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By COLLETTE CAPRARA
FOR THE FREE LANCE-STAR
After a busy holiday season that may have involved miles of travel and a bustle of activity for area families, many look forward to the remaining vacation days as a time to savor quality time together in the comfort of their homes.
What better way to do that than through a host of world-class entertaining and educational family activities that are offered, free of charge, at the click of a home computer, on Web sites of national cultural organizations?
It's no wonder that the National Geographic Web site for children (kidsnationalgeograph ic.com ) garnered the prestigious Parents' Choice award. In keeping with its mission of "inspiring kids to care about our planet--its animals, people and places," the site offers a spectrum of mind-tingling interactive activities that expand and deepen with each click of the mouse.
"Our site provides edu-tainment" said Michelle Sullivan, National Geographic's digital media producer. "Kids learn from it, but the core purpose is to spark that curiosity and love of adventure and learning as well as an appreciation for the world from a global perspective."
The site's offerings range from interactive video games and animated stories to daily-updated blog accounts from peer world-travelers.
Two exemplary interactive games on the site are Pluto's Secret and the Tomb of the Unknown Mummy. Both of these games pose a challenge for players to solve, and present options to click for deeper background knowledge on topics ranging from astronomy to ancient history--all with vivid and exciting visual imagery.
Another section features animal videos, clickable by photo, with narratives of creatures and their natural habitats.
In addition to capturing the often humorous antics of the animals, options to peruse include maps of native environs and Fast Facts about the various species.
In addition, the site hosts numerous Q-and-A sessions under the title of Quiz Your Noodle, and photo/word-scrambles titled What in the World.
Another page, tailored for younger viewers, features videos of the cartoon character Iggy Arbuckle, the chief ranger of Kookamunga National Park, whose fun-filled adventures include lessons about the environment and its care.
Perhaps the most popular and impressive pages on the site are those featuring writings, photographs and videos by kids for kids.
Current features include blog postings from a 10-year-old Jordanian girl, Ayat, who introduces visitors to highlights of her culture, and updates from the "Global Bros," Tyler (age 11) and Stefan (age 8), who post daily diaries and videos of their travels around the world with their parents--including, most recently, a sheep-shearing session in Ireland.
"This year, we have focused on giving kids a voice," said Sullivan. "Kids gain an appreciation for the world and assume a more global view, as they learn from their peers.
"Kids-to-kids communication is so powerful. It conveys information in a way that kids can understand and their voice gives it a sense of legitimacy. Young viewers can imagine themselves in that place."
She stresses that the impact of the Web experience extends beyond computer sessions. "Parents can learn with their children on the computer, but then pursue related activities in the real world. That's the goal--to inspire them to care about the planet, and then to spend time outside; to develop an interest and awareness of animals and nature, and then to go out and explore."
In the cultural arena, the National Gallery of Art's Web site for children, nga.gov/kids, features a bevy of interactive artistic activities that have attracted a broad spectrum of viewers.
For the youngest visitors, the site features an animated, narrated story of two children exploring the artwork in the gallery's sculpture gardens.
Children will also enjoy composing their own scenarios with clickable objects at the Dutch Doll House and Jungle page, inspired by an exhibit of the works of Rousseau.
For youths and adolescents, clicking features from various works in the museum's collection will take visitors on a steadily broadening tour of artists and their genres, while several interactive activities provide an opportunity for visitors to develop original creations.
Photo Op, for example, allows viewers to select an image from a 360-degree panorama and to then nuance their subject through such elements as brightness, color and composition.
In contrast, the BRUSHster feature offers visitors an opportunity to try their hand at abstract painting.
"We try to make art more interesting for youths by helping them to be participants and creators rather than passive viewers," said Donna Mann, the National Gallery's publications manager. "Even children who may not initially be interested in art become intrigued and excited when they have a chance to be part of what is happening!"
Collette Caprara is a local artist
National Geographic kids' pages are at kidsnational geographic.com. The National Gallery of Art's children's activities are at nga.gov/kids. |
