PBS Kids

Background
PBS Kids is a programming block and serves as the brand for most of the children's programming aired by the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the United States, established as part of PBS' "Ready To Learn" Initiative. The block was launched as PTV on September 10, 1993, to repackage PBS' existing children's programming. The PTV brand was retired on September 5, 1999, and has been officially known as PBS Kids since September 6, 1999. The PBS Kids channel was launched at the same time as the PBS Kids block and ran for six years and was largely funded by satellite TV provider DirecTV. The channel was shut down on September 26, 2005, and was replaced by PBS Kids Sprout (later known as simply Sprout; now Universal Kids), which was developed in partnership with Comcast Corporation (who later bought full control of the network via NBCUniversal). A new 24-hour channel was launched on January 16, 2017.

1st Logo (August 30, 1993-November 15, 1999)
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Nicknames: "P-Pals", "E/i", "PBS Cartoon P-Pals", "PBS P-Pals", "This is PBS Woo-Hoo-Hoo", "Cartoon PBS P-Head", "This is! P-B-SSSSSS!", "Arf!"

Logo: On a white background, we see some crudely drawn P-heads (the first of which is named Pernell P-Pal), with Pernell wearing a red cap and an earring, singing "This is! P-B-SSSSSS!" (the "P-B-SSSSSS!" part of which is done by a female choir) while dancing and changing patterns. Near the end, the P-heads raise their arms in the air and Pernell ad-libs "Woo-hoo-hooooo!" a la Michael Jackson as his cap flies off. Then, the word "PBS" in the same font as the 3rd PBS logo fades in black as the cap drops back on his head, and an orange P-shaped dog (whose name is P-Pet) runs across the screen and barks, then walks away.

Trivia: The logo was designed and animated by Gene Mackles and Chris Pullman at WGBH Boston, who also created the P-Pals characters for the PBS Kids programming from the era.

Variants:
 * There is a variation where the dog gives the P-head a dark blue balloon with the text "e/i" (pronounced "ee-eye", short for "Educational and Informative") on it, which was added in 1997, a year after the 6th PBS ident debuted.
 * Sometimes, the logo fades out after the P-Pet barks.
 * There is a variation where the camera quickly goes through a doorway on a black background and the three color-changing P-heads are seen against the white background, with confetti falling from the top, and all three P-heads yell "Surprise!" and cheer with loud party horns heard in the background. There is no text. This was a very short-lived version and was usually played in-between shows as a promo.
 * There is a long version of the "Surprise!" variant which first takes place on a black background. Then the door opens and one of the P-pals peeks in. Then it peeks out and the door closes. Then the P-Pet (from the standard version), walks through the screen and into the door. Then another P-Pal peeks in from the above and peeks out. Then the door opens and we proceed into the animation above.
 * There is another variant of the long version where some kids say "The P-Pals are coming!" 8 times, then they say "Who are the P-pals?" right before the door opens, then after the door opens and the P-Pals yell "surprise" they shout "The P-Pals are coming!" one last time, and then one of the kids says "Watch for them!"
 * On a 1994 episode of In the Mix, the logo looks a bit washed out, with the brightness and contrast pumped up in excess.
 * An alternate variant exists where the P-Pals are drawn slightly different, the image quality is clearer, and the color scheme is also over-saturated.

FX/SFX: The P-heads dancing and changing patterns, the cap flying off, P-Pet sliding in and barking, and "PBS" fading in.

Music/Sounds: A techno-pop tune with drums and a bass. The "Surprise!" variation just has loud party horns and cheering, but the long versions have giggling and a door creaking.

Availability: Scarce overall, ultra rare on TV as a result of heavy plastering.
 * It has a slim chance of appearing on PBS Kids shows from 1993-1999 if your local PBS station is airing them, but is usually replaced with newer logos.
 * So, at this rate, your best bets are checking your old recordings, along with a selection of PBS Home Video releases from the late '90s including Theodore Tugboat and Warner Home Video releases of Teletubbies tapes from 1998-1999 before the logo was retired, the Paramount re-release of "Here Come the Teletubbies" on VHS from 2004 preserves this, while the DVD release from that same year has the 4th logo instead.
 * This can also be found on VHS releases of Zoom (1999 version) as well including "Party with Zoom" and "The Making of Zoom" (the episode where the kids danced to "Stop" by the Spice Girls backstage).
 * The original version of this logo is also preserved on some PolyGram Video releases of Wishbone episodes, including "Salty Dog" and "Terrified Terrier", though it's missing on "The Prince and the Pooch", "The Slobbery Hound", and "Twisted Tail".
 * When Sprout aired Barney and Friends episodes from the era, they cut to an unexpected commercial break right before the logo started.
 * The "Surprise!" variants are extinct, with the short variant in particular very short-lived; however, it was used on UNC-TV until late 2001.
 * The logo made its first appearance on the Mister Rogers' Neighborhood week "Mister Rogers Talks About Then and Now", and the E/I variant first appeared on The Magic School Bus episode "Meets Molly Cule".
 * The 1993 variant appeared on Twitch.tv's prints of various Mister Rogers' Neighborhood episodes from the era, as well as Episode #1643 from 1991 and the 1997 E/I variant appeared on Twitch.tv prints of many episodes that were created between 1997 and 1999. The last known appearance of this logo on television was in 2005 on ETPTV after an episode of Square One TV Math Talk. This logo was used on WIPR-TV well into 2002. The last known new program to use this logo was the In the Mix episode "Cliques: Behind the Labels", broadcast on November 15, 1999. On Adventures from the Book of Virtues, the original version appeared on the three-part primetime premiere (it was plastered by the 1996 PBS logo on the individual rebroadcasts the next year, which additionally have an added funding credit for public television viewers that wasn't on the primetime premiere versions), and the later version appeared on all episodes of the second season; among those episodes featured in the three-part primetime premiere, it's been confirmed to appear on a Reader's Digest-branded videocassette of "Courage", where the opening PBS logo is replaced by an opening graphic for Reader's Digest. The standard 1993 variant is also surprisingly retained on Amazon Video's print of Sesame Street Stays Up Late and also appeared on the VHS of Barney's First Adventures after the PolyGram Television logo for some reason. Most master tapes of The Magic School Bus also have this logo, with the exceptions of "Gets Lost in Space", "Hops Home", and "In the Arctic", and don't expect this to appear on the Warner Home Video releases, as they go straight from the closing funding credits to the book promo at the end of each episode. On Shining Time Station, it plasters the 3rd and 4th PBS logos on "Things That Go Ga-Hooga in the Night" and "Is This the End?". On pledge programming, you can see this on Barney Live in New York City, but don't expect this to appear on Elmopalooza; oddly enough, that one uses the 1998 PBS logo instead.
 * The alternate variant has been preserved on YouTube. It is unknown if it was used on any shows.

