PBS Kids will premiere two new kids’ animated series – Weather Hunters on 7 July and Phoebe and Jay between September and November 2025.
Weather Hunters
Weather Hunters is a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) series from Al Roker Entertainment (ARE) helmed by Al Roker, Emmy-winning weatherman and host from American TV show Today. Targeted at five to eight-year-olds, the series is produced by Al Roker Entertainment and Dete Meserve’s Silver Creek Falls Entertainment.
The show is designed to support kids’ learning about Earth science and meteorology through adventure and comedy to cultivate their awareness, curiosity, and caring about how weather and climate impact individuals, communities, and our global society. It centres on Lily Hunter, (voiced by Tandi Fomukong), an intrepid and observant eight-year-old weather detective who shares her investigations with her family and friends, including dad Al Hunter (voiced by Roker), mom Dot Hunter (voiced by Holly Robinson Peete), sister Corky (voiced by Kapri Ladd), brother Benny (voiced by Lorenzo Ross), and neighbour Ms. Joyce (voiced by Sheryl Lee Ralph). The Hunters’ primary goal is to learn as much as they can about weather, to benefit the community and the planet by solving weather mysteries, sharing vital information, and encouraging stewardship of the environment. They are continuing in a great family tradition that started with Al Hunter’s grandfather, Wallace Reed Hunter (voiced by LeVar Burton), one of the original WWII Tuskegee weathermen who went on to become one of the first African American weather broadcasters.
“Weather has always been a passion of mine, and inspiring young minds to explore its wonders has been one of the most fulfilling parts of this journey. With Weather Hunters, I’m thrilled to share that passion with a new generation, including my granddaughter, Sky, who reminds me every day of the importance of leaving a better planet for our kids,” said Roker.
Each 22-minute episode of the show will feature natural weather phenomena and explore topics such as observing and tracking weather patterns, investigating the weather at different times of the year and in different places around the world, and the connection between weather, humans, and their environment. Digital content for kids, parents, and teachers will launch in tandem with the series, and the first game from the series will allow kids to create their own weather reports.
The executive producer and showrunner is Dete Meserve (Ready Jet Go! Space Camp). It was developed by Carin Greenberg (Tumble Leaf, Duck & Goose) who serves as executive producer. John Semper, Jr. (Jay Jay the Jet Plane, Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock) serves as executive producer and head writer. Lisa Tucker serves as executive producer for Al Roker Entertainment. The animation for the series is produced in collaboration with Island of Misfits in Nova Scotia, Canada with partners Phillip Stamp and Dana Landry. Games are produced with Anna Jordan-Douglass, PhD at Makefully Studios.
Phoebe and Jay
Targeted at three to five-year-olds, Phoebe and Jay is made to support early literacy skills for preschoolers by showcasing the various kinds of texts they see in their everyday lives, from signs and posters to labels and movie tickets, to help them understand, navigate, and participate in the world around them.
Created by Genie Deez and Thy Than, the series is produced by Phoebe & Jay Productions and Mainframe Studios.
The series depicts the experiences and learning opportunities found in Tobsy Towers, where the curiously charismatic twins, Phoebe and Jay, are being raised by their ever-optimistic dad, Pete, with the support of their no-nonsense Grandma Annie after the loss of their mom. Tobsy Towers is inspired by old grand hotels that have been converted into affordable apartment housing and serve as a unique setting for many of the literacy-based stories for the tight-knit Yarber family. In one episode the twins find old reel-to-reel recordings left behind by Tobsy, the architect of Tobsy Towers, and decide to create labels to sort the records they found. At the heart of the show is a foundational literacy curriculum highlighting the importance of developing preschoolers’ functional literacy and skills, empowering them to use and create functional texts in the world around them to tackle challenges and accomplish tasks in their everyday lives. From using a flyer to help a neighbour find a lost pet, to reading clothing labels to find the right size shirt, Phoebe & Jay model for young viewers how they, too, can use everyday texts to navigate their daily activities, develop important life skills, and communicate with others in their family and community.
The show’s co-creator Deez said, “The opportunity to help teach kids at home how to navigate life’s challenges with humour and positivity through a foundational literacy curriculum has been and continues to be an amazing adventure and gift. Growing up in a low-income environment, we didn’t see too many Black kids who spoke or looked like us on television, and we’re excited to feature an awesome cast of characters dealing with similar environmental influences. I was also inspired by my own Grandma Annie, who helped raise me and my brother.”
“Phoebe & Jay beautifully blends fun and learning by introducing young viewers to the importance of everyday problem solving, literacy, and life skills in a way that’s relatable and engaging,” said PBS Kids SVP and general manager Sara DeWitt. “We’re excited to bring this series and its endearing stories that celebrate family, community, and the power of literacy to families across the USA.”
Tanya Green is supervising producer for the show. Than is supervising director. Mike Alcock and Mark Sinclair are series co-directors. Aydrea Walden is head writer. Executive producers for Mainframe are Michael Hefferon and Kim Dent Wilder. Additional executive producers are Wendy Klein and Nancy Steingard.
The funding for the series was provided by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and a grant from the US Department of Education as part of the Ready To Learn Initiative, a federal program that supports the development of innovative educational television and digital media targeted to preschool and early elementary school children and their families.