Zootles (Magazine)

Zootles Magazine is a bimonthly subscription published by Wildlife Education Limited. Six issues over a year period costs $29.95 or one can purchase a two year subscription which equals 12 issues for $49.95. Purchase of a subscription also includes access to www.zoobooks.com. The intended audience for this magazine are toddlers ranging in age from two to six.

This is an animal focused magazine that tends to promote young or baby animals to attract the attention of young children. Each issue focuses on a letter of the alphabet, the phonetic sound, and a particular number. Throughout the magazine are wonderful photographs, illustrated stories, games, and activities that are meant to be educational as well as stimulating. There is also reoccurring characters by the names of Otto and Allie who have a running storyline in every issue. The magazine also contains a pull-out section titled “Fun pages” that gives children added fun which features coloring pages and other activities.

Out of all of the animal magazines this magazine does have more to offer in the way of activities, educational applications, and content but is overpriced for a toddler based magazine.

Resources:

Zoobooks. (2010). Zootles Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.zoobooks.com

Wild Animal Baby (Magazine)

Wild Animal Baby Magazine is published by the National Wildlife Federation. The target audience for this periodical are toddlers, ages two through four. A small booklet, approximately six inches high is filled with animal pictures, photographs, games, and stories. Each issue has an animal drawn on the front cover. Sammy the Skunk is the magazine’s mascot and plays a hide-and-go-seek game throughout the issue.

According to the National Wildlife Federation, their “mission is to introduce very young children to wildlife in ways that lay the foundation for a lifelong love of the natural world” (http://www.nwf.org/, 2010). By educating the young, the organization hopes to protect the environment for the future. Because of this, the magazine is printed on recycled paper which is a bit thicker than typical magazine pages, and bound with nontoxic materials.

Winner of the 2010 Parents’ Choice Recommended Magazine, a subscription to Wild Animal Baby runs $19.95 for 10 issues a year. This is a less expensive and better built magazine for the toddler crowd.

Resources:

National Wildlife Federation. (2010). Wild Animal Baby Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.nwf.org/

National Geographic Little Kids (Magazine)

National Geographic Little Kids Magazine is a bimonthly publication intended for toddlers, ages three to six. Published by the National Geographic Society, the cost for a year subscription is approximately $15 for six issues. This magazine is also a recipient of the 2010 Parents’ Choice Gold Award.
Every issue contains photographs, illustrations and stories about animals and their environments. Activities, games, crafts and pull-out trading cards are also included in each issue. Some issues include segments on cooking and science. While the photographs will interest the youngest of the intended age bracket, the activities and games seem to be better suited for the older set. As well, the construction of the magazine is not as heavy duty for the typical battering of young children. Overall, this is a terrific educational resource due to the photos and information written but probably not the best choice for young children in light of expense and construct.

Ladybug (Magazine)

Ladybug Magazine is another Cricket Magazine Group publication. This magazine is directed at children ages three to six. Ladybug Magazine is also an award winning publication, receiving the 2010 Parents’ Choice Silver Honor. Cost of a subscription is the same as Babybug Magazine: nine issues a year for $33.95, 18 issues for two years at $57.95, and 45 issues over five years at $124.95. With paid subscription, parents and children also receive access to www.ladybugmagkids.com where they can download directions for creative projects, music and games. Children may also post artwork and write notes to story characters in the “Your Turn” segment. (www.ladybugmagkids.com, 2010).

Each Ladybug issue contains 40 pages of stories, poetry, songs, crafts, and a removable four page pull-out activity section. Every page includes beautiful illustrations to accompany the works of literature. One perk to note is that many children like familiarity and Ladybug meets this need by having stories with reoccurring characters such as “Max and Kate” and “Mop and Family”. There is also no advertising posted on any of the pages of Ladybug Magazine.