Editor's Note: Fondly remembered by many who grew up with this logo. Others may have been scared or annoyed by the loud music and flashing effects, and (for the latter) its plastering of older logos.

2nd Logo (September 27, 1993-October 7, 1994)
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Nickname: "PTV"

Logo: Over footage of kids in red and blue uniforms swinging jump ropes around, the P-head zooms in, facing left as it did until 1984. Then a stylized T, looking like three red dots across with three red dots below, zooms similarly, followed by a green square with a cutout V.

Trivia: The drum break used in this logo is known as the Funky Drummer break, originating from the drum break performed by Clyde Stubblefield in the James Brown single "Funky Drummer" (1970).

FX/SFX: The live-action footage, and the computer-generated animation.

Music/Sounds/Voiceovers: A catchy drum beat, with an announcer calling out each letter as they appear.

Availability: Extinct. Seen on some shows aimed at older children during the era, such as Reading Rainbow and reruns of Square One TV.

Editor's Note: This is a fitting logo for older-skewing PBS Kids programming at the time, and will bring back fond memories for those who watched the afternoon PTV block during the year this logo lasted.

3rd Logo (1993-1994)
Logo: TBA

FX/SFX: TBA

Music/Sounds: The cat mooing like a cow and the P-head saying "Nice kitty!"

Music/Sounds Variants: There is a spanish version where the cat sounds like an elephant.

Availability: TBA

Editor's Note: TBA

4th Logo (September 6, 1999-October 7, 2013; September 22, 2018-October 2, 2021)
Nicknames: "Dot and Dash", "PBS Kids Girl", "PBS Kids Boy", "Doink! PBS Kids", "The PBS Kids Bubble"

Logo:
 * Dash: On a lime green background, we see a close-up of an eye. The eye blinks. After that, the camera zooms out to reveal a boy named Dash wearing a white short-sleeved T shirt. Then, he points his finger in the head and scratches his head trying to think about something. A great big smile on his face appears and says “Doink!”, and then the background becomes a green circle with Dash's face on it on a pink striped background, and a white thought bubble appears with the letters PBS growing until they reach the bubble. The URL address for PBS Kids appears at the bottom left corner of the screen.


 * Dot: On the same lime green background as Dash, there is a pathway at the bottom of the screen, and a girl named Dot runs up to the screen, wearing a long sleeved pink-striped shirt, black pants and white shoes. Once she reaches the screen, a great big smile on her face appears. A circle zooms out on a white background with moving pink, yellow and blue lines. A white thought bubble appears with the letters PBS growing until they reach the bubble. The URL address for PBS Kids appears at the bottom left corner of the screen.

Trivia:
 * This logo was designed by Richard McGuire (an artist that creates PBS Kids-style characters for the magazine The New Yorker, although he has created PBS Kids-style characters long before this logo was introduced) and animated at Lee Hunt Associates.
 * On September 6, 1999, two new idents were introduced. For the first few weeks, they were used in tandem with the first logo. Eventually, they replaced the first logo. However, some PBS stations used the previous logo until 2002.

Variants:
 * There is a variation of this logo used for international prints of PBS Kids shows. In this variant, the background is black, the entire logo is removed except for the word "PBS" and the words "PRODUCED IN ASSOCIATION WITH" in the Comic Sans font appear above the words "PBS". This variant appears instead of the funding credits and the end of international prints of most PBS Kids shows. The start of the international prints of PBS Kids shows cut out the funding credits entirely, meaning it goes straight into the respective show's intro.
 * On VHS and DVD releases of PBS Kids shows, the word "kidsvideo" appears below the logo. Both Dot and Dash were used for both variants.
 * A variant used for a trailer advertising DVDs of PBS Kids shows exists; here, the Dot variant is used and an iris-out effect appears once Dot smiles.

FX/SFX: Tweened 2D animation done at Lee Hunt Associates.

Music/Sounds: A tongue rolling sound, then a catchy 4-note a cappella tune sung by a specific child, depending on each variant; the Dot variation has a chorus of young girls, and the Dash version is sung by boys. At the end of both (and other variants) idents, a "doink" sound is heard and they all end up eventually singing "PBS Kids!". None, or the closing theme of the respective show for the International "Produced In Association With" variant. In both variants, a bubbling sound is heard when the thought bubble appears.

