Learn about teaching science and math to Preschoolers with PEEP (2024)

The animated series Peep and the Big Wide World gives wings to the innovative idea of teaching science and math to preschoolers. Wry and distinctive visual humor, charming plotlines, and lovable characters combine with a comprehensive science program to attract and engage kids three to five years old.

Set in and around a pond, a bush, and a tin can, the show follows a newly hatched chicken named Peep, and his friends Chirp and Quack (a robin and a duck), on their daily adventures. Surrounding them is a large urban park — a place of great wonder and mystery, a place they are forever eager to explore, a place they call "the big wide world."

Each half-hour episode contains two stories which highlight specific science concepts, plus two live-action shorts presenting real kids playing and experimenting with these concepts in their own big wide worlds.

Peep and the Big Wide World is a funny, engaging series that celebrates being curious, being adventurous, and, for at least one character, being a duck.

Karen Worth is a leader in the field of early childhood science education. She has been the principal investigator on a number of National Science Foundation projects, developing and publishing science curriculum materials for early childhood and elementary classrooms, and leading efforts to support the implementation of inquiry-based science programs in schools. Ms. Worth was part of the development team for the National Science Education Standards, chairing the Working Group on Science Teaching Standards. She is a recipient of the Exploratorium's Outstanding Educator Award for her work in science education, the international puRkwa prize for improving the scientific literacy of the children of the planet, and the NSTA Distinguished Service Award. She is also a faculty member at Wheelock College in Boston, MA.

What is the best way to introduce science to young children?

For young children, science is about active, focused exploration of objects, materials, and events around them. We introduce them to science by offering an environment where there are interesting materials to explore. The best "science materials" are simple and open-ended and they invite children to try many different things and ask many different questions. For example, a jar of bubble soap with a bubble wand will provide children with some chance to explore what bubbles do. But if there are different things with which to make bubbles, cups of soapy water with straws, and surfaces on which to make half bubbles, children can explore bubbles in much greater depth and over much longer periods of time.

As young children investigate the science of everyday things, it is important that we support their curiosity and encourage their questions. In other words, we need to help children see themselves as investigators and explorers of the world around them.

What does research tell us about how young children learn science?

One of the most important things we are learning from the research is that young children are powerful thinkers. In many environments we underestimate what young children can do. Given interesting materials at hand and supportive adults around them who encourage and challenge their work, young children develop their thinking, learn new ways to express themselves and new words to use, and form reasoned theories about how things work and even why. These may not be scientifically accurate but they reflect children's careful thought about their limited experience.

How can parents encourage and support their children's interest in science?

Parents can support their children's interest in science by providing simple materials and the time and space to explore them, and by encouraging, supporting, and participating in their children's explorations. For example, when your child points out a worm on the ground, instead of moving on you can join your child, look closely at the worm together, wonder where it came from and why it is there. You can talk about the worm's interesting colors and the way it moves. Maybe your child will even want to try moving like a worm.

Research suggests that the best way to support children's science learning is to encourage, facilitate, and guide a child's own thinking rather than deliver the facts. Questions such as: "I wonder what would happen if...?" "Did you see...?" " Why do you think...?" can inspire your child to make predictions, try things out, look closely, and draw thoughtful conclusions. And when your child asks you those hard-to-answer "why" questions, it is fine to simply say, "I don't know," or even better "Maybe we can find out together."

How does Peep and the Big Wide World support children's science learning?

Each episode presents a fun and motivating story about everyday experiences in "the Big Wide World," where science is naturally explored. Our hope is that after watching the show, children and parents will be inspired to turn off the TV and investigate science in the world around them through exploration, observation, play, and conversation. Each animated TV story is followed by a video clip of children exploring a related science topic, for example, shadows, water, or things that roll. These video clips can give parents and kids additional ideas about science explorations they might want to try.

What's your role on Peep and the Big Wide World?

I'm the narrator, so I'm basically a storyteller, talking about Peep's adventures with his friends. Guess I have my kids to thank for preparing me for this one...six years of reading bedtime stories!

This isn't the first time you've lent your voice to an animated story. In fact, you were the voice of Jessie in Toy Story 2. What made you decide to take on the role of the narrator?

When I read the scripts I was excited because I could really picture my kids (Dylan is six, Miles is three) watching the show and learning from it. The characters are great—they have this innocent curiosity that makes them so endearing—and they make you laugh, too. Plus, my kids thought I was the coolest the last time I voiced an animated character.

