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Best educational DVDs?


Mrs. Lilac
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The BBC Life and Planet Earth documentaries. They are one of the few things everyone enjoys in the family, even the 2yo. My ASD 4yo's favorite bird is the lamergeier thanks to these. She even draws little happy ones with sidewalk chalk all over our driveway, and will sit transfixed watching any of them.

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Both my kids (w/ 6year age gap) love Wild Kratts - and surprisingly I've heard more learned material from it than any other DVD too (as in "Mom, did you know... ")

 

DD the younger also loves Peep (DD the older did too when younger)

DD the older loves Liberty Kids, the American Girl movies, Carmen Sandiego. She's watched and enjoyed many documentary style, like How It's Made or Beakman's, too but doesn't watch those over and over like the others (maybe 'cause not so much a story?)

 

BBC Earth series has been a bust here - but I love it :001_wub:

 

Also waiting to gift Wishbone and Young Indiana Jones.

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Nova and Nature from PBS -- our older dd was reciting stuff back by age 4; beware of Evolutionary content

ETA: Or cheer for Evolutionary content

 

Bill Nye (our library has a set, but we also TIVO them from Iowa PBS)

ETA: Beware of or cheer for Evolutionary Content

 

School House Rock!

ETA: No Evolutionary Content evident

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  • 4 weeks later...

For anywhere from where they start to comprehend it through whoever is interested (my DS9 and DS11 are currently watching it, though I can see watching it older, or a really fascinated/fixated kid enjoying it a little younger-- the parents to whom this applies will know who they are):

 

Neil deGrasse Tyson's "Origins" DVD is a can't-miss. I am so glad we are watching this after having completed several months of astronomy (2 years ago) a year of chemistry, and our first half year of biology-- we are on the second half of the DVD, "Origins of Life."

 

Young Earthers/No evolution types will probably not appreciate this video.

 

It focuses on the science of the origins on the earth and biochemistry of the origins of life. It also has awesome stuff like caving into sulfur caves in Mexico to find "Snot-tites" and Mythbusters style shooting substances at super high velocity to see what happens. At the ages of my kids, we are breaking up the viewing into shorter chunks-- got the video on Netflix.

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We just Netflix it for any topics we are learning to see what sort of documentaries, etc. are available. It is a veritable candy factory of films, and we almost always find something terrific! I also second it for the Schlessinger films that our library has, although we have found them definitely for the younger set through about 4th grade or so. We also loved Liberty Kids.

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  • 1 year later...

Since this thread is now 2 years old, anyone else want to share their household's favorite educational DVDs?

 

If you like any of the following, can you recommend others for the under six crowd?

 

Reading Rainbow - Definitely a classic but can be boring for kids at times

Wild Kratts - Villains can be a bit scary

Leapfrog Letter Factory and Word Factory

 

Is there such a thing as a cartoon that is pleasant to the eye?  Closest I have come across is Kipper which is not so busy.

 

 

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Since this thread is now 2 years old, anyone else want to share their household's favorite educational DVDs?

 

If you like any of the following, can you recommend others for the under six crowd?

 

Reading Rainbow - Definitely a classic but can be boring for kids at times

Wild Kratts - Villains can be a bit scary

Leapfrog Letter Factory and Word Factory

 

Is there such a thing as a cartoon that is pleasant to the eye?  Closest I have come across is Kipper which is not so busy.

My kids liked Zoo Diaries quite a lot and got attached to the animals, but there are some scenes that might upset a really little one.  It was actually quite educational without being in your face lesson plan type info.  Unfortunately it only lasted one season but they watched it over and over as their fun TV time.

 

If you have really little ones maybe 6 and younger and can find them, The Blues Clues series was excellent.  It covered everything from letters and colors to how to wait patiently in a line, as well as some geometry, basic math, sharing, shopping, etc.  And so pleasant.  The kids loved Blues Clues.  DS10 still has some Blues Clues books that he has kept.

 

I know some families found Caillou to be excellent.  We never watched it but I remember the cartoon seemed to have graphics that were pretty easy on the eye.

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My 13yo was turned on to Dr. Pol videos (Animal Planet) by a doctor friend...not for the younger crowd (blood & guts), but since my dd wants to be a veterinarian/tech, she's been fascinated by these.  They are available on Netflix.

 

ETA:  She also enjoys Horrible HIstories, Crash Course videos, etc. previously mentioned.

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