Jury Coordination and Notes

Archive for January, 2013

Worlds Together, Another Award-Winning Series From Master Communications

Monday, January 28th, 2013

worldstogether.jpgThis summer I had the pleasure of reviewing the newest series from Master Communications, Worlds Together. Well known for their Families of The World series, Master Communication’s Worlds Together DVDs take a fresh approach toward cultural understanding.

KIDS FIRST! reviewed three titles in this series, Ethiopia, East Africa and West Africa. All three garnished our highest ranking of All-Star. These films are documentaries, but not in a traditional sense. Intertwining basic facts like geography, they also give you a rare glimpse into the culture of the people, people from different areas and different lifestyles within each region.

Here’s what some of our KIDS FIRST! Adult Jurors had to say: “This DVD teaches history, culture, geography and the diversity of the people living there. Shows the poverty, but also shows the beauty. Children can learn about other children that live in this far away place. Educational from beginning to end. I like how you see the characters at work and at play, they are working together and look happy. A child can see how their culture is different, but also the similarities, to their own.” “Educational and positive. It shows how people live in the different cities in West Africa, East Africa and Ethiopia, and teaches many facts from what languages are spoken to what foods they eat, to how they work and play. In addition to telling facts, it shows them so a child can visually see and understand. A great teaching tool for young children! The scenes near the river are breath-taking and the production quality is very good. A valuable educational film, not overwhelming and easy to follow.”

Geography loving KIDS FIRST! Child Jurors like these DVDs as well. Here are some of our kids’ comments: “Kids seem happy even though they only have things like balls and hoops to play with.” “I was surprised that kids were always smiling and happy even though they don’t have things like video games.” “It shows how they live, how they dress.” “I like to learn about different cultures.” “I like that it is a real documentary and shows how people dress and work.” “I didn’t know that Ethiopia had grass because TV never shows that part. I like seeing a better view of it.” “It wasn’t how I had pictured Ethiopia in my mind.”

You can purchase these titles directly from Master Communications at www.master-comm.com

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Steps4Kids Teaches Simple Drawing Techniques

Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013

steps4kids.jpg

Does your kid love to doodle, but is frustrated that his house sometimes looks more like a boat? Being creative is one of the most important skills your child can have, but being able to express their ideas in pictures that others will recognize can give them a huge leap in self-esteem.

Steps4Kids, who brought us great DVDs to teach kids to write their ABC’s and to multiply, now offer us an easy-to-follow, colorful and fun product to teach kids basic drawing skills, called Steps4Kids To Draw.

KIDS FIRST! Jurors reviewed this product with their Junior Film Critics, and here is what they have to say:

This is an interactive drawing program. A narrator shows step-by-step how to draw different things including people, animals and objects. The narrator is very clear in how she explains her drawings and shows alternative ways of drawing the same things. She also gives options of how to enhance the drawing. It is easy to follow along and will motivate all ages to try because they make it looks so easy. Simple production, music and lighting are appropriate to the educational content.

This DVD helped kids draw people, shapes, things and animals. They like drawing the objects most. The kids enjoy trying to copy the different drawings and follow the video exactly. They also like to add their own enhancements. The kids wanted to draw along and each told stories about how they made things in their school. They were inspired to create and to discuss.To purchase this DVD, visit the Steps4Kids website by clicking on the producer link here.

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New Resource Just For Young Fashionistas

Tuesday, January 8th, 2013

TGSCover.jpgTween Girl Style Magazine (TGSM) launched its winter publication Monday, November 26, 2012, giving girls ages 7 to 13 a one-stop magazine for the latest fashion trends, health advice and other resources for young fashionistas.

TGSM launched its online publication www.tweengirlstylemagazine.com September 2010 with modeling contests, celebrity news and fashion trends. The print publication is an extension of the online magazine.

“Our magazine is a resource center for young girls where they can find trendy new looks, celebrity news and enter fun modeling contests to win prizes,” said Ebony Stith, founder and publisher of TGSM.

Stith said TGSM was created to fill a need for more tween-centered magazines for girls that love to model and show off their talent. Stith started TGSM 2010 when her tween daughter started modeling and Stith discovered there was a lack of resources for tween models.

“My daughter had just started the modeling scene and I needed resources for her,” Stith said. “I launched this publication as not only a resource for girls ages 7 to 13 but I also wanted parents of tween girls to have a one-stop publication that they could trust to find advice for their daughters.”

The online publication has contributing writers and experts who share information on fashion trends, finances and health. There is also acting and modeling advice for both tweens and parents.

“We wanted to create a place that was family friendly and place young girls would enjoy reading,” she added.

The online publication can be found be visiting www.tweengirlstylemagazine.com 

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Happy New Year!

Tuesday, January 1st, 2013

© Carolyn Seelen | Dreamstime.comHappy New Year and thank you to everyone who participated in the 2013 Film Critic Search. The search is officially closed and voting is over.

Now we have the supreme pleasure of working with our talented judges: Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Landmark Theaters and Magnolia Pictures, Ben Lyons, E! film critic and frequent contributor to ‘Good Morning America,’ and Thelma Adams, whose debut novel Playdate, was an O Magazine pick, was the film critic at Us Weekly for 11 years following six years at the New York Post.

More importantly, we get our first good glimpse of the potential new KIDS FIRST! Film Critics faces.

Good luck to you all – welcome to 2013!

Photo Credit: © Carolyn Seelen | Dreamstime.com

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