Music/Sound Variants:
 * The trailer variant uses a synthesized dance-pop theme with an announcer saying "Did you know that your favorite PBS Kids programs are now available on DVD?"
 * For the "kidsvideo" version of the Dash variant, the music from the Dot variant is used for some reason, most likely due to an audio error.
 * Another variant has the Dot variant using the music from the Dash variant.
 * Another version of Dash's "kidsvideo" variant used the right music (meaning that it used the music from Dash's variant). This was dropped in 2007.
 * On a Maya & Miguel DVD, the international variant uses the PBS Kids Go music.

Availability: Was very common in its own time, but has gotten much rarer. While seen on older prints of PBS Kids shows, it is becoming incredibly extermely hard to find on TV, due to heavy plastering by newer logos, though given its very long run of 14 years, it shouldn't be too hard to find on your old VHS recordings and or video releases. Also, this logo plastered the 1993 logo on some prints of PBS Kids programs. However, other prints used the 1993 logo until 2002. The "kidsvideo" variant can be seen on Caillou, Theodore Tugboat, Zoboomafoo and Teletubbies DVDs and tapes from Warner Home Video and Paramount Home Entertainment, but the Dot variant was dropped starting with the PBS Kids 3 pack DVD set in October 2006. A few episodes of the teen program In the Mix also ended with this logo. Don't expect this to appear on international prints of PBS Kids programs, as it is replaced along with the funding credits by the International variant. Strangely, said variant can be found on Clifford the Big Red Dog tapes and Maya & Miguel DVDs from Artisan Home Entertainment/Lionsgate. Appears on numerous 1979-2001 episodes of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood on Twitch.tv, often plastering older logos. On the 2017 PBS rebroadcast of the latter, the Dash variant is preserved on Episodes #1465 (followed by a period promo from 1979 for an educational booklet made as a tie-in to the week's episodes), #1475, #1644 (marking the logo's first national appearance in years), #1653, #1655, #1695, #1709, and #1716, and the Dot variant is preserved on Episodes #1652, #1721, #1755, and #1756. PBS updated and remastered all currently aired prints of the latter in September of 2018, but both variants were still intact on their respective episodes, though the Dot and Dash variants were later removed when the show was repackaged again in October 2021. The Dash variant can still be seen at the end of The Berenstain Bears, but not many PBS stations continue to air said show. Though the logo stopped being used regularly in 2008, it continued to be used on DVD releases of PBS Kids shows.

Editor's Note: A very well-known logo and one that is fondly remembered by many, though it can be seen as annoying by some for how long it lasted and plastered older logos.

5th Logo (1999-2000?)
UxjXq8sz-7U Nicknames: "The PBS Kids Bubble II", "Dot and Dash II", "PBS Kids Girl II", "PBS Kids Boy II"

Logo: Dot and Dash spy on each other. The PBS Kids logo appears at the end, with a character appearing in the PBS Kids logo to promote the upcoming shows.

FX/SFX: 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: TBA

Availability: Extinct. Was only used to promote upcoming shows.

Editor's Note: None.

6th Logo (September 6, 1999-August 31, 2008)
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Nicknames: "The PBS Kids Bubble III", "PBS Kids All-Stars"

Logo: Depends greatly on the variant, but most often, we see an event happening which eventually leads to the PBS Kids logo being revealed. In the live action variants of this logo, Dash or Dot in the logo are replaced with live action kids (with the exception of "My Dog Can Read!"), but in animated versions, Dash and Dot are present in the logo. The live action variants also have various characters from PBS Kids shows (Between the Lions, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Sesame Street, Dragon Tales, Arthur, etc.) appearing.

Variants: There are many.
 * When the "Using Your Imagination" bumper aired on KCET, Captain Infinity would break the fourth wall and appear in front of the PBS Kids logo.
 * Get Wordy!: Guy Smiley from Sesame Street hosts a Jeopardy!-esque game show, with Grandma Thora from Arthur, Cookie Monster from Sesame Street, and T. Bone from Clifford the Big Red Dog as his contestants. Thora correctly guesses that reading at bedtime helps children appreciate reading, and the credits roll. Below the credits are the PBS Kids Ready To Learn logo and the PBS url.
 * The Alphabet Song: As some kids in purple shirts sing the Alphabet Song, each kid pulls up his/her shirt to reveal another shirt with a letter of the alphabet on it.
 * Fondue: A chef drops down several letters, which are received by two kids and a monkey. They dip the letters in a smiling bowl of fondue, making the words "fan", "fun", and "yum". After all the letters are eaten, we pan up to the PBS Kids logo. The letters "PBS" are splattered with fondue.
 * Agent Cookie: In a Mission Impossible parody, Cookie Monster from Sesame Street is given ten seconds by Arty Smartpants from Between the Lions to write his name on a sheet of paper with a red crayon.
 * You Gotta Be: A promo that only aired on Labor Day from 2001 to 2006. We see black-and-white footage of some kids and various characters from PBS Kids shows, with green chroma-keying. It is possible that KAID, known for formerly airing a wide variety of old bumpers aired this one for longer.
 * Cooking with Clifford: Emily Elizabeth (voiced by Grey DeLisle) and kids make Tasty Tummy Yummies for Clifford. The kids add two cups of flour, one jar of peanut butter, a squirt of mustard, marshmallows, a mint chocolate chip ice cream cone, and pepper to taste. Then a timer dings. Emily Elizabeth and the kids ask Clifford (voiced by an unknown male actor since John Ritter passed away in 2003) what he thinks of their Tasty Tummy Yummies. Clifford sneezes, causing a huge mess in the kitchen; the sneeze is so big that Emily and the kids to get blown away. Then Emily says "Maybe too much pepper." We pan up to the PBS Kids logo, but the circle is replaced with a green splatter and the letters in "KIDS" aren't in place.
 * Star Finder!
 * Action Pig
 * Casablanca
 * CSI
 * Stomach Dance Party
 * The Origin of Super Grover
 * Same Shape, Same Color, Same Size, Same Everything
 * Mystery Box
 * Ask for Help
 * Hide and Seek: Clifford and a group of kids play hide and seek. The kids find Clifford behind a red wall.
 * Teamwork: Clifford gets his nose stuck. As a song about teamwork plays, the kids help him get his nose unstuck.
 * Rhyming: 4 Kids and a firefighter make up a rhyme using words ending in "am", until the firefighter breaks the chain by ending the rhyme in "I'd rather have a peanut butter sandwich"
 * Computers: Kids discuss what the internet is and how it can be used, D.W from Arthur then enters the room with a surfboard saying "I'm ready to surf the web!".
 * Letter Factory We see letters falling from a tree then being sucked down a tube into a factory. A magnet then picks up the letters and puts them on a truck spelling out "Reading is fun". We hear the PBS Kids jingle as the truck drives away with the PBS Kids logo visible on the back of the truck.
 * Monkey Loves to Read
 * Reading Is Fun!
 * My Dog Can Read!: Live action dogs suddenly gain the ability to read, with many kids showing their dogs reading signs like "JUMP!", "RUN!", "EAT!" and finally, "PBS Kids".


