SID THE SCIENCE KID(TM) Encourages Viewers to Be Scientific Observers in Their Own Backyards in "Sid's Backyard Campout!" Premiering June 20 on PBS KIDS

HOLLYWOOD, CA--(Marketwire - May 24, 2011) - SID THE SCIENCE KID™, the EMMY^®-nominated animated preschool series that encourages early science exploration, demonstrates how fun a simple backyard campout can be for the whole family when the all-new episode "Sid's Backyard Campout!" premieres on Monday, June 20, on PBS KIDS^® (check local listings).

In "Backyard Campout!" Sid spends a fun-filled day finding answers about the outdoors with his dad and good friend Gerald. As the episode unfolds, Sid's dad is eager to share his love of nature and demonstrates how to have a great time outside with the simplest of necessities. First they'll set up tents for a campout in the backyard. Then they'll look for animals, cook their own dinner, marvel at the stars in the sky, roast marshmallows, and sing songs around the campfire.

To kick off summer and in conjunction with National Backyard Campout Day on June 25, Sid encourages his viewers to enjoy the experience of Sid, Gerald and dad all summer long as encore broadcasts of "Sid's Backyard Campout!" are scheduled for June 24, July 12, July 27 and August 19.

SID THE SCIENCE KID (www.PBSKIDS.org/sid) is part of a long line of successful preschool programming from The Jim Henson Company that includes the new smash hit DINOSAUR TRAIN as well as FRAGGLE ROCK and BEAR IN THE BIG BLUE HOUSE. SID THE SCIENCE KID is produced using the revolutionary Emmy^® Award-winning Henson Digital Puppetry Studio, a proprietary technology that allows performers to puppeteer and voice digital characters in real-time, creating an unprecedented level of spontaneity, quality and interactivity.

SID THE SCIENCE KID, honored with four EMMY nominations and multiple prestigious awards (most recently the CINE Golden Eagle Award), is a co-production of The Jim Henson Company and KCET/Los Angeles for PBS KIDS. Lisa Henson and Halle Stanford of The Jim Henson Company, along with Bradley Zweig, serve as executive producers. Joyce Campbell is executive producer for KCET. Mary Mazur is executive in charge of production for KCET. The Jim Henson Company is handling all ancillary use of the property including licensing, video and merchandising.

Sid the Science Kid airs on PBS KIDS with funding provided by The Boeing Company and The Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional funding provided by MetLife Foundation, The Rose Hills Foundation, the S.D. Bechtel., Jr. Foundation, the Johnny Carson Foundation and The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations.

About The Jim Henson Company:
The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over 50 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics and digital animation. Best known as creators of the world famous Muppets, Henson has received over 50 Emmy Awards and nine Grammy Awards. Recent credits include the Emmy^® nominated "Sid the Science Kid," "Dinosaur Train" "Wilson & Ditch: Digging America" and "Pajanimals." Features include "The Dark Crystal," "Labyrinth," "MirrorMask," and "Unstable Fables" and television productions include "Fraggle Rock" and the sci-fi cult series "Farscape."

With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, complete with soundstage and postproduction facilities. Independently owned and operated by the five adult children of founder Jim Henson, the Company is also home to Jim Henson's Creature Shop™, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry's top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state-of-the-art and vintage equipment. The Company's Henson Alternative brand has recently announced the national tour of "Stuffed and Unstrung," a live puppet improvisational show named one of the top 10 "Best Stage Shows of 2010" by Entertainment Weekly. www.henson.com; www.facebook.com/hensoncompany; www.twitter.com/hensonparents

About PBS KIDS
PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for children, offers all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, online and community-based programs. More than 21 million children watch PBS KIDS on TV, and PBSKIDS.org, the number one kids' entertainment site for free video streaming, attracts more than 9.5 million unique visitors per month (Neilsen NTI; comScore Video Metrix; Google Analytics). For more information on specific PBS KIDS programs supporting literacy, science, math and more, visit PBS.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter and Facebook.

PHOTO CREDIT - © 2011 The Jim Henson Company. JIM HENSON'S mark & logo, SID THE SCIENCE KID mark & logo, characters and elements are trademarks of The Jim Henson Company. All Rights Reserved.