8/13/2019 Kidcasts From the Wide to the Wee Screen
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Title:Kidcasts: From the Wide to the Wee Screen
Word Count:524
Summary:Podcasts, which allow viewers to download video material
into their iPods to watch at their own convenience, has always been
a secret weapon for harassed parents looking for a way to entertain
bored and listless children.
Keywords:podcasting, video podcasting, podcast software
Article Body:Podcasts, which allow viewers to download video
material into their iPods to watch at their own convenience, has
always been a secret weapon for harassed parents looking for a way
to entertain bored and listless children. Think long road trips, or
the typical meltdowns at restaurants, doctors clinics, or grocery
lines.Bring out the iPod, and suddenly, the kids have something to
do leaving Mommy and Daddy to go about their task without fear of
the Tantrum from Hell.
The cartoon industry has caught on. Today, there are podcast
videos specificallyfor children, which are either delivered for
free with advertising, or can be downloaded for a minimal
subscription rate. For example, Radio Disney has been sending
cartoons-on-the-go, taking this billion-dollar family entertainment
company from the widescreen to the wee screen.
Tinkerbell wouldve been proud.
Other cartoon characters to jump on the pod: Kedou the Bear, and
his adventures(or misadventures) of growing up, Buck Howdy, and 123
Listen to Me. Many smaller, independent cartoon companies that
otherwise may have had difficulty breakinginto nationwide
television are also bringing their shows to the web, for easy
download.
The advantage of podcasts for kids go beyond acting as a
babysitter. The educational content of many of these videos can be
replayed again and again, wherever the child may be allowing for
the repetition and reinforcement that young learners need. It
doesnt even have to be about the ABCs or the 123s: there are
nursery rhymes, vocabulary builders, even simple documentaries on
the trip to the zoo.
Podcasting has also unleashed a whole new (and very young)
generation of directors: kids are starting to make podcasts as
well, and sharing their files on podcast forums and parenting
sites.
Its not surprising, then, for a nine-year-old to say that hes
just aired his firstmini documentary. This tech-savvy generation,
as at home with the PC as with th
eir paper and crayons, can easily use the software used for
making podcast videos. Its an excellent way of encouraging them to
use their imagination, and if several kids are involved in a video,
it also teaches social skills and important values like discipline,
concentration, and problem-solving.
One podcast made by a group of twelve year olds was part of a
history project they did for school, and centered on the historical
buildings in their area. Whileits not going to win any Oscar awards
(yet), it did inject a little excitement and fun into an activity
that most kids would not have found particularly interesting.