 * A variant exists where we see the PBS Kids Dot logo on a white background inside what appears to be a TV set, with the bubbles bulging in and out.
 * We see various kids appearing in the circular PBS Kids logo on a background with bubbles, with the bubble reappearing and the letters "PBS" growing until they reach the bubble each time. This variant was seen after some bumpers and also at the end of Plaza Sésamo on select stations.
 * Everyone's a Winner!
 * A version of the "Everyone's a Winner!" variant using the circular PBS Kids logo used to exist. It was only used in Mills malls in the PBS Kids-themed playground areas called PBS Kids Neighborhood and PBS Kids Backyard; these playground areas were closed in 2008.

FX/SFX: Same as the 4th logo, or a combination of live-action, animation and chroma-key technology.

Music/Sounds: Depends on the variant.
 * You Gotta Be: The 1994 song You Gotta Be by British soul musician Des'ree.
 * Use Your Imagination: The song "Use Your Imagination" sung by a man and some kids, children laughing, and a snippet of a girl going "Mmmm..." from the PBS Kids "Dot's Cat" station ID.
 * Fondue: A theme with synthesized vocal noises based on the PBS Kids system cues and bumpers from the era, and a group of kids saying the words the monkey and kids make. At the end, there is a splattering sound when the fondue splatters the letters "PBS", followed by some kids singing "PBS Kids!"
 * The Ready To Learn promos have an announcer saying, "PBS Kids Ready To Learn! We're getting kids ready for school and for life!" On the Super Grover and Casablanca promos, a Don LaFontaine soundalike says this.
 * "PBS Ready To Learn. The first grade is coming soon."
 * The "Ask for Help" variant has a ragtime version of the PBS Kids jingle.

Availability: Depends on the variant, but most are now uncommon, bordering on rare. Seen on old bumpers for PBS Kids in the 2000s. Some PBS station like LPB, KAID (Note: more of these logos were formerly more common to see on this station until 2019, but Rhyming and Mystery Box can occasionally still be seen) and KNEW continue to air certain variants of this logo. Despite most of these variants still being used on certain stations, some have now gone extinct, some variants are even known to be completely lost. Check your local PBS station or old tapes for them.

Editor's Note: Same as the 4th logo.

7th Logo (1999, January 16, 2006; 2015)
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Nicknames: "The Switcher", "The Button", "The Doink! Button", "Dot and Dash III", "PBS Kids Girl III", "PBS Kids Boy III", "Doink! PBS Kids II", "The PBS Kids Bubble IV"

Logo: We start by seeing two halves of the screen separated by a black line with what appears to be a button in its center. Dash is on the left side of the screen, while Dot is on the right. Dot is shown as a shadow. She then presses the button, turning Dash into a shadow of a chicken, then Dash presses the button, turning Dot into an umbrella. Then the two keep pressing the button, transforming Dash into a flower, a bear, and an arrow, as well as transforming Dot into a hammer and a rabbit. Then the two keep pressing the button rapidly back and forth until they both turn into shadows of things (Dash is a ball while Dot is a fly). When this happens, the screen is no longer separated, the shadows are on a yellow background, and the circular PBS Kids logo is at the top of the screen and is smaller than usual. We then fade out.

FX/SFX: Same as the last 3 logos.

Music/Sounds: As the button is pressed, we hear "Doink!" noises. When the button is pressed rapidly, the "Doink!" noise is also rapidly heard until we hear a laser-like noise which brings us to Dot and Dash both turning into shadows of things. We then hear the 4 notes of the PBS Kids jingle being played by a bubbly synth, followed by the "PBS Kids!" part of the jingle, which is scatted by synchronized "Doink!" noises.

Availability: Extinct. This is a rare ID which was shown on Martin Luther King Day of 2006 (January 16, 2006). Recently appeared during a 2015 PBS Kids broadcast on the WFWA station. This was also used as a local ID on certain PBS stations starting in 1999.

Editor's Note: None.