Resources:

Cricket Magazine. (2010). Subscriptions. Retrieved from http://www.cricktemag.com/

Ladybug Magazine. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.ladybugmagkids.com

Babybug (Magazine)

          

          Babybug Magazine is published by the Cricket Magazine Group. The intended audience is the age range of six months to three years of age. The magazine is published nine times a year and may be purchased in increments of one year at $33.95, two years at $57.95, and five years for $124.95. Each issue contains 24 pages of high quality ink illustrations, bound together with nontoxic glue, has extra heavy pages with rounded corners, and is just right for small hands (www.cricketmag.com, 2010).

            Every issue begins with suggestions to parents from child development expert Sally Nurss, M. Ed. regarding ways to improve literacy development in children. Stories, poems and nursery rhymes including Mother Goose fill the pages of the magazine. As an added bonus, purchase of a subscription includes access to www.babybugmagkids.com website where parents can ask questions of Sally Nurss, find advice on literacy development, and post book reviews/recommendations in the “Parent’s Corner”.

            Babybug Magazine has won many awards such as “2010 Parents’ Choice Approved, 2009 Classy Mommy Product Pick, a 2009 Parents’ Choice Approved, and a 2008 Parents’ Choice Silver Honor” (www.cricketmag.com, 2010). On another note, no advertising is posted on any of Babybug Magazine issues.

Resources:

Babybug Magazine. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.babybugmagkids.com

Cricket Magazine. (2010). Subscriptions. Retrieved from http://www.cricktemag.com/

Qubo Television Channel (TV)

     Debuting in 2006, Qubo is a product of a variety of well-known production and literary companies such as NBC Universal and Scholastic Corporation. Qubo’s focus is as a “groundbreaking bilingual, multi-platform entertainment destination for children that focuses on literacy, values and healthy lifestyles while celebrating the unlimited possibilities of a child's imagination” (http://www.qubo.com/, 2010). Programs that air on Qubo usually have some literary counterpart such as Max and Ruby, Franklin, Maisy, and the Magic School Bus. Because of the familiarity children may have with the literary format, the televised editions can reinforce comprehension if used in conjunction with the associated book. Functioning alone, the televised programming will most likely only stimulate narrative skills and possibly phonological awareness. However, the Qubo website states that literacy is promoted as well as values and life lessons through a media format.

            To access Qubo, one must have digital cable access that supports the ION network. Some cable companies require the customer to purchase the ION channels separate from regular cable packages therefore increasing the general package cost.

Resources:

Qubo channel. (2010). About Qubo [website]. Retrieved from http://www.qubo.com/about.asp

Wikipedia. (2010). Qubo. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qubo.

Sprout Television Channel (TV)

The Sprout Channel is also owned by the PBS Company however, the programs on this particular channel are only available through cable providers for a cost. Initiated in 2005, the Sprout Channel is a 24-hour on demand television channel designed specifically for preschoolers.

The programming is mostly consistent with the same shows repeating throughout the day to maintain repetition, occasionally; a new show will be added to encourage a better foundation for learning. A daily schedule consists of the Wiggly Waffle program hosted by the musical group, the Wiggles; the morning show titled The Sunny Side Up Show; The Let’s Go Show, airing in the early afternoon; The Sprout Sharing Show, broadcasting in the later afternoon; and the Good Night Show. All program segments contain preschool formatted entertainment: cartoons, music, puppets, skits, and crafts.

            The majority of the programming builds on the skills of vocabulary, letter knowledge, narrative skills, and phonological awareness, there is little advancement in the way of print awareness and print motivation. In general, the Sprout channel is not a bad tool but more work would be required on the part of the parent to encourage growth in the other skill areas.

Resources:

PBS KIDS Sprout. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.sproutonline.com/

Sesame Workshop-Sesame Street (TV)

Sesame Workshop is a product of Children’s Television Workshop. Programming includes Sesame Street and Electric Company. Created over 40 years ago, the Sesame Workshop’s main focus was to build a program that supported early literacy for low-income families. The Sesame Street program has extended beyond television to include DVDs, radio, books, magazines, and Internet. This successful environment has been developed through the constant surveying of teachers and parents; as well as, the involvement of many that work in the field of child development: artists, writers, child development specialist, and psychologists.

