This New PBS Kids Series Is A Super Smart & Cute Spin On Cozy Video Games

Long before my now-12-year-old son got to the age where he was actively playing video games, we *knew* he would be a gamer. Anything with buttons or knobs sparked his imagination and became an outlet for creative play. As parents, we wanted to make sure that, as he grew, we balanced that love for gaming with educational content — and oh, how I wish the new PBS Kids series Skillsville had been around when he was little!

Still, I can’t wait to watch it with my younger nieces and nephews because there’s a lot to love about the dynamic animated show. According to the official synopsis, Skillsville encourages kids to “‘power up’ the skills they need for future success by depicting the benefits of one of the most popular forms of media: video games.”

So, here’s how that happens. As you can see in this exclusive clip from the series that Scary Mommy scored, the series follows three best friend main characters named Cora, Dev, and Rae. Cora’s game designer mom needs help finding all the bugs in her new virtual reality role-playing game, so the pals get to take their playtime to “a whole new level.”

Once inside the game, they appear as fun avatar alter-egos, going by ParCora, Devosaurus, and Racer Rae, respectively. Think of Skillsville kind of like your favorite cozy video games — sort of Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing meets The Sims, but make it completely kid-friendly. In the game, players manage their own virtual city populated by tiny residents adorably known as Beeples.

Our three BFFs try out various jobs within the game (paper plane air traffic controllers! lemonade stand entrepreneurs!) to help keep the city running smoothly. When they do encounter a bug, they lean on five essential life skills — feel, focus, organize, remember, and think differently — to come up with a creative fix.

Honestly, what’s not to love? It’s fun; it’s imaginative; it teaches kids important ideas. Plus, it centers characters who reflect the real-life diversity around us, including a main character (Rae) who was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair.

The series also underscores the idea that everyone needs help sometimes. When the trio is in Skillsville, they have a special helper who’s always ready to lend a hand: a purple dog with dragonfly wings. How fun is that? He reminds me of Figment from Disney or Cosmo and Wanda from The Fairly OddParents, both of which fill my millennial heart with joy.

It’s just a win-win-win, no matter how you look at it.

“Games aren’t just fun; they can also provide learning-rich opportunities for kids — letting them make mistakes, experiment through trial and error, pursue their goals, and remain persistent,” said Sara DeWitt, senior vice president and general manager at PBS Kids. “Skillsville will encourage kids to explore these fundamental skills in a variety of relatable situations, which will support them in building a strong foundation for achieving success in school, in the future career path they choose, and in life.”

The series, which premieres Monday, March 3, in English and Spanish, is funded by a Ready to Learn Grant from the U.S. Department of Education. In addition to the new episodes, Skillsville will launch four upcoming games on pbskids.org and the PBS Kids Games app, ~plus~ have learning resources available on PBS Kids for Parents and PBS LearningMedia.