What do you think the show has to offer to young viewers? What makes the show unique?

I think young viewers will be able to identify with the series because Peep and his friends look at the world just like they do. It asks the kinds of questions kids would ask and helps them find the answers. I love watching my kids as they discover things...it gives me such a charge as a parent.

Do you think exposing preschoolers to science concepts is important?

Oh, definitely. Over the years we've heard a lot about literacy and how important it is for children to focus on their reading skills, but we're just starting to hear about the importance of early science education. The show nurtures children's innate curiosity and helps them develop important skills for lifelong learning.

Did you like science as a kid?

I liked it, but it wasn't exactly my "thing." I majored in English in college. But I think I definitely had the habits of a scientist in the way that I was always questioning and trying to figure things out. I became more interested in it as I got older.

There's been a lot of talk lately about how much television kids should be able to watch. How involved are you with what your children watch on TV?

I usually try to watch TV with my kids so we can talk about what's going on. At the very least, I try to make sure they are watching shows I've watched before and that I think are appropriate. Programs like Peep and the Big Wide World are great, because you know you can trust that your kids are watching something that's going to benefit them. Also, the show gives suggestions for science-related activities that you can do at home, when the TV is turned off.

What did you enjoy most about working on this project?

I had a blast narrating each episode, but most of all I enjoyed working on a project that I believe is going to make a difference in kids' lives.

Who's your favorite character from the series?

Gosh, each of them is great in his or her own way, but I'm a bit partial to Quack—right or wrong he always has a strong opinion, but underneath his bluster he has a very big heart.

Science: Natural Cycles

All plants and animals go through cycles, but the stages of each look very different. In this game, kids choose a plant or animal from the landscape and find out how it changes and grows over time. The stages of the cycle are pictured in a circle, but some are missing! Kids put them in the right order to see them grow up and start small again.

There's something for everyone here, with life cycles of a butterfly, turtle, sunflower, dandelion, and more. For younger kids that may not be familiar with natural cycles, parents can play along, helping their kids tell the story of each cycle.

For some anywhere science activities about how things grow and change, try Now and Then, Growing Sunflowers, or Changing Over Time.

Math Skills: Estimating Distance and Counting

Clicking the buttons lets Frog choose a small, medium or long jump. Missing a lily pad lands Frog in the water. But don't worry: she'll be ready to start again when she hops out a moment later!

It may take a few attempts to judge the distances, but that's the fun of the game. Look for other characters on the bank, including — if you get to the end — Quack, who also has the Very Important Task of counting all the hops. Feel free to count along with your kids as they play.

For some anywhere science activities about estimation, try Measuring with Steps, Measuring Your Journey, Pouring Water, Measuring Time, or Sharing Snacks.

Science: Mixing Colors

By clicking on the tubes, players can make Quack squirt up to two blobs of blue, yellow, and red paint onto a fence. Clicking on the hose washes the paint off, enabling kids to have a fresh start.

Kids can experiment with whatever colors they like. The narrator reminds kids when tubes are empty.

Chirp also offers kids the opportunity to match a color by holding up a card. If the color orange, purple or green (which make up the secondary color group) is successfully created, Chirp offers some of the harder-to-mix tertiary colors. Like many of our games, this one gets harder only if the player is succeeding. Younger kids will be happy simply squirting paint, and perhaps making orange, purple, or green.

Science: The Way Things Move

Quack wants to get his apple to fall into the water, but there are sticks blocking the way! Who put those there, anyhow? Players can't get rid of the sticks but can turn them in different directions to create a path for Quack's apple to roll into the water. Once they get it, the next setup will be a little harder.

In the spirit of engineering and the design process, kids can have as many tries as they need to perfect their routes — Quack has an unlimited supply of apples. Kids are encouraged to keep testing and tweaking until they get that apple in the pond! Remember to avoid the rabbit holes, bunnies don't seem to share.

For some anywhere science activities about the way things move, try Rolling Down a Tube Track, Rolling Down a Ramp, or High Rollers.

Math: Shapes

Our world is made of shapes. They're everywhere you look! Triangle roofs, circle eyes, and square houses, just to name a few. In this game kids click things that look like certain shapes and when they've found them all, the shapes come to life along with the characters.