8th Logo (1999; September 4, 2000-October 7, 2013; October 13, 2018)
Nicknames: "Transform", "Dot and Dash IV", "PBS Kids Girl IV", "PBS Kids Boy IV", "Doink! PBS Kids III", "Tiger, Octopus and Astronaut", "Caveman, Scuba Diver and Robot", "The PBS Kids Bubble V"

Logo: The 1st ident of the set is Dash, the boy, who is at first a caveman, then a scuba diver, and then a robot. He grabs the letters "PBS", and the circular PBS Kids logo is shown. There is no "doink" or similar sound in this ident. Blue bubbles are shaking on a pale spring bud background. The 2nd one is Dot, the girl, who is at first a tiger, then an octopus, and finally an astronaut. After that, the circular PBS Kids logo is shown on a background with stars. Also, like the 4th logo at the lower left hand of the screen, the URL address for PBS Kids will appear like before. In both variants, either Dot or Dash is on the top-right corner of the screen.

Variant: On international prints of PBS Kids shows (mainly from the Bookworm Bunch programming block), as well as the series George Shrinks (animated in China), Seven Little Monsters, The Berenstain Bears (2003 series) and Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse, there is a variation in which the logo is a still picture of the Astronaut part of this logo. However, the logo is slightly off-center and Dash in his robot form is replaced with the words "Produced In Association With" and the PBS "Circle P-Head" logo below. A French variant of this logo also exists.

Trivia: This logo was animated at Lee Hunt Associates in 1999.

FX/SFX: Same as the 4th logo.

Music/Sounds: Some kids softly scatting the music from the 1999 logo at first accompanied by a synthesizer, then a weird bubbling-up-like rocket ship sound effect (which can be heard echoing in the Dash variant), a THX-like sound (only heard in the Dot variant), something that suspiciously sounds more like "DOY!" than "doink!" (also only heard on the Dot ident), and then the kids singing "PBS Kids!" in a higher tone than the previous logo. None, or the respective show's closing theme for the international variant.

Availability:
 * Animated Variant: Scarce. It was first spotted on a Lee Hunt Associates reel featuring other PBS Kids bumpers made and introduced in 1999. Seen on all children's programming from 2000 to 2013 on PBS. However, international prints of PBS Kids programs cut this logo and funding credits and replace them with the International variant. It also appears (for some reason) on certain Sony Wonder DVDs of Arthur. On Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, the Dot variant appeared on Twitch.tv's print of 'Episode #1526', and the Dash variant is retained on PBS airings of 'Episode #1482', including the 2018 remastered version. The Dot variant was also used on Reading Rainbow DVDs dedicated to particular episodes originally broadcast in 2004. Yet again, check your old VHS tapes to find this.
 * International Variant: Rare. It was preserved on Qubo airings of Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse, and Columbia TriStar/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment DVD and VHS prints of 2003's The Berenstain Bears before the logo's Corus byline. Also appears on Timothy Goes to School on Tubi, Treehouse Direct and until 2017, when the channel lost the broadcast rights to the show, Tiny Pop airings in the UK.

Editor's Note: The comments for the 4th logo apply to this one as well.

9th Logo (September 30, 2000-September 5, 2004)


Nicknames: "Bookworm Bunch", "The Book Factory"

Logo: TBA

Variants: TBA

FX/SFX: 2D animation done at Primal Screen.

Music/Sounds: TBA

Availability: Extinct.

Editor's Note: None.

10th Logo (September 3, 2001-October 5, 2002, September 4, 2006-April 1, 2015)


Nicknames: "Logo of Boredom", "Logo that Looks like an In-Credit Logo", "The PBS Kids Bubble VI"

Logo: We see the words "THIS PROGRAM WAS PARTIALLY FUNDED BY" with the PBS Kids logo (which has "KIDS" in white below) above.

Variant: On Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat, the logo is in-credit.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: The closing theme of the show.

Availability: Common. Seen before the NBCUniversal logo on Curious George. Also seen on Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat.

Editor's Note: None.

11th Logo (2000; January 21 or September 2, 2002?-October 7, 2013)
Nicknames: "Dot and Dash V", "PBS Kids Girl V", "PBS Kids Boy V", "Doink! PBS Kids IV", "The PBS Kids Bubble VII"

Logo: The 1st ident of the set is Dash, the boy, who is seen ice-skating on a pond. Suddenly, he feels the ground shake and he stops. Then, the camera pans out to reveal that he is in a snow globe, which is held by Dot, who giggles, "Doink!" Snowflakes are seen during the circular PBS Kids logo. The 2nd one shows Dash looking in his fishbowl to find himself as an orange fish. After a second, he gets swallowed by Dot as a green fish and the circular PBS Kids logo is shown. There are bubbles in the background.

Variants:
 * There is a prototype variant of the snow globe bumper where the color of the background is a bit darker, the pond has a slightly different shape, the animation is different and less smooth, the snowflakes are brighter and bigger, and "KIDS" is below the circular logo. This logo is only seen on season 1 of Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks.
 * There is a prototype version of the fish bumper that is presented in true widescreen also has "KIDS" below the circular logo; however, there are no other changes. This logo is only seen on season 2 of Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks, early 2008 episodes of Sid the Science Kid and Lomax The Hound of Music.
 * Cropped 16:9 versions exist.

FX/SFX: Dash ice-skating, the zoom out, the snowflakes on the snow globe bumper. Dash looking in his fishbowl, the bubbles, the fish on the fish bumper. 2D animation by Primal Screen.

Music/Sounds: A whimsical 10-note vibraphone tune for the snow variant and no music for the fish variant. The fish variant has some bubbling sounds followed by a boy scatting the 1999 jingle circle-lipped as if to imitate a fish. Both end with the doink sound and the kids saying the company name. The "PBS Kids!" chant is recycled from the Dot variant of the 4th logo.

