Kids Show Introduces Women Who Invent, Solve, Explore and More

Christina Knight | February 27, 2023


The PBS Kids show Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum will air episodes featuring kids who became famous women – during Women’s History Month in March. See schedule for episodes.

The animated kids show Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum follows the adventures of Xavier, Yadina and Brad as they tackle everyday problems by doing something extraordinary: traveling back in time to learn from real-life inspirational figures when they were kids. For Women’s History Month, the series is focusing on women who invented, explored and achieved great feats.

PBS recommends this history-focused show for kids ages 4 to 8, and each adventure helps young viewers make the connection between the skills that made these historical figures heroes and those same qualities within themselves. We hope that kids will see that they, too, can change the world. Below is a selection of episodes in March, Women’s History Month.

Cartoon of classical Indian dancer and three people following her moves.

I Am Rukmini Devi Arundale episode of Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum.

Wednesday, March 1 at 1:30 p.m.: I Am Mary Shelley/I Am Harry Houdini
English writer Mary Shelley wrote the book “Frankenstein” in 1818 and is considered an early science-fiction writer.

Thursday, March 2 at 1:30 p.m.: I Am Rukmini Devi Arundale/I Am Bob Ross
Rukmini Devi Arundale was an expert in the Indian classical dance form of Bharatanatyam and an advocate for animals. She was a highly influential person in India in her lifetime (1904 – 1986) and spent 10 years in the Indian Parliament, where she helped pass the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960.

Friday, March 3 at 1:30 p.m.: I Am Kate Warne/I Am Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Do you like puzzles and mysteries? Kate Warne, from Erin, NY, is known as the first female detective, who joined the famous Pinkerton Detective Agency in 1856. She did spy work during the Civil War, too.

Monday, March 6 at 1:30 p.m.: I Am Ibn Batutta/I Am Beulah Louise Henry
The U.S. Patent Office calls Beulah Louise Henry the most prolific female inventor of the first half of the 20th century. From a vacuum sealed ice cream freezer to toys to better typewriters, she has 49 patents in her name. She invented some of her devices while working in New York City and lived from 1887 to 1973.

Tuesday, March 7 at 1:30 p.m.: I Am Helen Keller/I Am Alexander Graham Bell
Author, advocate and human rights pioneer, Helen Keller lost her sight and hearing when she was a toddler. As and adult, she used her celebrity and wit to champion rights for women, people with disabilities and people living in poverty.

Wednesday, March 8 at 1:30 p.m.: I Am Wilma Rudolph/I Am Jonas Salk

Do you like to run fast? Sprinter Wilma Rudolph (1940 – 1994) was a world-record-holding Olympic champion and international sports hero. She competed in the 1956 and 1960 Olympics. When she was a young child, she had several illnesses and because of polio, she had to wear a leg brace until she was 12 years old. By 1960 she was winning Olympic gold medals and was called the fastest woman in history!

Thursday, March 9 at 1:30 p.m.: I am Florence Nightingale/I am George Washington Carver

Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) wanted to help others. When she was a girl, she studied a lot of topics and was good at analyzing facts and figures. She would figure out that washing hands and keeping medical tools clean is very important to people’s health. By spending time helping wounded soldiers on the battlefield, she became an expert in how to be a good nurse.

Friday, March 10 at 1:30 p.m.: I Am Jesse Owens/I Am Ella Fitzgerald

Did you know that a shy person can also become one of the most famous singers? Ella Fitzgerald became known as the Queen of Jazz and performed on stage for 60 years, but she was always very shy. She won 13 Grammy Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award.

There are so many people to discover during Women’s History Month, and Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum visits them when they are just little girls. One is Mary Anning (Monday, March 20), a dinosaur fossil collector, dealer, and palaeontologist. She identified an ichthyosaur skeleton when she was just 12 years old in the early 1800s!

See the entire lineup for the month on our Schedule page.

Parents and caretakers can get more information about the show on this PBS Kids for Parents page. Stream episodes on PBS Kids.

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