Recognizing and identifying similar shapes in the world around us is a basic skill that will help with math concepts later on too. Kids are asked to find things that are round, have three sides, or have four sides. Some of them might be pretty tricky, but Chirp will help you out. Pretty soon you'll be spotting shapes everywhere you go.

For some anywhere science activities about shapes, try Making Prints, Making Hand Shadows, Looking Closely, or Parts and Wholes.

Science: Sound

This game encourages kids to explore music. It allows them to mix and match sounds as they click on characters that represent different musical rhythms. They can even give Quack something he has always wanted: a solo!

This is an open-ended activity, and also encourages offline exploration. Help your kids explore sounds around them and let them make some noise of their own. An improvised kitchen orchestra with pans, whisks, bowls, and wooden spoons can be a great way to introduce many of the properties of sound.

Science: Balance

Four seats on a seesaw, along with an array of bunnies, let kids experiment with balance. There are five sets of bunnies, each set with its own distinct size, color, and weight. In this game, the bigger the bunny, the heavier it is — but don't forget to let your kids know that's not always true in the real world. (Help them to discover that a stone weighs more than an inflated balloon.)

Because they can drag bunnies to any seat, kids are encouraged to experiment. Prompts also ask them to try to balance the seesaw, or to make one end heavier or lighter than the other. As the game continues, players are encouraged to see what happens when bunnies are placed nearer the middle. Extended play thus covers the basics of balance, including the concepts of weight, size, and even distance from the fulcrum.

For some anywhere science activitiesabout simple tools, try Balancing on a Seesaw, Building a Bridge, Building a Castle, Building a Pond, Examining Gadgets, Making a Dam, Making Bathtub Boats, Making Things Bigger, or Reusing Trash.

Science: Animal Habitats

This simple matching game has a twist: Kids turn pairs of leaves, not to find identical pictures, but to pair animals with their homes. This game can be played using skill or trial and error.

The game has been carefully constructed to demonstrate that some habitats (such as trees or water) are home to many different animals. However, on any given round, kids will be asked to match only one animal to any particular habitat.

For some anywhere science activities about animal habitats, try Building a Rabbit Den, Digging a Hole, Going on a Bug Walk, Hunting for Animal Homes, or Making Homes for Creatures.

Math: Sight Counting

Quack is underwater visiting his fish friends and giving them balloon rides. In order find out how many balloons he needs, kids have to tell him how many fish there are. The only problem is there's not much time to count them! Fish swim across the screen and kids try to tell "at a glance" how many there are.

Sight counting, or "subitizing", means seeing how many objects there are without having to count them each individually. This is a useful skill that can be improved with practice and these fish are giving kids a chance to do that by changing their formation and speed. Don't think the fish are trying to help though, they're really just in it for the balloon rides!

For some anywhere science activities about counting, try Keep the Change, Measuring with Steps, or Parts and Wholes.

Science Skills: Patterns

Eight fish swim gently in a line. Kids must observe the pattern the fish form and select which fish, from a choice of three, to assign to the rightmost position. If they are correct, Quack will respond and a new set of fish will appear.

Almost all of our games are self-leveling. If players answer a round without error, they are offered a harder level in the next round. If they do make an error on the way to success, they remain at the same difficulty level for the next round.

In this way, the games keep kids within their own comfort levels, nudging them to more challenging levels only if they are ready.

For some anywhere science activities about patterns, try Categorizing Your World, Making Tracks, or Sorting Collections.

Science Skills: Observation

Every good scientist needs a keen eye. In this game, characters peek from their hiding places in the tool shed. The narrator calls out their names. Players are then asked to find all of the characters.

The first level has three characters hiding. If they are all found, the lights go out and the characters hide again, ready for the next round. The difficulty increases only if the previous round was successfully completed without mistakes. So if a player finds the first three characters without error, she will meet those three, plus a new one, in the next round.

Younger kids may not progress beyond these early levels, but don't worry: it's pretty tricky. The levels progress to eight hidden characters, which can even be difficult for most adults to find without error. Try it yourself when the kids are in bed!

For some anywhere science activities about observation and memory, try Changing Over Time, Looking Closely, Observing Sticky Things, Observing the Day Moon, Observing Tides, or Searching for Animals.

