Need Help?
PBS KIDS PLAY! Customer Service is available toll-free at 1-888-727-8085 or support@pbskidsplay.org.
What is PBS KIDS PLAY?
1. Give me your "elevator pitch."
PBS KIDS PLAY! is the only online school readiness program that customizes the learning experience to your child's level across 20 different subject areas. Your subscription to PLAY! gets you access to more than 50 exclusive educational activities that you won't find anywhere else – and all of them match with national educational standards and benchmarks. PLAY! adjusts based on your child's individual learning achievements, unlocking exciting new challenges. A personal progress chart for each child shows the results as he or she advances through the curriculum. PLAY! also has built-in safety features, including the option to set a time limit.
2. Is PBS KIDS PLAY! right for my child?
The games and activities in PBS KIDS PLAY! address a broad range of interests, from math and science to literacy and language development. They also address a broad range of abilities – games start at Level 1 and get more challenging at your child's own pace. You can try PBS KIDS PLAY! without any registration to see if it's right for your child.
How It Works
3. Can I try PBS KIDS PLAY! for free?
You bet! You can take PLAY! for a free test drive. We think you'll love what PLAY! has to offer: It's a great tool for your child to learn in a fun, low-stress way. No strings attached, and no registration required to try.
4. What kind of computer do I need?
PBS KIDS PLAY! requires a Mac OS X, Windows XP or Vista computer with a high-speed Internet connection. We recommend using a computer with a Core Duo, Pentium 4 (2.4 Ghz or above), PowerPC G5, or similar processor. Your computer monitor must also support 1024 by 768 or higher resolution.
Note: The downloadable version currently runs on XP and Vista only.
5. Does PLAY! work on a Mac?
Yes. The Web-playable version is compatible with Mac OS X and is fully supported in the Safari browser.
6. Do I need to be online in order to use PBS KIDS PLAY?
Yes, it requires a high-speed Internet connection at all times.
7. Will you save my child's learning progress during the free trial?
This is up to you. If you activate your subscription on the same computer that your child used during the trial, then your child's learning progress will be saved. If, however, you activate your subscription on a different computer then the progress tracking will start over.
8. Can my child use these games independently or do I need to be there to help them?
We've designed PBS KIDS PLAY! so that children of ages 3 to 6 are able to play independently, to the extent that is possible with young children. Our goal is to help children to gain confidence with the computer and with the curriculum. However, each child may have different abilities and needs, so the only way to really evaluate this is to try it! Also consider using the "Take a Break" feature (built into PLAY!), which helps you better monitor your child's computer use.
9. How does it work if I have two or more kids?
With a paid subscription, you can create up to four learning profiles. Each child can play using his or her own profile at the same time, in case they have access to more than one computer.
During the trial, however, we provide guest access only and do not customize to each child.
10. Can I access PLAY! from any computer?
Yes, you can use PLAY! from any Mac OS X, Windows XP or Vista computer with a high-speed Internet connection. We recommend using a computer with a Core Duo, Pentium 4 (2.4 Ghz or above), PowerPC G5, or similar processor.
Note: You can create up to four learning profiles per paid subscription, and one child can use each profile at the same time.
11. Can I use PBS KIDS PLAY! if I am not in the USA?
This service is offered to US customers only and requires a US billing address.
Activation Codes
12. Why do I need to activate my subscription?
Activation is a 30- to 60-second setup process that gives you a way to sign into your account and personalize the experience for up to four children. You will not be able to access the service without activating. Once you activate, you can access PLAY! from any computer with a high-speed Internet connection by signing in with the email address and password you enter in the activation form.
13. How do I enter my Activation Code?
After you complete your purchase you can activate your subscription immediately. Click the Activate Now button on the confirmation page to set up your account. This takes about 30 to 60 seconds.
Your activation code will also be emailed to you. (If you cannot find the email receipt, be sure to check your bulk email folder in case our message was spam-blocked.) If you prefer to activate your account later or on another computer, write down or print out your activation code and the next time you visit PLAY! click on the link that says Activate to set up your account.
To play from a second or third, etc. computer, you simply can sign in with your email address and password and will not need to activate again.
If you purchased online at pbskidsplay.org and cannot find your activation code, please contact our toll-free support by emailing support@pbskidsplay.org or calling (888) 727-8085 toll-free.
