Nine PBS Added New Music Segments to Teaching in Room 9

Local musicians Laren and Aimee Loveless filmed four original songs for the St. Louis public television program.

Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Children’s Music

Bold vector editorial illustration of acoustic guitars and colorful building blocks, representing children's educational music programming. — Nine PBS has integrated new musical segments produced by Laren and Aimee Loveless into its educational program Teaching in Room 9 to support early childhood emotional development. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Laren and Aimee Loveless, founders of Music & Me, have produced four original musical segments for Nine PBS’s educational show Teaching in Room 9. The segments are designed to teach children emotional regulation and curiosity through a deliberate, slow-paced format.

Why it matters

Nine PBS incorporated these segments as part of an initiative supported by a significant federal Ready To Learn grant aimed at enhancing early literacy. This collaboration brings local music instruction into the homes of young learners across the region.

The production includes four musical segments, each lasting 60 to 90 seconds. The underlying grant supporting the initiative totals $56 million over a five-year cycle.

The players

Laren and Aimee Loveless

They are the founders of Music & Me, a St. Louis-based program that offers music education classes for young children.

Nine PBS

This St. Louis public television station provides educational content to the community and acts as a regional resource for early childhood learning.

The details

The newly filmed segments aim to help children practice social-emotional learning through original songs. The segments were intentionally produced with a slow pace to allow young viewers at home the necessary time to respond and engage with the material.

Laren and Aimee Loveless launched Music & Me in 2022.
St. Louis Magazine profiled the Music & Me program in 2025.
Nine PBS announced receiving the federal grant on October 1, 2026.

Industry Dynamics

Public broadcasters are increasingly leveraging federal grant resources to scale localized early childhood content into multi-platform digital ecosystems. This shift allows regional creators to reach national audiences via apps and online streaming while maintaining a community-based focus.

Families can watch these new segments on Nine PBS broadcasts or stream them on the PBS KIDS app and YouTube. This provides free access to educational musical content for children aged two to eight in the St. Louis area and beyond.

The takeaway

Integrating local music instruction into broadcast educational programs can provide children with effective tools for emotional regulation. Parents can use these short, interactive segments to encourage curiosity and engagement during screen time at home.