Did you know PBS KIDS is launching new web shows? That seems like a smart idea in this day and age. When I received the press release about some new titles, I was intrigued. A longtime fan of PBS, I was excited about having the opportunity to watch great programming that was clean and educational, but when I went to preview Chuck Banderchuck's "Something Something" Explosion and Noah Comprende!, I found so much more. In fact, I found myself reaching for the phone to share the sites with friends.
Taking Rock Band to a Young Child's Level
Chuck Banderchuck's "Something Something" Explosion is targeted for preschoolers and young school children. I know that, but the site is so much fun, that I couldn't stop playing as an adult. Even though I had a minor in music in college, I found myself learning new concepts in instrument playing and lyric development as well as music history. Kids can come to this site to learn all about
salsa, jazz, reggae, country or rock 'n roll.
I've watched young children look on enviously as older siblings take the stage playing Rock Band. Now the younger ones have the opportunity to shine as they go through this website and create their own songs to perform. Whether you use this for fun, homeschool music class, or as a regular school activity, young children will most likely find that learning about music isn't a task at all. In fact, music is pretty cool. Just ask your avatar.
Learn Spanish by Immersion
The other day I was watching an episode on "How to Make Bionic Bilingual Babies With Ana Flores of Spanglishbaby.com" on The Parent Show With Angela Santomero and it got me thinking about my own children and their schooling. Why do we wait until 7th grade to learn a language? And why do we make them memorize vocabulary lists instead of exposing them to other languages naturally? I wish
Noah Comprende! had been around when they were young. In fact, maybe it's not too late. I might use it to supplement Spanish lessons when I homeschool my 7th grader in the fall.
What would you do if you were sent to a country where everyone spoke a different language? That's what happened to Noah. As your child experiences his adventures, they will find themselves completely immersed in the Spanish language (aside from Noah's thoughts). The dialogue is so well-written, and the images are so supporting that the viewer never gets lost in the story. They might not even realize they are listening to another language until new words pop out of their mouths. If you are looking for more Noah interaction, just click on the games on the website to practice new vocabulary based on the episode you just viewed.
Learning shouldn't be a chore for kids, and PBS KIDS GO! obviously gets that. It's all about interactive learning and immersion. With games and short video clips, you just might find that your children are begging to learn some more. And that benefits everyone.
Christine Pollock - Christine Pollock loves to tell people that she watches TV for a living - a true fact that’s also appreciated by her ...
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