Availability: Same as the 6th logo (scarce). Seen on 2002-2013 prints of PBS Kids programming. This logo was first seen on a Primal Screen reel featuring other PBS Kids bumpers, most of which were produced and debuted between 2000 and 2001; its debut on television may have possibly been on Cyberchase or Arthur: It's Only Rock 'n' Roll. Like before, the second ident appears on a few Arthur DVDs by Sony Wonder (such as Arthur's Tooth). The prototype version can be found on ''Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks''. The normal fishbowl variant was seen on the final season of ''Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks''. The true 16:9 variant of the fish bumper is extremely rare. Check your old tapes.

Editor's Note: Also a well-known and memorable logo from PBS.

12th Logo (November 25, 2005)
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Nicknames: "Sports", "Dot and Dash VI", "PBS Kids Girl VI", "PBS Kids Boy VI", "Doink! PBS Kids V", "The PBS Kids Bubble VIII", "Wrapping Paper", "Sand Castles", "The Dot Sphinx", "Play Ball!"

Logo:
 * We first see a soccer ball being kicked to our left by Dash, wearing a blue and black uniform. Then the soccer ball turns into a tennis ball, which Dot, wearing a white and pink tennis uniform, hits with a tennis racket. The ball turns into a baseball, which Dash, now in a blue uniform and helmet, hits with a bat. The ball then flies past a scoreboard with the circular PBS Kids logo on it and out of the stadium. In the end, we hear a crowd cheering.
 * We see Dot and Dash walking through what appears to be a factory. Then, we see a roll of polka-dotted wrapping paper, which the two roll up by its end. With it, the circular PBS Kids logo flies in.
 * On a bright sunny background in a beach-like setting, we see Dash in a bathing suit and sandals. To the right of him is a sandcastle that he built. He tries to show it off to Dot but then he is surprised as the camera zooms out to reveal Dot's sand structure, which is a sphinx with her head on it. She dusts off her hands as Dash looks in awe at her structure. Then we fade to the circular PBS Kids logo.

FX/SFX: The animation.

Music/Sounds: Same as the 4th logo's Dot variant with additional sound effects.

Availability: Extinct. This was shown during the Big Big Friend Day special which aired on PBS Kids in 2005. Check your old tapes to find this logo.

Editor's Note: None.

13th Logo (September 4, 2006-September 4, 2009)
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Nicknames: "Preschool Dash", "The PBS Kids Bubble IX"

Logo: TBA

Variants: TBA

FX/SFX: TBA

Music/Sounds: Depending on the variant.

Availability: Extinct. Only seen on some pre-2009 PBS Kids Preschool block episodes from September 4, 2006 to September 4, 2009. Like before, check your old tapes.

Editor's Note: None.

14th Logo (Late 2000s?)
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Nicknames: "Dash on the Moon", "Skateboarding Dash"

Logo: As a green car passes by, Dash appears on a skateboard. He approaches a ramp that sends him flying into space. He backflips, then lands on a blue crescent moon. With his arms crossed, Dash looks at us as a "PBS KIDS" star constellation appears.

FX/SFX: Dash skateboarding and flying to the moon. Computer animation.

Music/Sounds: TBA

Availability: Unused.

Editor's Note: None.

15th Logo (August 11 or September 1, 2008?-October 7, 2013)
<youtube width="240" height="185">_JUEzp6uaHs Nicknames: "Dot and Dash VII", "PBS Kids Girl VII", "PBS Kids Boy VII", "The PBS Kids Bubble X"

Logo: The logo shows Dot and Dash doing a certain activity before the PBS Kids circular logo is shown with the URL elsewhere on the screen.

Variants: Here are some of the variations of the activities included:


 * Bubbles
 * Telescopes
 * Fireflies
 * Rock climbing
 * Picnics
 * Gardens
 * Magnets
 * Fireworks
 * Swimming
 * Ants
 * Daffodil
 * Balloon
 * Sandbox
 * Camera
 * Carrots
 * Submarine
 * Cave
 * Box: Dot steps into a box, imagining she is a sailor, a cowboy, a ranger, and an astronaut. Dot then climbs out of the box, walking like she's on the moon with Dash.
 * There are also two rare Valentine's Day variants used in 2009. Dash's version has him blowing up a pink balloon and Dot's version has her receiving Valentine's cards in the mailbox. Both versions end with the PBS Kids circle logo on a hot magenta/cerise-textured BG while hearts are cascading in the BG.
 * Footprints (unused)

Trivia: This logo was designed and animated at Primal Screen, who also did the 10th logo.

FX/SFX: A mix of 2D and cut-out animation.

Music: The 4th ident's jingle once again, but played with musical instruments that vary depending on the activity and without the kids chanting at the end.


 * Sandbox has a bassoon, vibraphone, synth-organ, and a tuba.
 * Daffodil has a vibraphone and tuba.
 * Bubbles has a pizzicato.
 * Fireflies has a synth-bassoon.
 * Camera has a slit drum and marimba.
 * Fireworks has a hang, timpani, snare drum, and bass violin.
 * Carrots has a synth-organ.
 * Sheep has a banjo.
 * Balloon has a mandobass and percussion.
 * Dash's Valentine's Day variant has a jazzy bass violin pizzicato tune with drums beating. Dot's VD variant has a South American-style folk dance tune with conga drums, piano, and acoustic guitar.
 * The VD variants, however, have different music, ending with a group of kids yelling "Happy Valentine's Day!", then a single kid says "From PBS Kids."

Sounds:
 * Carrots has the sounds of Dash pulling out the carrots and a rooster crowing.
 * Sheep has the sound of sheep bleating.
 * Bubbles has the sound of the bubbles popping and then a slide whistle sliding up when Dot blows the bubble with the PBS Kids logo on it.