Science: Sound

In this online variation of Hide and Seek, Quack hides in a number of different locations. In each location, different hiding places change the way Quack's voice sounds. Is he muffled, or maybe far away? Is he down a hole, or underwater? Players can help Peep find Quack by listening as they look for him. There are also a few surprises along the way!

If the player finds Quack, he'll hide again. (Ducks are excellent hiders, as Quack himself modestly states.)

For some anywhere science activities about sound try Hunting for Sounds, Listening to Night Sounds, Listening to Echoes, or Playing Marco Polo.

Math: Dividing

It's springtime and the ground is covered with cherry blossoms! Chirp and Quack have collected a pile of them and need help sharing so that each has the same amount. Players drag the flowers to divide them into equal groups until Chirp and Quack have all the flowers and both are happy.

When players get really good, Peep might decide he wants some flowers too. Then, the blossoms will need to be divided three ways! By the way, keep an eye out for those mischievous chipmunks...

Every time kids share things with their friends, they are practicing math skills. After handing out each flower, kids compare to see who has more. Once the flowers are split equally, kids have successfully solved a division problem! This game makes a great introduction to these concepts without looking like a math problem.

For some anywhere science activities about division, try Parts and Wholes, Perfect Portions, or Sharing Snacks.

Math Skill: Repeating Patterns

Jump! Spin! Jump! Spin! Jump! Spin! Uh oh, don’t get too dizzy! Come dance with Peep and his friends in this silly pattern game.

Children will love helping Peep jump and jive by figuring out what dance moves come next in each repeating pattern. As kids successfully complete each level, the patterns will become more complex and prompt children to select the right move from an even larger selection of icons. Throughout the game, children will also have the opportunity to make different dances by creating their own patterns!

By identifying and understanding basic patterns, children will begin to learn important skills needed for later math proficiencies, such as algebra. Encourage your child to not only watch Peep and his friends dance through the pattern, but to get up and dance along! You can also try finding patterns together at home or in your backyard.

Science Skill: Ramps/ The way things move

Using a combination of ramps, springs, and bouncy tires, kids will design a system that delivers a berry from Chirp to a very hungry Quack. With a never ending supply of berries, children are able to modify and test different systems as many times as they want, even if they have already successfully completed the level.

As players become more familiar with how objects move and interact with one another in the game, they may discover multiple ways to maneuver a berry to Quack.

Children are born curious and love to explore the world around them. Understanding the way things move will help kids navigate their environment and prepare them for later science study.

Science Skill: Animals (Animal Tracks)

Have you ever seen animal footprints in the snow or mud? Have you ever followed them to see where they go?

Children will use their inquiry and observation skills to help Peep find his friends on a cold winter day. As Peep looks for his friends, he comes across different sets of animal tracks. Kids need to figure out which footprints Peep should follow to find the right friend. Here’s a tip—try counting the number of toes on the animals foot and match them to the number on the footprint.

Children will also enjoy collecting berries as they trek through the snow on the way to each friend’s home.

Science: Qualities of Light

In this HTML5 game, modeled after flashlight tag, children can play with Peep anywhere! Can you help Peep find his friends in the dark? Just point a flashlight into a night scene to find the animals he's looking for. With success, the game gets increasingly harder with more animals to find and a smaller beam with which to find them. Learn who's up waaay past their bed times (Quack and Chirp...) and who is just waking up. "Hello, Raccoon!"

Science: Light (Shadow)

Science Skill: Sound (Pitch and Tempo)

This self-paced game encourages children to experiment with sound by creating their own music. Players will open and close brightly colored flowers for Hummingbird to land on or pass by as she flies across the garden. When she lands on a flower, she will hum a sound—the more open flowers, the more sounds she will hum, creating an original melody!

Throughout the game, children will be prompted to incorporate high and low sounds into their songs. For kids who want to explore sound even more, they can try changing how fast or slow Hummingbird flies to each flower. By allowing kids to change her speed, they will discover how sounds change when the tempo increases or decreases.

Science Skills: Observation

A good scientist is a keen observer of the world. In this game, Peep and Chirp take kids on increasingly cluttered strolls. Kids must remember what they have seen on each leg of the journey, progressing to the next level when they successfully report on something they just saw.

In the spirit of self-correction, if kids make an error, they can walk past the same objects again to have another look. Peep and Chirp alternate between rounds to help kids recognize that they have a new set of objects to review.

The later rounds can be tricky, since there are many more objects to observe and some are only partially visible.

