The Jim Henson Company has named the L.A.-based licensing and marketing agency Brandolution to handle all US and Canadian licensing for its newest animated preschool series Sid the Science Kid (formerly known as What’s the Big Idea?).

Brandolution has gotten to work on developing a merch program for the science-readiness-based series with Henson across preschool consumer product categories, including toys, books, activities, party, apparel, and home furnishings. The plan is to roll out a focused line lead by key drivers (think toys and books) in holiday 2008, with a second wave of products to follow in 2009.

Henson is co-producing 40 half-hour eps of the series with West Coast PBS station KCET that’s slated to bow across the U.S. on PBS Kids in September 2008. While presented in a sketch-comedy format, the inquisitive main character Sid will uncover the science behind the answers to everyday questions that occupy the minds of your average preschooler such as ‘How does my juice box straw work?’ and ‘How does a bird fly without a plane?’