Free Trial
14. Do you need my credit card for the trial?
No. A lot of online services make you put in a credit card number just to try their service and then bill you when you forget to cancel. We're just not that mean.
15. Do I have to cancel the trial, or does it end automatically?
It ends automatically. Your trial starts after you access PBS KIDS PLAY! for the first time as our guest. You will not be asked for a credit card or any other information. You do not need to do anything to cancel the trial. You will need to subscribe in order to keep using PLAY! after the trial, however.
16. What happens after my trial expires?
Nothing. No bills. No spam. But you won't be able to access our games or activities after the trial period is over. To subscribe after the trial expires, sign in, click the Subscribe button, and then complete the order form.
Or, to subscribe now, follow this link: GO>>.
17. What does PBS do with the subscription fees?
By subscribing to PBS KIDS PLAY!, you are directly supporting PBS KIDS programming. As a non-profit public media organization, every dollar we make gets reinvested into creating more quality content that serves the needs of today's parents, caregivers and children.
Pricing and Payment
18. How much does PBS KIDS PLAY! cost?
A subscription costs $9.95 per month (billed automatically each month), or you can purchase one year of service for $79 (billed only once).
19. I'm a member of a PBS station. Do I get a discount?
Members of PBS stations are eligible for a $30.00 discount. Please contact your local station to obtain the discount code.
20. What forms of payment do you accept?
Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express credit and debit cards. Charges will appear on your bill as "PBS KIDS PLAY!" We also accept the Ultimate Game Card, a prepaid card available at Toys "R" Us stores in the United States.
21. What is your cancellation policy?
You can cancel your subscription any time you like. If you're a trial user, since we don't ask for any credit card, we won't bill you if you forget to cancel. We'll just notify you that the trial is over. For purchases made with an Ultimate Game Card, click here.
If you choose to subscribe, you may do so with either a month-to-month or annual plan. You may cancel either online or by phone, as you prefer.
If you cancel the month-to-month plan, we will immediately stop charging any further monthly subscription fees. Your account will remain active until the end of the billing period (up to 30 days from cancellation).
With the annual plan, your subscription will automatically expire after one year and you do not need to take any action to cancel.
Please refer to our Terms of Service for any further detail.
22. How do I change from the monthly to the annual price?
To change your price plan from a monthly to an annual subscription, launch PLAY!, visit the Parents Center, and then click on the "My Account" tab. Next, click the Upgrade button and complete the payment form.
23. How often will my credit card be charged?
That depends on the price plan that you select when you subscribe to PLAY!:
If you sign up as a monthly subscriber, the day that you submit your credit card information is the day that you will be charged each month. You will be charged again on that day for every subsequent month unless you cancel your subscription.
If you prefer take advantage of the cost savings of the annual plan, the day you submit your credit card information will be your anniversary date. Unless you renew, your annual subscription will automatically expire one year from this anniversary date.
24. Why do I see two charges for PBS KIDS PLAY! on my account?
If you review your account online you may see two line items, one for $1.00 and the other for your subscription price. The $1.00 line item is just an authorization and should disappear within 5 business days (depending on your bank's policy). Your account will not actually be charged the extra $1.00.
25. I tried ordering online, but it didn't work.
Please call us toll-free at (888) 727-8085. We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Ultimate Game Card
26. How do I redeem my game card on your site?
27. What can I purchase with my Ultimate Game Card on PBS KIDS PLAY?
A $20 Ultimate Game Card will provide 60 days of unlimited access to PBS KIDS PLAY. A $10 card will provide 30 days of unlimited access.
28. Can I use my Ultimate Game Card on another website after I order PBS KIDS PLAY?
No. When you redeem a card on our website, it redeems the full value of your card.
29. What is your refund policy for Ultimate Game Card purchases?
Ultimate Game Card redemptions for PBS KIDS PLAY! are non-refundable. In the event you are repeatedly unable to access the service, PBS may extend the length of your service to compensate for any technical issue.
30. Where can I purchase an Ultimate Game Card?
Ultimate Game Cards with the PBS KIDS PLAY! logo are available at Toys R US retail locations in the United States. A list of other participating stores is available online at ultimategamecard.com. (Only US orders are accepted.)