For some anywhere science activities about observation and memory, try Drawing a Map, Observing Animal Differences, Observing Animal Movements, Watching Baby Animals, Observing Animals Indoors and Out, or Observing Small Creatures.

Science Skills: Categorizing

Chirp is a collector. Raccoon has a big pile of junk. Could this be the perfect friendship?

In this game, kids sort objects using increasingly sophisticated criteria. Initially, the game requires them to sort by color. Subsequent rounds lead to more complex sets like Things You Can Eat and Metal Things.

Once kids have assembled four objects, they will be told how many are correct. Because we feel it's important to let kids correct their own mistakes, kids can then click on any items to remove them. If there is a long period of inactivity, the goal will be restated.

Players might notice that objects can fall into more than one set. A red apple might be in the Red Things, Things You Can Eat, and Things That Grew sets. Older kids may also get a kick out of trying to guess what the set will be before it's announced. They can do so by watching the items as Raccoon hurls them from his hideaway.

Skill: Physical Fitness

Jump up and dance with Peep and his friends!

Clear the decks and get your heart pumping with Peep, Chirp, Quack and their woodland friends! You can get your groove on with a 10 minute dance routine, which includes warm-up and cool-down sequences, or pick a custom set of 30 second moves to create your own dance. Either way, you can move at your own pace advancing to the next move or pausing the dance to catch your breath.

Research suggests that early childhood is a key age to promote healthy behaviors and what could be more fun than getting fit with the Peep Wiggle, Chirp Hula and Quack Boogie? Beaver Jazz Hands, anyone?

How can I see more PEEP videos?

There's a different PEEP story playing on the site every week! Each one comes with its very own math or science activity that you can do with your kids. So, you just have to come back every week for more PEEP!

Where can I purchase PEEP merchandise?

To buy PEEP merchandise, visit Ty's Toy Box.

DVDs and books can be purchased through:

Amazon.com and at PBS.

Can I purchase a CD of the theme song?

Many of you asked about the theme song featuring blues musician Taj Mahal. You can watch it and sing along with the lyrics in on the site. Each PEEP audio book includes the theme song, but it is not available separately at this time.

When is PEEP on TV?

PEEP airs nationally on many public television stations — weekdays or weekends, depending on the station. Check the listings of your local public television station to find out when it is on where you live.

The Games pop-up window is problematic for me. Is there an alternative?

Yes! We have a special page that presents the games in a regular (non pop-up) browser window.

Are there any more PEEP games?

We're working on new games for the Web site right now. And you can find us at the app store at iTunes. Just search for "WGBH"!

Where can I find out about cast or crew?

Check out our Credits pages.

Peep's educational outreach aims to model science inquiry skills and stimulate curiosity. Our team works with early childhood educators, public libraries, museums, community-based organizations, and families to motivate their support of preschoolers' innate curiosity and interest in exploration. The following organizations are Peep Outreach Partners and help spread the word about the series, Web site, and educational materials.

If your organization is interested in becoming a Peep Outreach Partner, please contact us.

WGBH Production

Terry Fitzpatrick, Vice President for Children's Media and Educational Programming

Kate Taylor, Senior Executive Producer

Marisa Wolsky, Executive Producer

Kathy Waugh, Creative Producer and Head Writer

Jessica Andrews, Project Director

Blyth Lord, Project Director

Paul Higgins, Director of Administration

Rebecca Locke, Business Manager

Heidi Hamparian, Business Manager

Brigid Sullivan, formerly Vice President for Children's Media and Educational Programming