Availability: Rare. This logo was used on 2008-2013 prints of PBS Kids programming, but these prints are no longer in use as of 2021 due to being "repackaged" (plastered) by prints containing newer logos. However, the shows WordWorld and Season 1 of Sid the Science Kid were not updated to use the new logos outside of the PBS Kids 24/7 channel (launched in 2017), though a very few PBS stations still show them outside of their Kids subchannel; thus, the shows still retain these logos on PBS airings, though the kids subchannel (PBS Kids 24/7) channel omits the logo. Also seen on some post-2009 PBS Kids Preschool block episodes from September 7, 2009 to October 4, 2013. Certain variants have been spotted on Sid the Science Kid DVDs; but please don't expect the logo to appear on DVDs of other PBS Kids shows from the era, though. Some PBS Stations, especially ones with their own kids subchannel before 2017, often used their own recordings of shows often captured when these logos were still in use (WFWA for example), which resulted in these logos being seen again on some stations, however, not many stations still use their own recordings, as most have switched to using the PBS national feed by now. The PBS station WNEO also occasionally still uses these logos as general bumpers to fill in time between programs. The logo may have either been first seen on Season 39 of Sesame Street or the premiere of Sid the Science Kid, or both. So for the last time, you better check your old tapes.

Editor's Note: As with many previous logos, these are very well remembered by PBS Kids viewers at the time.

16th Logo (October 7, 2013- )
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Nicknames: "Dot, Dee, and Del", "PBS Kids Boy VIII", "PBS Kids Girl VIII", "The PBS Kids Bubble XI"

Logo: In the same vein as the previous logo, the logo shows a redesigned Dot, along with two new characters, a girl with a biker helmet named Dee and a boy with a raccoon tail named Del, doing a certain activity. Then the PBS Kids circular logo is shown, with Dash using his 1999 design. Also, Dash's PBS Kids logo is seen on every variation, meaning that the Dot version retired and left usage.

Variants: Like the previous logo, here are some of the variations of the activities included:


 * Zipline
 * Beehive
 * Forest Run
 * Magnet
 * Moonwalk
 * Ping Pong
 * Power of 10
 * Cave
 * Band Parade
 * Trampoline
 * Yo-yo
 * Lemonade
 * France
 * Bubbles
 * Rockstar
 * Piano
 * Frisbee

Trivia: This logo was designed and animated at Primal Screen, who also did the 9th logo as well as the previous logo.

FX/SFX: 2D flat animation that is quite similar to the 4th logo.

Music/Sounds: The music from the 4th logo is used again, but without the kids chanting or the kid saying "PBS Kids" at the end. Like the previous logo, the musical instruments these variants are played with vary depending on the activity, exactly like the 12th PBS ident. Also, the 4th logo's theme can be heard in different pitches.

Music/ Sounds Variants: On DVDs and other media, a female announcer is heard saying "PBS Kids opens the world of possibility, Thanks to PBS stations and viewers like you".

Availability: Current and very common. This logo was first seen on Peg + Cat and is currently used on PBS Kids programming. Oddly enough, this plasters previous logos and the closing funding credits on 2013-17 reruns of ''Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman'', but otherwise doesn't appear at all on the PBS Kids Channel. This logo also plasters the 1971 PBS logo and 1999 PBS Kids logo on the 2018 week-long rebroadcast of vintage episodes of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, beginning with "Death of a Goldfish", and it also appears on newer entries into the Saturday morning rotation. Don't expect to see this on the older Saturday morning package, however—episodes from that package retain the classic Dash and Dot logos. Also seen on the final episode of the PBS Kids Preschool block on October 7, 2013.

Editor's Note: These logos have been rather controversial and polarizing among fans. Some dislike the new artstyle, faster pacing, character designs, and removal of Dash. Some have also stated that the logos have an overall stressful vibe to them. Other fans like the logos however, finding them cute and creative.

17th Logo (November 21, 2018- )
Nicknames: "PBS Kids as a Production", "The PBS Kids Bubble XII", "The Yoyo", "The Paintballs", "PBS Kids Superimposes Elinor's Credits"

Logo: We see the current PBS Kids logo either still or getting formed by objects.

Variants: Each vary by show:


 * Let's Go Luna: A colorful yoyo is seen spinning on a light blue background. Suddenly, the yoyo's string disappears and the yoyo morphs into the PBS Kids circular logo with Dash in it.
 * TVO Kids and National Geographic Kids airings don't have this logo appearing at all.
 * Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum: The same logo as the one seen on Let's Go Luna.
 * Clifford the Big Red Dog (reboot; not the book series and 2000-03 original television show of the same name of the latter): Several paintballs fly and combine together to form the PBS Kids logo, then Dash looks up at the PBS Kids text.
 * Elinor Wonders Why: Just a still PBS Kids logo superimposed on the credits. Prints on DVD don't have the logo.

FX/SFX: 2D flat animation.

Music/Sounds: On Let's Go Luna, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum and Elinor Wonders Why, the ending theme of the TV series is heard.

Music/Sounds Variants:
 * On Clifford the Big Red Dog, it uses a ukulele theme with a 12-note whistling tune, the first four notes sound similarly like the Disney Channel logo.
 * On PBS Kids airings of the series, it is silent.

Availability: Currently used on PBS Kids programming that has used it in original production. Some shows that are PBS Kids original productions, like Hero Elementary, which uses the Twin Cities PBS logo followed by Portfolio Entertainment, and the all-new live-action puppet series Donkey Hodie, may not use it. The logo was also used as a station ident. Don't expect this to be on newer episodes of PBS Kids programs that recently aired on PBS Kids before either the series premiere date of Let's Go Luna or on Sesame Street.

Editor's Note: None.

