Public Broadcasting Network has rolled out two new mobile applications designed to help kids learn by playing mobile games.

The apps are available for download on either iPhone or iPad devices for $1.99 and are aimed at children aged 3-5 years old. In addition to the new apps, PBS is also beginning an initiative to roll out mobile tools to organizations and local stations in underserved communities to help children get the digital resources they need to succeed.

?Recent research has shown that access to computers, smartphones and tablets is less prevalent in lower-income households, limiting children?s exposure to educational apps,? said Lesli Rotenberg, senior vice president of children?s media at PBS, Arlington, VA.

?For instance, only 27 percent of lower-income children have a parent with a smartphone, whereas 57 percent of higher-income children do,? she said.

?This effort is part of our overall goal to make educational content available across platforms to serve America?s children.?

Digital learning
PBS has partnered with Head Start ? a nonprofit organization ? as part of the Ready to Learn Initiative, which is funded through the United States Department of Education?s Office of Innovation and Improvement.

The goal of the program is to support digital media and education television for preschool and elementary-aged children.

Until Sept., PBS will distribute free app codes to Head Start centers and other educational venues to be downloaded on mobile devices that families can access.

In conjunction with the new program, PBS has rolled out the two new dinosaur-themed app games that take advantage of the device?s features to help users learn. The apps build on PBS? popular Dinosaur Train series.

The Dinosaur Train Camera Catch app is available for iPhone devices and lets kids snap pictures of dinosaurs as they fly across the screen to win points.

The All Aboard the Dinosaur Train iPad app helps kids learn with a guessing game where they match up dinosaurs based on size.  Users who complete the game can then claim an award on PBS? Kids Web site ? PBSKids.org.

Educational apps
Mobile is increasingly being used by publishers and brands as a way to target children with interactive marketing initiatives.

Specifically, apps give a rich experience that can be used with features that are relevant to kids, such as large buttons, graphics and multimedia.

For example, a Nielsen study found that in families with a tablet, 57 percent of children used educational apps (see story).

This is not the only mobile initiative from PBS to ramp up its digital strategy for its children products.

PBS also recently rolled out a mobile storefront site that lets parents shop merchandise from some of the publisher?s most popular series and characters (see story).

In addition to buying products, the mobile site also uses consumer?s mobile phone numbers to target future relevant deals.

Specifically, PBS has created mobile initiatives with a touch screen in mind to mimic the ways children intuitively interact with media.

?This is an exciting time as new technologies make it more possible than ever to reach kids with educational content,? Ms. Rotenberg said.

?But there is still work to be done ? we continue to look for new ways to innovate on mobile platforms to help kids learn and to increase access to educational mobile content for more and more children,? she said.

?Looking forward, PBS Kids will continue to offer apps that both educate and entertain, and offer parents and caregivers resources to help them pick the best apps for their kids.?

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York