Education

Seeta Pai, Director of Education

Mary Haggerty, Director of Media Engagement

Sonja Latimore, Manager of Editorial Content

Borgna Brunner, Editorial Project Director & Writer

Gay Mohrbacher, Senior Outreach Project Director

Elly Schottman, Editorial Project Director

Brianne Keith, Senior Editor

Claudette Dawes, Production Coordinator

Rebecca Honig, Writer

David Pritchard, Copy Editor

Tracy McDermott, Business Manager

Denise Blumenthal, formerly Director of Education

Web

Bill Shribman, Senior Executive Producer

Jillian Orr, Executive Producer

Ayelet Ronen, Producer

Kevin Lesniewicz, Senior Developer

Jeff Bartell, Designer

Sienna Haines, Production Assistant

Catherine Maldonado, Developer

Elizabeth Walbridge, Production Coordinator

Li Wei, User Experience Manager

Mollie Levin, Production Coordinator

Kal Gieber, Developer

Jesse Haley, Senior Designer

Amy Stahl, Business Manager

Laura Nooney, Senior Producer

Belinda Arredondo, Production Coordinator

Anna Fort, Production Coordinator

Sylvia Castillo, Production Assistant

Amy Hachigian, Production Assistant

Frank Le Clair, Lead Designer

Alison Morando, Supervising Designer

Cassandra Sell, Designer

Bharat Battu, Developer

Dennis Biron, Developer

Jonathan Ellenberger, Developer

Alex Jones, Developer

Nathan Long, Developer

Michael Steadman, Developer

Jay Thompson, Developer

Jesse Weisbeck, Developer

Alan West, Business Manager

Design

Alison Kennedy, Associate Creative Director, WGBH

Bill Miller, Graphic Designer, WGBH

Kaylan Tran, Graphic Designer, WGBH

Elles Gianocostas, Graphic Designer, Elles Design Studio

Advisors

Karen Worth, M.S. ED., Science Content Director

Eleonora Villegas-Reimers, Ed.D., Science Education Advisor

Meghan McGinley Crowe, M.Ed., Science Education Advisor

Douglas H. Clements, Ph.D., Math Education Advisor

Sybilla Beckmann, Ph.D., Math Education Advisor

Margarita Perez, Ed.D., Spanish Language Advisor

Jody Figuerido, Ph.D., Professional Development Advisor

Joan Matsalia, M.Ed., Family Child Care Advisor

Denise Nelson, Preschool Teacher, Head Start

Research and Evaluation Team

Michelle Cerrone, Education Development Center (EDC)

Leslie Cuellar, Education Development Center (EDC)

Lindsey Hiebert, Education Development Center (EDC)

Megan Silander, Education Development Center (EDC)

Christine Paulsen, Concord Evaluation Group (CEG)

R&D Partner Organizations, PEEP Family Science

AVANCE

Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY USA)

PEEP Family Science Video Production

Director/Editor/Camera: Cam Hayduk, Turtlebox Productions

Producer: Kat Kelly Hayduk, Turtlebox Productions

Translator/Associate Editor: Paula Alvear, Erick Fletcher, Angela Leal

Camera: James O’Brien, David Schuurman

Sound: Elias Fuentes, David Guerra, Ben Knechtel

Hair & Makeup: Justine Sly

Special thanks to:

Paula Alvear, Gabriel Chevez, Elena Chevez & Javier Chevez (Colors)

Marissa Portillo & Lionel Oswaldo De La Cruz Portillo (Colors)

Akua Amoako-Tuffour & Caleb Ablorh-Quarcoo (Ramps)

Angela Leal, José Orozco and Gabriella Orozco and Sara Orozco (Ramps)

Dayna Samuels, Ellis Samuels-Lawrence & Noa Samuels-Lawrence (Shadows)

Cecilia Tripp & Tabatha Tripp (Shadows)

Kristen Knechtel, Callie Knechtel & Zach Knechtel (Sounds)

Gabriela de Hernández, Sofia, Armando & Sebastian Hernández (Sounds)

Patrice Henry, Tashana McLean & Jordan Owusu-Ansah (Educator video)

Pamela Archer, Paula Alvear & Gabriel Chevez (Educator video)

Amy O'Grady, Pamela Archer (PEEP Family Science video)