(September 4, 2000-February 25, 2006)
<youtube width="240" height="185">JhENCKLfH-c <youtube width="240" height="185">SUYhvXfXnHQ <youtube width="240" height="185">2SX26KOVD18 Nicknames: "Thinking Children", "PBS Kids Ready To Learn"

Logo: On a background with two halves of different colors, we see a kid's head and a thought bubble on the bottom and top halves. The background transforms from two different objects to another kid's head. The sponsors for the shows on which this bumper appeared on are next to the kids' heads. Throughout the bumper, the kids' heads smile at the viewer and look around.
 * PBS Kids Ready To Learn: The top half is yellow and the bottom half is blue. On the bottom left, there is a girl's head. The thought bubble has a flower, music notes, and a boy's head.
 * US Department of Education: The top half is orange and the bottom half is green. On the bottom left, there is a boy's head. The thought bubble has a truck, a kite, and another girl's head.
 * Corporation for Public Broadcasting: The top half is red, the bottom half is yellow, and a girl's head is placed on the bottom right. The objects appearing in the thought bubble above the girl's head are a monkey, a star, and a snow (or ice cream) cone.

Variants:
 * On Reading Rainbow, Season 2 of Clifford the Big Red Dog, Sesame Street, and Clifford's Puppy Days, the PBS Kids Ready To Learn logo is replaced with the text "Ready To Learn Television Cooperative Agreement".
 * On Clifford's Puppy Days, Season 2 of Clifford, Reading Rainbow, and Sesame Street, the circular PBS Kids logo (with a registered trademark symbol) is shown before the CPB logo.
 * The CPB logo isn't seen on some episodes of Clifford's Puppy Days.
 * A prototype variant seen on Season 1 of Clifford the Big Red Dog and Plaza Sésamo has the music notes, the kite, and the monkey missing from the thought bubbles.
 * On Sesame Street, Clifford's Puppy Days, Dragon Tales, and later episodes of Clifford the Big Red Dog, there is a byline under the CPB logo that reads "A private corporation funded by the American people".
 * On various Reading Rainbow DVDs, the "Ready To Learn Television Cooperative Agreement" variant is used, and it's in VHS quality. On others, the "PBS Kids Ready To Learn" version is used and it has a more washed-out color scheme.
 * Sometimes, the PBS Kids Ready to Learn logo has two registered trademark symbols.
 * For Sesame Street and Dragon Tales, the kids heads and bubbles were removed while the logos are centered on the screen. Also, the CPB logo appears on the second screen as well. For season 3 episodes of Dragon Tales, the words "Viewers Like You" and "Thank You" appears on top of the red/yellow half screen with the girl, but the CPB logo and the thought bubble are removed.

FX/SFX: The background switching colors, the objects in the thought bubbles changing, and the kids' heads smiling and looking around. All done in still photo animation by Primal Screen.

Music/Sounds: A synth tune with beating drums, scatting, and a whoosh sound at the end. This was actually used on PBS Kids bumpers from the era.

Music/Sounds Variants:
 * On Season 2 of Dragon Tales, the music is extended and there is another whoosh sound at the beginning.
 * On Season 1 of Clifford and Plaza Sésamo, the music is slightly sped-up.
 * On Plaza Sésamo, there is a different recording of the same male announcer as the Dragon Tales variant reading the funding credits (with the exception of "Is funded in part by" and "Through the corporation for public broadcasting since they were reused from the DT variant).
 * On Sesame Street, it's an instrumental brass/woodwind version of the show's theme song.
 * On Reading Rainbow, the music starts and cuts off partway through.

Voice-overs:
 * Clifford the Big Red Dog:
 * Season 1: Charlie (Gary LeRoi) says "Clifford is funded in part by a Ready To Learn grant from the US Department of Education through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting."
 * Season 2: Cleo (Cree Summer) says "Clifford is funded in part by a Ready To Learn television cooperative agreement from the US Department of Education through the Public Broadcasting Service."
 * Clifford's Puppy Days: "Clifford is funded in part by a Ready To Learn television cooperative agreement from the US Department of Education through the Public Broadcasting Service."
 * Plaza Sésamo and Dragon Tales (Season 2): "This program is funded in part by a Ready To Learn grant from the US Department of Education... through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting."
 * Reading Rainbow:
 * "Reading Rainbow is also made possible by a Ready To Learn television cooperative agreement from the US Department of Education through the Public Broadcasting Service."
 * "And by a Ready To Learn television cooperative agreement from the US Department of Education through the Public Broadcasting Service."
 * Sesame Street: Gordon (Roscoe Orman) says "Sesame Street is also brought to you by a Ready To Learn television cooperative agreement from the US Department of Education through the Public Broadcasting Service. And by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting."
 * Dragon Tales (Season 3): "This program was funded in part by a Ready to Learn, No Child Left Behind grant from the US Department of Education though the Public Broadcasting Service, and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you, thank you".

Availability: Was common in the past, but is now rare. It is becoming incredibly hard to find on TV, due to most of the shows it appeared on being either dropped from the PBS schedule or plastered with a new funding screen. Also seen on Season 2 of Dragon Tales, Clifford's Puppy Days, Seasons 33-35 of Sesame Street, and certain episodes of Reading Rainbow (as well as all post-2003 reruns of the show). Preserved on certain Reading Rainbow DVDs. The Clifford's Puppy Days variants are the only variants that can still be seen on TV, as the show did not receive an updated funding screen, and although the show has stopped airing regularly on PBS since 2014, reruns continue to be shown on certain holidays. The Sesame Street and Plaza Sésamo variants are also extinct.

Editor's Note: These funding bumpers are very well-known and fondly remembered by many.