The start of a new school year is filled with big emotions—excitement, curiosity, butterflies, and sometimes a few jitters, too. And those feelings aren’t just for kids! Parents and caregivers often experience their own mix of anticipation and anxiety as everyone settles into a new routine.
That’s where PBS KIDS® can help.
The new animated special, The Day You Begin, follows four kindergarteners—Angelina, Rigoberto, Oni, and Andre—as they navigate all the emotions, challenges, and discoveries that come with their first day of school. Through their experiences, young viewers learn that being different, trying something new, and finding the courage to share their stories can help them feel like they belong.
The hour-long special is based on the beloved children’s book by Jacqueline Woodson, a MacArthur Fellow, former Young People’s Poet Laureate, and award-winning author of books for children, teens, and adults. Woodson is perhaps best known for her National Book Award-winning memoir, Brown Girl Dreaming.
Families can catch The Day You Begin on Nine PBS on August 7 at 7 am, with encore broadcasts on August 12 at 3 pm and August 16 at 6 am. The special will also air multiple times on the PBS KIDS channel beginning August 7 at 1:30 pm.
To help families tackle common back-to-school hurdles, PBS KIDS is also offering first-day-of-school resources packed with practical tips and strategies to ease transitions, build confidence, and create positive school-day routines.
The back-to-school fun continues throughout August with new episodes of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, beginning August 10, on Nine PBS, and Donkey Hodie, beginning August 19 on the PBS KIDS channel. Both series will be available to stream on the PBS KIDS app the same day they premiere.
Whether your child is heading into kindergarten or simply starting a new school year, PBS KIDS is ready to help make the transition a little smoother—with plenty of learning, laughter, and encouragement along the way.
Contributed by Lynanne Feilen, communications manager