Teaching Strategies Video Production

Peter Bowden, Producer/Camera/Editor

Geoff Adams, Camera/Editor

Neal Duffy, Camera/Editor

Federico Muchnik, Camera/Editor

Amy Freedman, Production Assistant

Layla Muchnik, Production Assistant

Yumi Izuyama, Translator

Mercé Lopez, Translator

9Story Animation

Vince Commisso, Producer

Vladim Kapridov, Director

Jason Lin, Animation Director

Steven Jarosz, Coordinating Producer

Kai Pindal, Creative Producer

Tanya Green, Supervising Producer

Jennifer Sherman, Storyboard Supervisor

Rajkumar Ramawad, Production Accountant

David Ennis, Production Accountant

Tom Cho, Storyboard Revisions

William Tedford, Art Director

Kellie deVries, Background Artist

Margarida Leong, Design and Animation

Ryan Adams, Design and Animation

Adam Arsenault, Design and Animation

Peter Balsano, Design and Animation

Alejandro Gutierrez, Design and Animation

Patrick Hart, Design and Animation

Mathew Huerto, Design and Animation

Christopher Kim, Design and Animation

Jun Hong Shen, Design and Animation

Mark Sinclair, Design and Animation

Kristin Williams, Design and Animation

Mike Yunker, Design and Animation

Debra Toffan, Voice Director

Jitender Kaka, Systems Administrator

Orlando Feliz, Scene Planning

Allan Parker, Scene Rendering

Live-Action Interstitial Production

Geoff Adams, Director

Sirri Spiesel, Producer

Peter Bowden, Producer

Mario Cardenas, Sound

Airlie Clarke, Production Coordinator

Maggie Camara, Production Assistant

Rebecca Swift, Production Assistant

Samantha Hall, Production Assistant

Voice Talent

Joan Cusack, Narrator

Marnie Millington, Games Narrator

Maxwell Uretsky, Peep

Jamie Watson, Quack

Amanda Soha, Chirp

Amanda Grynewski, Beaver Boy

Riele West, Ant/Bunnies 2 & 5

Phillip Williams, Beaver Dad

Debra McGrath, Beaver Mom

Jake Sims, Bunnysitter Bunny

Avigail Humphreys, Bunnies 1 & 3

Corrine Conley, Hoot

Colin Fox, Newton

Adrian Truss, Old Groundhog/Skunk

Jeff Lumby, Racoon

Catherine Disher, Robin

Jabella A. Urrejola-Lugo, Splendid Bird

Rachel Marcus, Young Groundhog

Post Production

Christopher G. Harris and Super Sonics Productions Inc., Post Audio Design

Matt McKenzie, Mix Engineer

Daniel Frome, Picture Editor

Michelle Clarke, Assistant Audio Editing

Additional Production Facilities

Wanted! Post-Production Inc.

Creative Post Inc.

Spanish Translation and Audio Production

Heller Language Solutions

Centauro Group

Opening Song Performed By

Taj Mahal

Music and Theme Song Composed By

Steve D'Angelo & Terry Tompkins for EggPlant LF Inc.

Based on Concepts by

Kai Pindal

Derek Lamb

Editorial and Education Interns

Marissa Bohlman

Anna Lenihan

Sarah Lipset

Sophie Mortner

Alexandra Traverse

Ilana Weiss

Lea Cavat

Bethany Greene

Reka Keller

Julie Margolies

Jenna Nobs

Sarah Pila

Amy Strauss

Web Interns

Samantha Goldhagen

Ji-Sun Ham

Karina Lin

Katie Wartella

National Marketing

Peter Panagopoulos, Director

Mandy Miller, Account Executive

Megan Noonan, Digital Strategist

Abbie Steinbacher, Digital Strategist

Belinda Arredondo, Online Community Manager

Mike Wood, Senior Account Executive

Station Relations

Bara Levin, Director

Amy Zall, Senior Account Executive

Christian Gay, Senior Marketing Coordinator

Toanya Kessé, Senior Marketing Coordinator

Christina Regan, Senior Marketing Coordinator

Business/Legal

Mimi Curran, Director of Project Finance

Gail O'Docherty, Senior Manager, Project Finance

Karen Baseman, Associate General Counsel

Eric Taub, Executive Assistant

Executives for Eggbox, LLC

Derek Lamb

Kai Pindal

Jeff Schon

Executive for TVO

Patricia Ellingson

"Peep," "Quack," "Chirp," "Tom" and "Nellie" were originally created by Kai Pindal for the National Film Board of Canada productions The Peep Show (©1962, National Film Board of Canada) and Peep and the Big Wide World (©1988, National Film board of Canada). PEEP and the Big Wide World was developed in association with Eggbox, LLC.

Introduction

This Web site serves to complement and extend the television series PEEP and the Big Wide World. It is a site designed for small children and their parents or caregivers. As such, we take all appropriate lengths to maintain this site as a safe environment.

PEEP and the Big Wide World is a production of WGBH Boston and 9 Story Entertainment in association with TVOntario and Discovery Kids. The series is distributed by Alliance Atlantis. Major funding is provided by the National Science Foundation.

The site is produced and maintained by WGBH Boston.

