With a mixture of humor, outrage and passion, MAKE A CIRCLE follows a group of childcare providers determined to change how society values the education of its youngest citizens and their own profession. The film confronts a broken system that provides early childcare and education to over 14 million American children, but where “Parents can’t afford to pay, and teachers can’t afford to stay.” Immersing viewers in both the imaginative, whimsical world of young children and the passionate, hopeful, but imperfect world of the adults who teach and care for them, the film gives voice to the educators and their ideas on how to improve the system.
Directed by Jen Bradwell and Todd Boekelheide, MAKE A CIRCLE premieres on PBS.org and the PBS app on Monday, September 1, 2025, and on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings). The film is made available to PBS by KQED Presents, the national distribution service of San Francisco-based public media station KQED, and will air on KQED 9 as follows: Friday, 9/5 at 8pm, Saturday, 9/6 at 6pm, and Monday, 9/8 at 9pm.
“MAKE A CIRCLE is a love letter to early educators and a portrait of a childcare system in crisis,” said filmmaker Jen Bradwell, who is also a parent. “The film delves into one of the greatest disconnects in American society: the importance of a child’s first five years versus how the work of early care and education is valued.”
MAKE A CIRCLE captures the unfolding stories of Patricia, owner of a family daycare center in San Jose and leader of a new union for childcare providers; Charlotte, owner of a daycare center in Oakland, California, who tirelessly lifts up the low-income families in her care; and Anne, the director of a large preschool in Berkeley, who finds novel ways to value and support her teachers when jobs at Starbucks are offering higher pay. Within their stories are cinematic glimpses into the unique, imaginative world of the young children in their care. The film culminates as thousands of childcare workers march on their state capitol, demanding better working conditions. Weaving together the magic they create in the classroom, the struggles they endure at home, and their unwavering activism for their profession, MAKE A CIRCLE offers a rare, inside look at the lives of early childhood educators — the backbone of a childcare system on the brink.
“KQED is proud to be the presenting station for MAKE A CIRCLE,” said Amy Miller, Director, Video Production & Distribution for KQED. “We are committed to offering the finest programs to public television stations around the country. MAKE A CIRCLE is a great example of how public media delivers value to communities and viewers nationwide, offering important perspectives of critical national issues like child care.”