WORDWORLD: PLANES, TRAINS, AND TRUCKS

PBS Distribution announced today it is releasing eight stories from PBS KIDS’ WORDWORLD series on the new DVD “WORDWORLD: PLANES, TRAINS, AND TRUCKS” on March 8, 2016. A rocket, a submarine, a plane, a train, a truck, a boat, and a spaceship are some of the vehicles featured in this fun-filled new DVD. In addition to learning new words while diving beneath the sea with Sheep and riding the rails with Kangaroo, WORDWORLD fans will find a special bonus book inside this DVD that features 16 pages of activities. From coloring pages to word searches, the Learning & Activity Book offers families another fun way to teach kids new words and reinforce reading skills. This book will be included within this DVD for a limited time.

Two of the stories included on this DVD are “Pl-Pl-Plane” and “Rocket to the Moon.” In “Pl-Pl-Plane,” Frog, Bee, and Bug are going to the beach to give a concert. While searching for the missing member of their band, Fly, in the jungle, Frog loses the “PL” from his plane. In their search for the missing letters, the group finds several other words that start with “PL” – plant and plug. Another high flying adventure included on this DVD is “Rocket to the Moon.” In this story, Frog is working to create a R-O-C-K-E-T with all uppercase letters. When Frog and Pig’s three nephews end up on the moon, Frog comes to realize that all letters, uppercase and lowercase, are needed to make WordWorld go around.

“PLANES, TRAINS, AND TRUCKS” will be available on DVD March 8, 2016. The DVD run time is approximately 100 minutes and its SRP is $9.99. The “PLANES, TRAINS, AND TRUCKS” DVD includes the stories below.

“Duck’s Family Reunion”

Because they have rhyming names (and are both cute and yellow), Duck mistakes a truck for a long-lost relative! His best friend, Frog, is a bit ruffled at the epidemic of silliness going around, but ends up saving the day for Duck and his word “family” when the truck gets stuck in the muck!

Build a Word: TRUCK

“Back on Track”

While looking through his telescope, Frog notices that Kangaroo’s mail train is headed straight for a broken track! He has to rely on Bear and her tiny new tricycle to get him there to fix the track in time. And as if the tricycle isn’t tiny enough, Dog, Duck, Ant, and all his cousins climb on board to lend a hand. Will they make it in time?

Build a Word: TRACK

“Pl-Pl-Plane”

Frog and the Bug Band are headed to have some fun on the beach, but not everything goes as Frog had planned. Frog loses the letters “PL” from his plane and must search through the jungle to find them. After some crazy jungle adventures finding more words with “PL” sounds (including a run-in with a giant Frog-kissing plant), Frog realizes that fun doesn’t always have to be planned!

Build a Word: PLANE

“The Race to Mystery Island”

Pig and Frog are trying to out-do each other. Their competition results in a big race to Mystery Island. Each WordFriend builds himself several words to thwart his competitor along the way. After struggling while competing with each other, Pig and Frog both finally come to realize that the only way they can succeed is to work together.

Build a Word: BOAT

“Wee Little Whale”

Sheep rescues a tiny whale who is stuck in some seaweed and brings her home to her haystack. They quickly become best friends. But as Whale gets bigger and bigger, outgrowing Sheep’s teacups, bathtubs, and pools, Sheep realizes she must return her WordFriend to the sea. Although Whale may be big, her friendship with Sheep proves to be bigger, and the two discover a way to continue playing together!

Build a Word: SUB

“Rocket to the Moon”

Frog thinks that in order to build a big rocket he needs big, uppercase letters. While looking for a capital “T” Frog gets roped into watching the Little Piggies. How much trouble could that be? Big trouble when they build their own rocket and end up on the moon! Frog comes to the rescue, and just when he thinks he is stranded on the moon with the Little Piggies, he learns that lowercase letters are just as useful as uppercase ones.

Build a Word: ROCKET

“Race to the Spaceship”

Frog must help Robot get to the top of WordWorld’s highest mountain and build a spaceship in time to play spaceship tag. By adding one word to another, the WordFriends learn how to make a car, boat, and bike go faster.

Build a Word: SPACESHIP

“Flying Ant”

WordWorld is all abuzz – today is the Insect Air Show! All the bugs in WordWorld take to the sky to show off their flying skills. All the insects, that is, except Ant, who can’t fly. But Ant is a smart, industrious WordFriend, and with the help of his best pal, Pig, he searches for a word to get him in the air. After a few attempts, they find just the right word to give him the lift he needs to be the hit of the show.

Build a Word: KITE

WORDWORLD, which won the 2009 Daytime Emmy Award for outstanding children’s animated program, is designed to introduce, support, and foster literacy skills in children ages three to five. Young children explore the colorful, vibrant world of words with the lovable, legible WordFriends – animals whose bodies are made up of the letters that spell the word they represent. In each story, the WordFriends go on adventures and face challenges that can only be resolved with the right word. That word is built letter by letter, sound by sound. Once the word is built it “morphs” to become the spelled item – T-R-U-C-K becomes a truck!

About WordWorld

“WordWorld” was developed with funding from the U.S. Department of Education as part of the Ready To Learn initiative. Incorporating the latest research into the most effective ways for kids to build reading skills, “WordWorld” produces delightful educational experiences for preschool children, on screen, in print, and online. “WordWorld” is owned by General Word LP.

My Thoughts

This television show is a ton of fun for preschoolers. It's really unique because all the characters are actually made from the letters that spell their names, which really helps young kids to recognize the words when they see them later. This DVD set includes eight of their fantastic episodes:

Duck's Family Reunion - Duck mistakes a truck for a family member.

Back on Track - Frog notices the mail train is headed for a broken track.

Pl-Pl-Plane - Frog looses some of the letters from his plane and has to search for them in the jungle.

The Race to Mystery Island - Pig and Frog learn the value of teamwork when they need to build a boat.

Wee Little Whale - Sheep rescues a whale that got stuck in the seaweed.

Rocket to the Moon - The little pigs accidentally get stranded on the moon after they make a rocket.

Race to the Spaceship- Pig gets a robot to help him build a spaceship to get to the top of the highest mountain.

Flying Ant -Everyone in Word World is heading to the insect show. 

My children just love this show and we're looking forward to seeing what they come up with next season.