In celebration of Earth Month, PBS KIDS has announced a slate of all-new episodes, games and activities to encourage kids and families to get outside and enjoy nature. Beginning April 15, viewers will be able to enjoy a special week of adventures from WILD KRATTS, NATURE CAT and READY JET GO! The new episodes will debut nationwide on PBS stations, the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel and PBS KIDS digital platforms.

New PBS KIDS programming will also include a first-ever crossover episode of NATURE CAT that includes a guest appearance from Chris and Martin Kratt of WILD KRATTS. In the NATURE CAT crossover episode, Chris and Martin Kratt show up as Chris and Martin Batt – two wild bat brothers – who have their home destroyed and are forced to find a new shelter. Nature Cat and his pals come to the rescue, and build Chris and Martin a brand new home.

Across the country, local PBS member stations will host Earth Month-related events to connect children to the environment through hands-on learning activities. Families will also have the opportunity to dive into nature themes and environmental concepts with PBS KIDS Explore the Outdoors activities and materials.

“Research shows that being outside helps kids improve their critical thinking skills, boosts their attention spans, enhances empathy and lowers stress,”  said Lesli Rotenberg, Chief Programming Executive & General Manager, Children’s Media & Education, PBS. “With new episodes from WILD KRATTS, NATURE CAT, and READY JET GO!, and resources for the whole family, our aim is to use media to inspire real-world exploration – for kids to take that learning outside and explore in their own communities.”

New games from NATURE CAT and READY JET GO! will be available later this month. In NATURE CAT’s “Nature Road Trip,” kids can join the gang on a nature road trip visiting national parks and natural wonders around the U.S. This multi-player digital board game will be available on pbskids.org. In READY JET GO!’s “Jet’s Bot Builder,” the new cross-platform, adaptive STEM game will engage kids in the engineering design process, and tailor it to each child’s individual learning progress. “Jet’s Bot Builder” will be available on pbskids.org and available on the App Store, Google Play and Amazon.

Clips and full episodes will stream across PBS KIDS’ video platforms, including the free PBS KIDS Video App. In addition to the new episodes, families will have access to hands-on activities, printables and crafts for parents and caregivers on pbskidsforparents.org. For teachers, PBS LearningMedia will offer READY JET GO!, NATURE CAT, and WILD KRATTS Collections, with resources to support conversations planet Earth, animals and more in the classroom.