Skillsville is an animated show for kids, ages 4-8, that teaches simple strategies to enhance the performance of Executive Functioning skills through the genre of video games, and helps align interests to future career possibilities.
Skillsville Mission
Equip children and families with self-regulation strategies to enhance their executive function skills and broaden their understanding of diverse career options, preparing them for future career opportunities.
What if playing a video game can give you the skills to be what you want to be?
Video games have become one of kids’ favorite media choices. And why not? Video games are fun, interactive, and stimulate the imagination. But for young children, they can also be a powerful educational tool. That’s because video games are all about wish fulfillment.
With customizable avatars, they offer a safe place for kids to try on all types of personas and see what fits. It’s through this type of play that kids can build confidence and let their true personalities shine through. And they can do all of this without fear of failure, because in video games failure is all part of the fun.
Of course winning is fun, too. Leveling up and reaching your goals is the whole point of playing, right? But becoming a great gamer isn’t just about being quick with the controller. To win you need some pretty important skills: Executive Functioning (EF) skills. After all, you can’t win The Donut 500 if you can’t focus on the icing covered road. Or unlock the secrets of Puzzle Palace if you can’t remember which piece is the key.
Just like in real-life, there are strategies that can help improve these EF skills — strategies that can help gamers navigate any challenge thrown their way. And here’s the best part: when the game is over, kids can take these strategies with them to use at home, school, and ultimately the workforce. So winning in the game can also help you win in real life.
Now pixel this… what if there was a show that leveraged the mass appeal of video games, along with everything that’s GOOD about them? A show that empowers kids to be WHO and WHAT they want to be, and gives them strategies for HOW to succeed at life.
Welcome to Skillsville!
About our Research
About our Curricular Pillars
Commitment to Equity
TPT’s Ready to Learn team recognizes the importance of having equitable and inclusive production practices. In order to achieve this for Skillsville, the Equity Council was formed. The Equity Council is a group of children’s media professionals, with an impressive history of creating culturally relevant content and making change in the areas of diversity and representation in children’s media and outreach programs. In collaboration with TPT’s Ready to Learn team, the Equity Council created "The Equity Principles for Production of Children's Media." These principles consist of four steps and 10 goals, along with action steps for each, to ensure the creation of equitable children’s media from inception to dissemination. The Equity Principles for Production of Children's Media are foundational to the team's work and inform every aspect of the production process.
Equity Council members include Priya Desai (Illumin Media, LLC), Aya Gallego (Perception Institute), Dr. Ed Greene (EMGreene Educational Connections Associates), Dr. Amina Jaafar (TPT), and Alice Wong (Disability Visibility Project).