Personal Data

The site is designed so that you may participate in the activities without the need to supply any personally identifiable information. If we introduce communication features, such as a survey to ask what you think of the project, we will only request non-personally-identifiable information (such as your first name, age, city/town, or state/province/country). If you write to us via e-mail, we may reply, but we will not store your e-mail address for the purpose of future correspondence. We will not use such information for other purposes, or share your personal information with others.

Aggregated Data

In order to make the site as good as it can be, we will record which pages are more popular by looking at traffic logs. This data gives us general information such as how long users spend on the site, what browsers they are using, and which sites they have come from. This information helps us understand our audience, but is not matched in any way to personal data that we may also receive.

Cookies

We may use a small software file called a cookie to remember where individual users are within the site. These cookies are optional, and refusing to accept them will not reduce enjoyment of the site. The user's cookie file lives on the user's machine, and can be deleted at any time by the user.

App Privacy

Across all media platforms, WGBH is committed to creating a safe and secure environment for children and families and to being transparent about what information is collected from users.

The PEEP and the Big Wide World apps collect anonymous aggregated analytics data for the purpose of improving the app experience. No personally identifiable data is collected.

External Links Operated by Third Parties

The theme of this project is science, so we may incorporate some links to external sites where adults can extend their experience online. These external links are operated by third parties that are not affiliated with WGBH. WGBH does not produce, maintain, or monitor these third party sites. The links are clearly marked, and are included as a useful resource for learning. You should review the privacy policies of these third party sites for their policies and practices regarding the collection and use of personally identifiable information.

Change Future Use

We will also update this policy if privacy legislation changes or if we add features, such as a contest, where additional personal data is required. For more information about privacy legislation governing Web sites for children, please visit the Federal Trade Commission's site at ftc.gov.

WGBH Educational Foundation
1 Guest Street
Boston, MA 02135
U.S.A.

Kids

- Games Index
- Videos Index

Parents

- Parenting Videos Index
- Anywhere Activities Index
- Coloring Pages
- Neighborhood Safari
- Handouts

Educators

Color
- Full Curriculum
- Stand-Alone Activities
- Teaching Strategies

Plants
- Full Curriculum
- Stand-Alone Activities
- Teaching Strategies

Ramps
- Full Curriculum
- Stand-Alone Activities
- Teaching Strategies

Shadows
- Full Curriculum
- Stand-Alone Activities
- Teaching Strategies

Sound
- Full Curriculum
- Stand-Alone Activities
- Teaching Strategies

Water
- Full Curriculum
- Stand-Alone Activities
- Teaching Strategies

About PEEP

- Our Games
- Our Apps
- Credits
- Privacy
- Contact
- Tech Help

Here's some helpful information about the Flash games on our site. Please follow the advice on this page to solve most technical problems.

Flash Requirements

All of our games work with the free Adobe Flash Player, version 6.0 or higher. The videos require Flash 7.0 or higher. Flash Player is available for Windows, Macintosh, and UNIX computers. This free Web browser extension software is also sometimes called a 'plug-in'.

Troubleshooting Flash

If our games are not working, please try uninstalling Flash using Adobe's Flash Uninstaller, followed by a fresh reinstall of Flash. You may also need to close and restart your Web browser and—in some cases—restart your computer.

Audio or Video Problems

Use of multimedia software such as Flash sometimes requires updated sound and/or video card drivers. It's generally a good idea to keep your device drivers as up-to-date as possible. Driver software is usually available for free download from the company that makes your audio/video card or PC.

Connection Speed

Although our games load faster with a broadband Internet connection, they are also usable with a modem/dialup connection. The only difference is the amount of wait time before you can start (or continue) playing a game. Once loaded, subsequent visits may be faster if the game is cached by your Web browser.

Pop-up Window

Our games play in a secondary browser window which is separate from the rest of our site. This pop-up window is not an advertisem*nt. When you're finished, just close it as you would close any document window. If our games pop-up is being 'blocked' on your computer, you may use this normal-window version of our games instead.

Downloading Games to Play Offline

We do not offer the option of downloading our games for storage on your computer. By only serving our games live on the Web, we can ensure the highest quality for all our visitors, all the time. Rest assured, our games will remain available for many years to come!

Still Need Help?

For technical support only, please use this form to contact us. Be sure to include a detailed description of the problem and of your computer and Web browser.