Sesame Street is broadcasted daily on the public television station PBS and has a run time of approximately 30 minutes. Segments include singing, dancing, vocabulary growth through the word of the day, and introduction of social skills through skits. A multicultural format is also used to encourage learning different languages, visually experience diversity in cultures, and establish respect for people’s differences. Sesame Street as an educational tool has been found that the approach used for early literacy “succeeds in improving cognitive skills, teaching respect and social skills, and promoting school readiness skills” (Sesame Workshop, 2010).

Since the Sesame Street program is available through public broadcasting and therefore available to any individual with access to a television set, the program is an inexpensive way to offer early literacy skills in a digital format.

Resources:

Sesame Workshop. (2010). Sesame Street. Retrieved from http://www.sesameworkshop.org/programs/sesame_street



Blue’s Clues (TV)

     Blue’s Clues premiered on the Nickelodeon channel in 1996 with host Steve Burns. Burns functioned as one of the lead characters until 2002 and was replace by Donovan Patton until 2006 when filming ceased. Blue’s Clues segments are still airing today on the Nickelodeon channel which can be accessed with regular cable activation. A preschool based television show, Blue’s Clues was formatted by a team of producers to "empower preschoolers to learn through active participation in activities that are grounded in their everyday lives, to redefine the approach to problem-solving for preschoolers in an engaging manner” (Wikipedia, 2010). The design of each segment of an episode was to mimic the action of turning a page of a story, moving from one scene to another without delay or confusion.

     Each episode of Blue’s Clues begins with the host announcing the puzzle. To decipher the puzzle the host and viewers must locate the three clues left behind by Blue, the blue cartoon dog. Every clue is brought to the attention of the viewer after playing a few games. At the end of the program the host returns to his “think chair” to review the clues and unravel the puzzle. Ultimately, the effects of this program aided children in problem-solving skills but of the six early literacy skills, the most prominently recognized were vocabulary, and narrative skills.

Resources:
Wikipedia. (2010). Blue’s Clues. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue's_Clues           

Barney and Friends (TV)

     Barney and Friends is an upbeat television show viewed on PBS, which aired in 1992. Barney is a purple dinosaur stuffed animal that can be brought to life by his friends, usually three to four young school children. He sometimes shares the stage with three other dinosaurs: Baby Bop, BJ, and cousin Riff. Together, the children and Barney sing songs, dance, and teach everyday life lessons. Each televised episode ends with the Barney favorite, “I love you”.

     While the typical literacy skills may not be displayed, the show does promote creativity through imagination, and a high content of popular musical numbers that can educate children in narrative skills and vocabulary. Social skills are also prominent throughout the Barney segments.

Your Baby Can Read (DVD)

     Your Baby Can Read is an early learning system made up of interactive DVDs, flashcards, sliding cards, and lift-a-flap books. The kit was invented by Dr. Robert Titzer, an infant researcher and founder of the Infant Learning Company that produces learning products for infants. Dr. Titzer states that he came to create this program when he felt his child was not receiving what he believed to be necessary stimulation during the time she was in day care. His first video was of pictures and words that he required the daycare professional to show to his daughter on a daily basis.

            The program’s advertising states that “there is a small window of opportunity to enhance a child’s learning ability” (Your Baby Can Read, 2010). This window is defined as the period from birth to age four. Advertisements also asserts that the programming is fun and entertaining; never a forced activity. Parents of children who have used this programming are also filmed to testify to the success of the learning system.

            The DVDs show pictures of actions or things along with the associated word in easy to read, bold font. Children viewing the DVD will hear the word twice and are expected to repeat the action or recognize the item shown. The DVD also includes commonly heard nursery songs, and interactive word games. Parents are to show the same DVD to the child twice a day for a period of one month, then, when the child is ready to advance, the parent can introduce the subsequent DVD. Flashcards, sliding cards, and lift-the-flap books are numbered to use concurrently with the DVDs to promote learning.

            The program became available to the public in 1997. The kit can be purchased direct from www.yourbabycanread.com for $200. To purchase the box set of four DVDs alone through Toys R Us runs approximately $100. While not an inexpensive tool, the Your Baby Can Read is an early learning system that meets all identified literacy skills.

