Common Sense Media Review
By Dana Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Simple and safe; a great first site for preschoolers.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Videos and Photos
PBS Kids
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 27 parent reviews
Parents say that the site is highly valued for its educational content and absence of commercialism, making it a go-to choice for many. However, there is significant concern about the introduction of LGBTQ+ themes in programming, lack of variety in shows, and specific show choices that some feel are not suitable or engaging for children, with several parents expressing their disappointment and a desire for better options.
- educational content
- LGBTQ+ concerns
- lack of variety
- specific show issues
- preferred classic shows
- parental control
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 27 kid reviews
Kids say that the website has become less engaging, with many expressing disappointment over the removal of beloved shows and the introduction of less entertaining content. Some users criticize specific shows for poor character representation, while others emphasize the site’s educational value and safety for children, highlighting the need for diverse programming and improved morality in some shows.
- less engaging
- poor character representation
- educational value
- need for diversity
- quality concerns
- safety for children
Summarized with AI
Privacy Rating Pass
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
What's It About?
PBS KIDS, designed for kids 4 and up, is the home base for all of PBS Kids' offerings. The site features games, videos, and other activities that center on popular PBS live-action and animated show characters such as Noah and Thomas. Rotate the show wheel to choose your favorite character, and you'll be taken directly to their page; you also can browse the site by video or game.
Is It Any Good?
This educational site for preschoolers shows what PBS does best: provide basic lessons involving favorite PBS TV characters in an easy-to-use format with voice-over instructions. Organized by show, including Caillou and Arthur, there's much to do here, including watching videos, playing games, and printing out activities to do offline. With your help, your kids can play games based on a favorite character, or you can choose certain skills for them to work on, such as letters, numbers, shapes, Spanish, and more. That said, there's so much here that it can be easy for kids to get lost or feel overwhelmed. Kids may need some help and guidance to navigate through what PBS KIDS offers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about all the skills preschoolers learn every day - and which ones are available on PBS KIDS. Even figuring out how to operate the computer mouse is a milestone. Whether it's by watching Sesame Street on television, playing a game online, coloring at preschool, or playing their own make-believe games at home, there are so many ways for young children to grow.
Even the youngest computer users can get used to the idea of computer time limits. Explain to your child why you're setting limits for them and why you want to sit with them while they're first learning how to navigate even a very safe website such as this one.
Take the learning offline and talk to your kids about their favorite shows and games.
Website Details
- Subjects : Language & Reading : following directions , letter or word recognition , reading , vocabulary , Math : counting , grouping , measurement , numbers , patterns , sequences , shapes , Science : animals , plants , Arts : music
- Skills : Thinking & Reasoning : logic , solving puzzles , Self-Direction : academic development , personal growth , Emotional Development : empathy , identifying emotions , labeling feelings , Responsibility & Ethics : respect for others
- Genre : Educational
- Topics : STEM , Animals ( Dinosaurs ) , Numbers and Letters
- Award : Common Sense Media Award
- Pricing structure : Free
- Last updated : November 6, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate