The Learning Curve. Making YouTube Child-Friendly

the learnIng curve As any adult who has ever gone on YouTube knows, it can be the Wild West of content. When you’re not able to be fully present with your children as they watch, it can be ill-advised to turn them loose on YouTube. However, there is some really good educational content out there, so choosing to fully ban YouTube would mean missing out on some great learning opportunities. If you have a younger child who wants to watch YouTube, consider checking out YouTube Kids. Launched by Google in 2015, YouTube Kids was developed to limit content to family-friendly videos, channels, and educational clips. YouTube Kids also offers parental controls that allow you to customize your child’s experience. Parents can limit screen time, block certain videos, and more. Whether you choose YouTube or YouTube Kids to explore with your child, activate the parental controls on your child’s device, make a plan to watch together, or at least check in on your child from time to time, and then let the learning begin!

ALISON BOGLE

Bogle is an Austin-based freelance writer

Making YouTube Child-Friendly

These YouTube channels excel at making learning exciting and fun:

1. Crash Course Kids

and mom of three. Earth, habitats, space, chemical reactions, engineering, and more are covered in new videos uploaded every Tuesday and Thursday. Delivered in an entertaining and engaging style, budding scientists will devour these interesting lessons.

learning experiences. What child wouldn’t want to make a rocket out of a squeeze bottle? You can do that and so much more This bi-weekly show is all about science.

with the Spangler Effect channel!

4. PBS EONS

EONS explores the history of life on Earth, from the “Age of the Dinosaurs,” up to the end of the most recent Ice Age. Kids and adults alike will be astonished by humans’ fascinating collective history.

2. TED-Ed

Created by the nonprofit responsible for TED Talks, the TED-Ed video library offers a wide range of educational videos, each typically around five minutes long. With a mission of “spreading great ideas,” many of TED-Ed’s videos represent collaborations between talented educators and animators that were nominated through TED-Ed’s website.

3. The Spangler Effect

Steve Spangler finds creative ways to make science fun by turning ordinary household objects into science experiments, resulting in unforgettable

5. Houston Zoo

If you have an animal lover, this is the perfect YouTube channel for you! Kids are taken on a behind-the-scenes tour of the animals and can meet the keepers that care for them. Whether it’s learning what bats eat for breakfast, or watching how a rhino gets her bath, kids will love seeing the Houston Zoo animals in action!

6. Smart Girls

Created by Amy Poehler, the Smart Girls YouTube channel declares, “We emphasize intelligence and imagination over ‘fitting in.’ We celebrate curiosity over gossip. We want you to truly be your weird

and wonderful selves!” Smart Girls offers DIYs that kids gravitate towards, but also includes videos about social issues, as well as interesting profiles of inspiring Have an auditory learner who responds

women.

7. The Brain Scoop

“Chief Curiosity Correspondent,” Emily Graslie, of The Field Museum in Chicago introduces kids to the operations of the museum by taking them on a journey into natural history. Employing entertaining interviews with scientists, tours of collections, and hands-on teaching, Graslie’s approachable style and subtle humor make learning how a museum ticks like paper towel tubes, meaning you rarely have to purchase supplies and you can get started right away!

12. Jack Hartmann Kids Music Channel

exciting and fun.

8. WordWorldPBS

PBS is a great source for quality children’s programming, and its WordWorldPBS YouTube channel is no exception. The animated, animal-themed content is perfect for the preschool set, who can “watch words come alive,” while they learn letters and early literacy concepts.

9. Sesame Street

Sesame Street’s YouTube channel contains all of a preschooler’s beloved characters. Offering both bite-sized videos, as well as full episodes, there are options for any attention span. Videos are broken into the categories of songs, shorts, storytime, episodes, and parent moments.

10. FullTimeKid

channel has become popular for its hands-on project tutorials, fun educational instructions and fun delivery-style make 1521 Joyce Lane, Round Rock

Stuck at home and feeling crafty? This typically call for common household items, well to learning through music? This might just be the channel for you! Jack Hartmann has produced over 45 albums for children with more than 1,000 catchy songs for kids. Hartmann’s songs and educational videos will help your child learn concepts such as counting, reading and language

Unmatched Academic Results Visit ChallengerSchool.com to learn more.

Mya Reyes is a young girl whose YouTube tricks, and cute crafts. Mya’s simple her ideas inspiring and easy to follow.

11. Red Ted Art

channel offers easy-to-follow arts and crafts ideas for all age groups. The crafts Challenger School offers uniquely fun and academic classes for preschool to eighth grade students. Our students learn to think for themselves and to value independence.

Avery Ranch (PS–8) (512) 341-8000 15101 Avery Ranch Boulevard, Austin Round Rock (PS–K) (512) 255-8844

skills, science, dance and movement. Spicewood Springs (PS–K) (512) 258-1299 13015 Pond Springs Road, Austin

An independent private school offering preschool through eighth grade

BY BARB MATIJEVICH Things are beginning to open up after the first phase of quarantine that began in March, but all indications are good that another wave of social isolating is on the horizon. That doesn’t mean you can’t explore the awesomeness of Austin! This town is nothing if not creative --from virtual museum tours to dance classes, much fun can be had while staying safe. MUSIC The Live Music Capital of the World is offering lots of opportunities to get your music fix. Visit Austin features a fantastic rundown of local music live-streams and rebroadcasts. Austin City Limits has opened large swaths of its archive for your on-demand viewing pleasure. (Stream full episodes here: www.pbs.org/show/austin-city-limits) The Austin Symphony Orchestra is offering a chance to enjoy a handful of past some unique exhibitions at: www.artsandculture.google.com/partner/

Awesome

Austin Virtually!

south-austin-popular-culture-center. performances online. www.austinsymphony. org/the-symphony-rewind

CULTURE

Austin has some of the coolest museums ever and although most are still closed due to the pandemic, there are a number of options for virtual tours and online classes. Visit these museums from home!

