PBS Kids has announced that the highly anticipated animated series Phoebe & Jay will premiere on February 2, 2026. The show is a fun, literacy-focused cartoon series for children ages 3-5, produced by Phoebe & Jay Productions and Mainframe Studios (SUPER KITTIES, COCOMELON, OCTONAUTS).
Phoebe & Jay follows the adventures of 6-year-old fraternal twins, Phoebe and Jay Yarber. The charismatic and curious siblings help foster literacy skills by highlighting texts preschoolers encounter in their day-to-day lives, such as labels, signs, and posters. The titular twins live with their dad, Pete, and their loving, no-nonsense Grandma Annie in the fantastical Tobsy Towers.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to create a show that features so many different neighbors and thinkers who laugh together, help each other, and go on fun adventures. We hope viewers recognize themselves in one of our characters and that the show inspires them to notice all the signs, symbols, and texts that surround us in our daily lives,” said co-creator Thy Than. “We’re very excited for families to watch and play with Phoebe and Jay together.”
Phoebe & Jay Promotes Literacy As Reading Scores Continue To Slip Nationwide
Shows like Phoebe & Jay are sorely needed in today’s educational landscape. Literacy rates in the US have declined steadily over the past few years. According to Nation’s Report Card, the average reading score for fourth-grade students in 2024 was lower by two points compared to 2022. So getting kids reading early is critical.
“Every year, 40% of children enter kindergarten with literacy skills one to three years behind their grade level, creating a difficult gap for them to overcome*,” said Sara DeWitt, Senior Vice President and General Manager, PBS KIDS. “We hope that PHOEBE & JAY’s relatable characters, fun, family-centered stories, and foundational curriculum will help equip young viewers nationwide with the everyday literacy skills they need to find success in school and in life.”
In addition to new episodes, Phoebe & Jay will be supported by Phoebe & Jay’s Dance Party game, which will be available on pbskids.org and in the PBS Kids Games app when the series debuts. Players will help the twins prepare for themed dance parties by finding inspiration at the Pass-It-On table, creating posters, sorting party outfits by size, dressing up, and learning special dance moves. Additional games will continue to roll out and will be available in both English and Spanish.
Phoebe & Jay Hit All The Right Notes In Preschool Entertainment
Phoebe & Jay aims to strengthen literacy in its viewers, but the show also actively promotes other skills kids will find useful, like the importance of community and family, as the twins actively engage with friends, family, and neighbors at Tobsy Towers.
“Growing up, my brother and I were fortunate to have a strong role model in our Grandma Annie, who helped raise us, and who also showed us how to think in terms of respect and resilience. Similarly, our show models executive function skills such as impulse control, encouraging children to pause and reflect when frustrated, solve problems, and think flexibly when switching between tasks. These strategies are crucial to teaching pre-literacy,” said co-creator Genie Deez.
Animation Industry Heavy Hitters Are At The Helm Of Phoebe & Jay
PHOEBE & JAY is created, and Executive Produced by Genie Deez and Thy Than, and is produced byPhoebe & Jay Productions and Mainframe Studios (SUPER KITTIES, COCOMELON, OCTONAUTS). Tanya Green is Supervising Producer. Thy Than is Supervising Director. Mike Alcock and Mark Sinclair are series co-directors. Aydrea Walden is Head Writer. Executive Producers for Mainframe are Michael Hefferon and Kim Dent Wilder. Additional Executive Producers are Wendy Moss Klein and Nancy Steingard.
Phoebe & Jay premieres on PBS Kids and the PBS Kids app on February 2, 2026.