Resources:

Wikipedia. (2010). Robert Titzer. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Titzer

Your Baby Can Read. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.yourbabycanread.com

Once Upon a Potty for Her (DVD)

The story, Once upon a potty, has been around since the mid seventies. Available in book, VHS, and DVD, the story has become a classic tool in promoting potty training. There is also a version for girls and one for boys. While rather old, the same educational value is the same but probably could use some updating.

Prudence is a toddler who is ready to be potty trained. Her grandmother sends her a gift that reveals itself to be a potty. After a few mishaps, Prudence finally conquers potty training. A segment for parents follows the animated story that includes tips for potty training. There is also a motivational song and video titled “The potty dance” which is performed by toddlers dancing around their potties.

This DVD is a definite concept enhancer for potty training. The short animated film will keep the attention of little ones and can encourage potty training. The tips for parents are helpful but again, while the ideas are universal, the story could use up-dating.

Classical Baby: Music Show (DVD)

HBO Home Video has released a series of DVDs called Classical Baby. The three most recognized DVDs in the series are “The dance show”, “The art show”, and the “The music show”. All are animated films that star a baby as the conductor of an animal orchestra, an animal audience, and images related to dance, art or music depending on which DVD one is viewing.

“The music show” is a favorite. The baby conductor leads the animal orchestra through a series of classical musical numbers from Tchaikovsky, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, and many others. Each song is complemented with an animated theatrical performance too. The music is soothing as are the animations. Children will be taken in by the calming colors as well as the classical music. This DVD is a great introduction into classical music. But, other than the classical music feature, there is not much else to promote literacy.

This series is award winning: Outstanding Children’s Programming (2005) and the Peabody Award (2006). Cost associated with this DVD is $10.

Baby Signing Time (DVD)

      Signing is considered in many forums to be a resource only for the hearing impaired. Although, the creators of Baby Signing Time believe that educating children in sign language between the ages of three months and three years can encourage an ability to read before entering school. Not only does learning sign language foster the bonds of communication at an early age but young children are being taught early language skills.

     As an alternate form that is not typical of most recognized early literacy tools, teaching young children sign language has increased vocabulary prior to being able to verbalize words. Researchers, Acredolo, Goodwyn and Brown in their paper “Impact of symbolic gesturing on early language development” (2000) found that “helped them become active partners during book-reading, descriptive gestures (e.g., HOT, HAPPY, AFRAID) helped them share important insights about their environment, and all of the gestures helped clarify the children’s initial, crude verbal labels (e.g., "Oh! You’re doing your TURTLE gesture. I guess Tata means ‘turtle!’).”

     The Baby Signing Time DVDs were created by sisters, Rachel Coleman and Emilie Brown: Two Little Hands Productions. Upon watching the DVDs, the viewer is introduced to the host, Rachel Coleman. Each segment of the video includes animated characters, songs, images of the sign in use, and action shots of everyday children using the sign. Seeing other children utilize the signs in daily life persuades young children to tryout the signs especially during their mimicking phase of life.

     Each DVD has a run time of approximately 30 minutes. Cost average is about $22 direct from http://www.signingtime.com/ or http://www.amazon.com/. Other educational learning items are also available such as books, flashcards, and music. There are also products and resources available for the mentally or physically-challenged and hearing impaired. Again, not all six skills are enforced but the series does offer parents a resource to build on vocabulary, print awareness, letter knowledge, narrative skills, and phonological awareness depending upon what DVDs are used.

     The most negative drawback is that each DVD only offers approximately 20 signs which could be viewed as expensive when one deduces that they are paying about a dollar a sign. Not very cost efficient.
Resources:

Acredolo, L., Goodwyn, S., & Brown, C. (2000). “Impact of symbolic gesturing on early language development.” Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 24(2), 81-103.