The Austin Museum of Popular Culture

AusPop collects, conserves, and exhibits vintage posters and live music ephemera from the 1960s through today to educate future generations on the rich and unique culture that makes Austin the Live Music Capital of the World. Take a virtual tour of

Blanton Museum of Art

www.collection.blantonmuseum.org There’s so much to explore during a visit to the Blanton Museum of Art on the University of Texas at Austin campus. With nearly 18,000 works ranging from Greek pottery to Latin American modern art, you can spend the entire day at the museum and want to come back for more! If you don’t have all day to meander through the museum halls, take this quick virtual tour to get a taste of the space.

The Contemporary Austin

www.thecontemporaryaustin.org Take a virtual visit to The Contemporary Austin at the Jones Center to view modern art in a renovated historic building. You can also explore its sister museum, The Contemporary Austin-Laguna Gloria, nestled on the Lake Austin waterfront. The museum is offering online art classes for ages 4-adult.

Elisabet Ney Museum

In 1892, Elisabet Ney, a German classicallytrained sculptor, moved to Austin and built “Formosa,” a remarkable Neoclassical and Gothic Revival studio. Today, the Hyde Park museum is dedicated to her art and legacy and houses the largest collection of her work in the world. Although currently closed, there are a series of YouTube Tours available: • For a videotour of the Elisabet Ney

Museum’s main collection, given by Museum Site Coordinator Oliver

Franklin, please click here. • For a video tour of the current

Special Exhibition “Barbara Attwell:

Rewylding”, please visit Barbara

Atwell: Rewylding Exhibition • For a video tour of the Museum’s

Native Prairie Historic Landscape restoration project, given by

MinoGiunta, the Museum’s landscape specialist, please click here. • To celebrate wildflower season, for a video demonstration of Plein Aire

painting created by Baron Wilson of Austin Plein Aire Society using the Elisabet Ney Museum as a model, please click here.

The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC)

Opened in 2007, The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center was created to preserve, create, present and family, close friends, associates, and the

promote the art of Mexican Americans and kid-friendly virtual events and activities

other Latino cultures. The center offers two galleries and two theaters, featuring work from local, regional, and national Latino and Latina artists. The ChingonX Fire exhibit was originally scheduled to open in spring of 2020 in the Sam Z. Coronado Gallery but the onsite exhibit has been canceled. The curator, April Garcia, instead opened an online exhibit featuring the artist for the community which can be viewed here.

Online Exhibition Harry Ransom Center

The Harry Ransom Center is one of the top humanities research libraries and museums in the country, and the collections range from performing arts and photography to film, art, and literature. Located on the Kindle Fires. Please check the Help pages

University of Texas campus, the Ransom Center houses such artifacts as the First Photograph, a Gutenberg Bible, and more. The center has a large number of little known digital collections at www.hrc. contentdm.oclc.org that will warm any bibliophile’s heart!

Huston-Tillotson University

Chartered 1877 and opened 1881, this historic African American university is two years older than Austin’s best-known school, the University of Texas. Samuel Huston College Huston-Tillotson University. The Ira Evans Hall and the Anthony and Louise Viaer Alumni Hall are both listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Take a virtual campus tour today!

LBJ Library

www.lbjlibrary.org/the-best-of The museum collection of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum contains more than 54,000 objects donated by the President and Mrs. Johnson, their American people. Like that of most history museums, the collection is ver y diverse and includes objects ranging from Middle Eastern antiquities and coins to postage stamps to Oval Office furniture.

Neill-Cochran House Museum

www.nchmuseum.org Immerse yourself in Greek Revival architecture and life during Austin’s 19th century. Located near the campus of The University of Texas, the Neill-Cochran House Museum is one of few Antebellum buildings open to the public in Austin. The museum showcases the city’s cultural, economic and architectural transformation from 1855 to present day. Plus, discover online.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS

Austin Central Library

www.library.austin.org Access the Virtual Library with your Austin Public Libr ary card number and PIN/ Password. These services can be used on most PCs; Macs; iOS and Android tablets and smartphones; and eReaders such as merged with Tillotson College in 1952 to form

for more information about apps and device compatibility. Library staff members are happy to help to the extent of their knowledge but cannot access personal devices.

Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farms

www.pioneerfarms.org/pioneer-tv Located in northeast Austin, Pioneer Farms has six historic areas for families to explore, from the 1840s through the 1890s. Take the kids back in time at four different farmsteads, a Tonkawa Indian Encampment, a rural village, and more.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

www.wildflower.org/featured-events Head over (virtually) to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin to explore the beautiful botanical garden featuring various native plants. They have online classes for children and adults to learn about the conservation of nature and experience the beauty of the outdoors.

The Great Outdoor Austin attractions –from indoors! Beautiful panoramic, interactive photos of some of Austin’s most iconic outdoor spaces. www.youvisit.com/ tour/austin/81272

YouTube Classes Many Austin gyms and yoga studios are offering classes online, and the University of Texas is offering an entire catalog of enriching informal classes at www.informal.utexas.edu.

When you just GOTTA get out of the house...safely!

The Blue Starlite is a mini urban boutique Drive-In Movie Theater. They only take 15- 40 cars a night depending on their location and screen, so it’s an intimate, personal, one-of-a-kind drive-in experience. The Blue Starlite concentrates on childhood favorites, drive-in classics, indie films, art house, Cult, and Gen X/Y pop culture faves. Visit their website for pricing and schedule (and social distancing rules.) 2103 E M. Franklin Ave, Austin, TX. www.bluestarlitedrivein.com