Sid the Science Kid facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Sid the Science Kid
Sid the Science Kid Title Card
Genre	Children's television series Education
Created by	The Jim Henson Company
Written by	Bradley Zweig
Voices of	Drew Massey Alice Dinnean Victor Yerrid Julianne Buescher Donna Kimball
Theme music composer	Dena Diamond Mike Himelstein
Opening theme	"Sid the Science Kid"
Ending theme	"Sid the Science Kid" (instrumental)
Composer(s)	Michael Turner Mike Himelstein
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	66 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Brian Henson Lisa Henson Halle Stanford Bradley Zweig
Producer(s)	Chris Plourde
Running time	30 minutes
Production company(s)	The Jim Henson Company KCET (2008–13) KOCE-TV (2011–13)
Distributor	The Jim Henson Company
Release
Original network	PBS Kids
Original release	September 1, 2008 (2008-09-01) – March 25, 2013 (2013-03-25)

Sid the Science Kid is a fun computer-animated TV show for kids. It aired on PBS Kids from September 1, 2008, to March 25, 2013. There were 66 episodes in total, spread across two seasons.

This show was created by The Jim Henson Company and PBS station KCET in Los Angeles, California. It uses a special technique called motion capture. This allows puppeteers to control and voice the animated characters in real time.

The show was first planned under the name "What's the Big Idea?". The main character, Sid, was originally called Josh. Sid the Science Kid was the second computer-animated show to use motion capture, after Donkey Kong Country.

After 2010, KOCE also helped produce the show.

Discovering Science with Sid

The main character, Sid, is a very curious kid. He loves to ask questions about how things work and why they happen. Sid uses humor to explore basic science ideas.

He tries to find answers and solve problems with his friends May, Gerald, and Gabriela. His teacher, Susie, and his family also help him. His family includes his mom Alice, his dad Mort, his Grandma Rose, and his baby brother Zeke. In one episode, Sid's Grandma adopts a dog named Philbert.

The science topics in Sid the Science Kid are based on national learning standards for young children. They follow a special science curriculum called "Preschool Pathways to Science."

Weekly Science Themes

Each week, the episodes focus on one main science topic.

Week 1 (Episodes 1–5): Sid explores science tools and ideas. These include charts, observing things, estimating, and measuring.
Week 2 (Episodes 6–10): The focus is on changes and transformations. This covers things like decay, growth, freezing, melting, and how heat affects things.
Week 3 (Episodes 11–15): Sid learns about the five senses: touch, smell, sight, taste, and hearing.
Week 4 (Episodes 16–20): This week is all about health. Topics include brushing teeth, eating healthy food, sneezing, and exercise.
Week 5 (Episodes 21–25): Simple machines are the topic. Sid learns about wheels, inclined planes, levers, and pulleys.
Week 6 (Episodes 26–30): This week explores science found in your own backyard.
Week 7 (Episodes 31–35): Sid learns about the human body.
Week 8 (Episodes 36–40): The focus is on weather.

On Fridays, the shows review and summarize the main science idea from that week.

Show Segments

Each episode of Sid the Science Kid has different parts that help Sid explore his questions.

Breakfast Time Discoveries

At breakfast, Sid often shouts the segment's title. His parents, Alice or Mort, then teach him something related to his daily science question.

Finding Friends at School

When Sid gets to school, he looks for his friends May, Gerald, and Gabriela on the playground. When he finds each friend, they do a "cool move." Then, they all dance together.

What's the Big Idea Question?

This is the main question Sid has about a science problem. It guides the day's learning.

The Sid Survey Fun

In this part, Sid asks questions to May, Gerald, and Gabriela to get their ideas on the topic.

Rug Time Sharing

Sid gathers with his friends and teacher on the rug. He shares something about the day's science problem.

Super Fab Lab Experiments

The Super Fabulous Lab is where the kids and their teacher do a science experiment. A live-action class is also shown doing the experiment quickly.

Good Laughternoon Jokes

The kids open panels on a colorful playground structure and tell jokes. Sid often ends this part by saying, "Now that's funny!"

Playtime and Pretend

After an experiment, the kids either play in the classroom or on the playground. Sometimes they play pretend games.

Singing with Susie Time

At the end of the school day, Teacher Susie sings a song related to the experiment or topic they learned about.

Backseat Driving with Grandma Stories

On the way home from school, Grandma Rose tells Sid stories about when she was little. Sometimes Gabriela rides along too.

Scientist in the House!

After school, Sid often solves his science problem or plays with his family. If Gabriela comes over, it becomes "Two Scientists in the House!"

Sid's Super-Duper-Ooper-Schmooper Big Idea!

Before bed, Sid thinks about how he will solve the science problem he had from school.

Meet the Characters

Sid (voiced by Drew Massey): Sid wants to be a scientist. He is very practical and a supportive friend. He asks many questions every day. He has a toy microphone with buttons for laughter, applause, a cow noise, and echoes. Sid loves to sing and dance. He is a great observer and very smart.
Gabriela (voiced by Alice Dinnean): Gabriela is one of Sid's best friends. She is sensible and often leads group activities. She likes to play pretend, often as a "mommy." She can read and helps her friends understand things. She has an older brother named Mateo.
Gerald (voiced by Victor Yerrid): Gerald is Sid's best friend. He is lively and often tries to be funny, though sometimes his jokes don't land. He has a dog named Chester.
May (voiced by Julianne Buescher): May is another of Sid's best friends. She is very friendly, polite, and kind. She often feels sympathy for things, even old pumpkins. May has a cat named Mooshu and is very smart.
Susie (voiced by Donna Kimball): Susie is the teacher at Sid's school. She has a Mexican accent. She leads "Rug Time" and helps her students with experiments. She also sings songs to the children at the end of the day.
Mort (voiced by Victor Yerrid): Mort is Sid's father. He works in construction and often connects Sid's science observations to his own work.
Alice (voiced by Alice Dinnean): Alice is Sid's mother. She is a website designer and creates computer games for kids. She often helps Sid find answers to his questions online before school.
Zeke (voiced by Donna Kimball): Zeke is Sid's baby brother. He is almost one year old and is just starting to learn about the world.
Rose (Sid's Grandma) (voiced by Julianne Buescher and Donna Kimball): Rose is Sid's grandmother. She loves to tell Sid stories about her childhood while driving him home from school.
Dr. Rosalinda Cordova (voiced by America Ferrera): Dr. Cordova is Gabriela's mother. She works at the Science Center, which the kids often visit. She explains exhibits and sometimes visits the school to work with Teacher Susie.

Episode Guide

Sid the Science Kid: The Movie (2013)

Sid the Science Kid: The Movie first aired on PBS Kids on March 25, 2013. The original voice actors from the show were in it, along with special guest voice Christopher Lloyd.

In the movie, Sid and his friends win a trip to a new science museum before it opens. They meet new friends like Yang Yang, Niu Niu, and BobbyBot. But one of the robots breaks down, causing problems at the museum. Sid and his friends must save the museum before its grand opening. This movie also served as the final episode of the Sid the Science Kid series.

Awards and Recognition

The episode "Save the Stump!" won an award in the Children's Programming category at the 26th Genesis Awards. These awards are given by the Humane Society of the United States. The series also received six nominations for the Daytime Emmy Award and one nomination for the TCA Award.