Baby Signing Time. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.signingtime.com/

Baby Einstein-World Animal Adventure (DVD)

         

         Released in 2009 by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, this DVD offers toddlers insight into the world of animals of the seven different continents.  A narrator with a soothing voice initiates each segment by naming the continent that is highlighted by an outlined image of the continent itself. Animals popular to that land are shown in beautifully filmed segments that include the animal in action form with the name of the animal in clearly written font. The narrator also states the animal’s name twice. Dramatic, culturally related music accompanies the filming along with the well-known puppetry of Baby Einstein’s animals. The film concludes with the “Walk like the animals” song and children dancing and acting out like the animals.

            The 35 minute movie is vibrant and broken into segments to retain a toddler’s attention and stimulate cognitive learning. There is also an option titled “Grow with me” that encourages association by posting a picture of an animal and the name of the animal.

            The DVD cost is anywhere from $20 to $15 and can be purchased through most major retailers. Overall, a good learning tool but can be better promoted when watched together with a parent/caregiver to aid in building some of the six early literacy skills: vocabulary, print awareness, letter knowledge, narrative skills, and phonological awareness.

Lovely Sleepy Baby and the Sea (Audio CD)

Artist: Raimond Lap

Released: 2007

Raimond Lap/Lovely Baby CD    

The Lovely Sleepy Baby series of CDs is based on classical music and the introduction of notable sounds. This particular CD combines classical contemporary music with sounds of the sea. Ten lullabies make up this CD to give parents a wonderful resource that can prepare a tranquil scene for bedtime and naptime. Scientific studies have also encouraged the use of classical music to stimulate learning and creativity. These CDs are a great foundation to build a love of classical music.

Here Come the ABCs (Audio CD)

Artist: They Might Be Giants

Released: 2005

Disney Sound

A variety of musical stylings create this bubbly CD: country/western, blues, ballads, rock, and pop. All the songs cover the topic of the alphabet or learning sounds in a cheery, silly way that will get kids moving. Since the lyrics are enticing to a young crowd, learning ABCs becomes effortless to ascertain. Reading can also be stimulated by listening to this CD due to the fact that some of the songs are about learning sounds, vowels, and rhyme. Favorites are “Who put the alphabet in alphabetical order?” and “Alphabet lost and found”. One can also purchase this CD in a bundle format with a DVD of related music videos.

Best of Laurie Berkner Band (Audio CD)

Artist: Laurie Berkner Band

Released: 2010

Two Tomatoes   

Twenty songs from five previously released CDs make up this compilation CD. Favorites were chosen by Laurie Berkner. All the songs are upbeat and promote learning through storytelling. The songs are thematic based on everyday things like animals, food, actions, and behavior. The catchy tunes are easy to learn and will enhance memorization and vocalization. This CD introduces new music outside of the traditional classics which will in turn offer new ways to expand on movement with songs like “Fast and Slow”, “Rocketship Run”, and “I’m gonna catch you”. One can also promote creativity by letting children dance in their own silly way to the tune “I really love to dance”.  MP3 versions are also available for downloads.

Baby Einstein: Playdate Fun (Audio CD)

Artist: Baby Einstein Music Box Orchestra

Released: 2006

Buena Vista   

Classical tunes that are repeated throughout every generation fill this CD song list: a total of 19 songs. Only downfall is that some of the lyrics might differ from those learned by previous generations: “Do your ears hang low?” and “She’ll be comin’ around the mountain”. A great accompaniment to traditional nursery rhyme favorites: “If you’re happy and you know it”, “This old man”, and “Twinkle twinkle little star”. Overall, this CD is a fun way to teach nursery rhymes.

Animal Songs (Audio CD)

Artist: Raffi

Released: 2008

Troubadour Music Inc.                                                 

This CD is full of fun classical and culturally based nursery songs. Some are memorable songs such as “Down by the Bay”, “Eensy Weensy Spider”, “Baa baa Black Sheep”, and “Goodnight Irene”. As well as popular songs altered and performed for children like “Octopus’s Garden” and “Goin’ to the Zoo”.  The CD also introduces some culturally diverse songs, “Tingalayo” and “Anansi”. The most recognizable Raffi song is of course, “Baby Beluga”. Most of the music is upbeat and associated fingerplays could also be found online that relate to the song list. Children will love singing and dancing along.