The NY Times report that DreamWorks has partnered with tech company Fuhu on a new way to reach youngsters, a highly coveted audience: a tablet computer for children that the studio will be able to program like a cable channel.

Entertainment companies have been surprised at how speedily children have taken to tablets, sometimes forgoing TV sets altogether. As a result, DreamWorks, Disney and their competitors are searching for ways to make it easier for users to find their characters on portable devices.

Fuhu’s strategic goal with the DreamTab is differentiation — coming up with a way to persuade parents to buy its product over a competing one. DreamWorks is hoping to find a new way into the home, deepening its reputation as an innovative content creator and funneling more viewers to its programs and movies and selling more merchandise.