New program gives kids a chance to make a difference while learning important social-emotional lessons; by watching ‘Gabby’s’ challenge videos kids bank kitty hearts in support of UNICEF’s work and help target the animation studio’s $400K donation.
DreamWorks Animation and UNICEF USA have launched “Gabby's Kid Power Challenge,” a program that empowers kids to positively impact children in need around the world. Kids can learn valuable social-emotional lessons while contributing to making lasting changes by watching Gabby's Kid Power Challenge videos on YouTube Kids, starting today, September 8, and running through World Children’s Day, November 20.
Gabby (Laila Lockhart Kraner) from Gabby's Dollhouse, Netflix’s popular kids’ animated live-action hybrid series, is featured in weekly videos on the Gabby & Friends YouTube channel, along with the show’s kitty characters (including Pandy Paws, Cakey Cat, and DJ Catnip). Together they participate in crafts, dancing, and costume parties while highlighting issues such as the importance of teamwork, mindfulness, flexible thinking, and failure as a learning process.
When kids watch GabbysKidPowerChallenge, kitty hearts accumulate in the kitty bank. When the bank is full, families can choose to support an area of UNICEF’s work – from nutrition, education, and emergencies – that will receive DreamWorks’ $400,000 donation.
Families help determine what programs DreamWorks’ contributions target. Examples include funding therapeutic food packs for severely malnourished children; providing school supplies to children who can’t afford back-to-school basics or attend underfunded schools; or giving blankets to children and families displaced by emergencies.
By participating in this challenge, children learn that they can actively help children worldwide access basic rights.
Watch: Gabby invites kids to join her challenge:
The Gabby's Kid Power Challenge videos cover a new topic each week, including learning from our mistakes. One of Gabby’s favorite mottos is “failing fantastically!” In this video, she talks about times when she was glad to have failed on her first try because she got to learn something new. She encourages kids to think of a time when they had a similar experience and what they gained from it. Join Gabby and the Gabby Cats' as they learn that mistakes are just a part of learning and that the right cat-titude can make all the difference!
Check out the first Kid Power Video, “Mistakes are A-Okay! Failing Fantastically with Gabby”
Here’s a schedule for Gabby’s video rollout – watch them on Gabby & Friends YouTube channel:
- September 15 “Accidental Inventions”
- September 22 “Learning by Experimentation - Cat-tastic Kitty Creativity”
- September 29 “Learning by Experimentation - Gabby Cats’ First Day of School Adventure”
- October 6 “Stretch and Refresh in Nature” October 13 – “Relaxing in Nature with Kitty Fairy”
- October 20 – “Helping is Heroic! - Being a Role Model and Teamwork - Being a Hero for Others”
- October 27 – “Cat-tastic Costume Party Guessing Game”
- November 3 – “Dance Along with Gabby to A Friend Like You”
- November 10 – “Quest for Friendship”
Source: DreamWorks Animation
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
