging the power of safe, fun, and healthy play at school. We create a place for every kid on the playground to feel included, be active, and build valuable social and emotional skills. Our vision is for 3.5 million kids in 7,000 elementary schools nationwide to experience safe and healthy play every day.
About WNET
WNET is America’s flagship PBS station: parent company of New York’s THIRTEEN and WLIW21, WLIWWorld and WLIWCreate and operator of NJTV, the statewide public media network in New Jersey. Through its new ALL ARTS multi-platform initiative, its broadcast channels, three cable services (THIRTEEN PBSKids, Create and World) and online streaming sites, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to more than five million viewers each month. WNET produces and presents a wide range of acclaimed PBS series, including Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, PBS NewsHour Weekend, and the nightly interview program Amanpour and Company. In addition, WNET produces numerous documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings, as well as multi-platform initiatives addressing poverty and climate. Through THIRTEEN Passport and WLIW Passport, station members can stream new and archival THIRTEEN, WLIW and PBS programming anytime, anywhere.
Contact: media@playworks.org
