MAKING SCIENCE FUN

January 28, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

Kids are always asking questions that parents can’t answer. You know, “Where do babies come from?” “Why is the sky blue?” “Why is mommy and daddy’s door locked?”

One such inquisitive youngster is the main character on PBS Kids show “Sid the Science Kid,” who often leads his kindergarten class — along with Teacher Susie — through adventures in science. During the better part of the last decade, the Emmy-nominated cartoon production, which is produced by the Jim Henson Co., has gained plenty of early elementary school-age fans relating for the diverse cast: Sid, the wide-eyed May, the princess Gabriela, and the demonstrative Gerald.

Considering the show’s success, producers naturally decided to take the fun on the road with “Sid the Science Kid LIVE: Let’s Play!” The tour comes to Warren Friday for a show at Packard Music Hall.

“This is the second touring leg, and it’s been a big hit, families love it,” said show director-producer John Tartaglia, calling from Los Angeles. “It’s about taking the elements from the television series that people love — including the songs — and transforming it into a theatrical medium.

“We use Teacher Susie as kind of the bridge between the audience and the characters on stage. She’s actually very interactive. That was a big part of it, making sure that the audience is as much a part of the adventure as they can be.”

The costumed characters in “Sid the Science Kid LIVE: Let’s Play!” are joined by a real-life Teacher Susie, who keeps the production moving as kids explore the world around them with audience activities, cooperative problem solving and plenty of laughs.

Specifically, Sid and his classmates explore their five senses through fun games and experiments that, of course, begin when they ask curious questions. As for those aforementioned songs, the list includes “Looking For My Friends,” “Checking Out Charts,” “I Magnify” and “My Best Guess.”

Invariably, parents can attest there’s a freshness associated with “Sid the Science Kid,” which not only boasts modern animation but also a serious focus on science education that without a doubt has proponents of STEM education smiling.

“Sid focuses on science education, and how that affects the world around you,” Tartaglia said. “The show makes the experiments accessible. There’s obviously a very verbal written out formal way of presenting science but I think what’s great about ‘Sid the Science Kid’ is it’s presented in a way that kids understand. Such as, the way your ball bounces has to do with gravity.”

The other interesting aspect of “Sid the Science Kid” television show is the modern makeup of characters, including Sid’s interracial parents.

“One of the goals of the show was to make it very inclusive and show all sorts of different kinds of kids,” Tartaglia said. “Regardless of anything, it’s an accessible show that represents kind of the world you see today.

“I love that about it. I think it’s a very honest representation of the world, and I think kids pick up on that.”