It looks like the rain is going to keep us indoors this week. You can give the kids a break from their chores by giving them some fun learning time with this week’s special ”Super Why and the Around the World Adventure.” Educators note that the summer often means a loss of learning among students, often referred to as “summer slide,” “summer lag,” or “brain drain.” PBS KIDS programming knows that is a very real problem and are meeting it with a lot of new programming this summer, as well as online games for kids to keep their minds active. The Super Why! special airs this Friday, June 15 from 3-4pm. Two new episodes of the award-winning series created and produced by Out of the Blue Enterprises – “Super Why and the Around the World Adventure” and “Super Why and Naila and the Magic Map:"

“Super Why and the Around the World Adventure” – With the help of their teacher, Wyatt and his friends have contacted a girl from another school over the computer and are wondering where she lives. The Super Readers take a trip around the world with a wacky explorer named Wobblebottom, who is on the hunt for his friend Sophie. Will they be able to help Wobblebottom find his friend?

“Super Why and Naila and the Magic Map” – Pig and his friends are playing when they find what looks like an Egyptian treasure map, but they can’t make out the symbols! To search for some answers, the Super Readers soar into the book “Naila and the Magic Map” and explore the world of ancient Egypt. Will they be able to help Naila unravel the mysterious code that will unlock where the treasure lies?

PBS KIDS’ summer learning initiative will also include themed programming on-air, online and on mobile.

“When children go back to school in the fall, teachers typically spend between four and six weeks re-teaching material that students have forgotten over the summer,” said Lesli Rotenberg, senior vice president, Children’s Media, PBS. “We want to equip families with tools to prevent this ‘summer slide,’ and to make summer a time for learning and exploring. At PBS KIDS, we know that kids learn the most from content that is both educational and engaging, which is why we’re offering a range of activities across platforms to help kids and parents build key skills while having fun this summer.”