Entertainment And Education: DVDs Help Kids
For a generation, DVDs and videotapes have been a convenient go-to for busy parents, a kind of "electronic baby-sitter" that entertains, amuses and even educates youngsters for a determined interval.
Providing parents of young children with precious minutes to make dinner, return phone calls or give the kids downtime, taped entertainment allows their little ones to enjoy visual and aural information. Even parents who don't allow their toddlers to watch broadcast or cable television have used video from trusted sources for much-needed breaks in the day.
Many entertainment companies have tried their hands at educating while they entertain, even though they don't have education or pedagogical experts on staff. Conversely, education companies have tried to make their lesson-oriented videos more entertaining. A few have been successful at "edutainment"--video-based entertainment that is meant to educate. Movement-based and book-based videos that tell a story fall into this category.
Another attribute DVDs provide is repetition. Kids love, and learn from, repetition. Many parents wish for a new DVD or a new storybook as a change of pace, but the little ones always want the tried and true.
Music And Movement
Now there are two new offerings that are meant to entertain while they help kids learn and grow as they sing and play. Available from Gymboree Play & Music, a trusted name in developmentally based play for nearly 30 years, the two DVDs provide a similar experience parents and children would have if they attended a Gymboree Play & Music class.
The songs and coinciding movements and activities are developmentally appropriate and safe--so much so that kids can do them at home without parental supervision, giving Mom and Dad a little time off. And, just like the classes, each DVD provides suggestions for parents for ways to play with their kids after the tape is finished.
Music is an important component of every Gymboree class, as it facilitates interaction and stimulates growth. Both DVDs include original songs, and some are sung to familiar tunes that were written to be sung--and played--along with for years to come. The music is engaging to parents and kids alike, and sung by host singer-songwriter Suzi Shelton. Parents will enjoy singing along (perhaps in the background) as the little ones watch over and over.
Entitled "The Very Brave Elephant and His Friends" and "Let's Get Moving! Trains, Cars & Planes," each follows a story line.
One introduces kids to new animals and lets them use their imagination to become those animals; the other lets viewers playact different modes of transportation.
Kids learn and grow by watching other kids and modeling their actions. Geared to kids ages 2 to 5, these DVDs provide plenty for kids to imitate and tell the stories with over and over again.
They're available exclusively at Gymboree Play & Music, Gymboree retail stores and at Gymboree.com. To find a location near you, visit gymboreeclasses.com.
A new series of DVDs helps entertain, amuse and educate young children through music and movement.
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