Now, put on your parent/ educator hat for a minute. If your children are watching these shows, their take-away might be something totally different. Teens in particular are forming their identities in relation to their peers and society. If Simon and American Idol are not only socially accepted, but more than that, are also central to mainstream culture then he just might be someone your teens would consider an acceptable role model to guide their behavior.

In addition, teens often struggle with low self-esteem. As their bodies go through changes, they worry about being normal. It’s a very uncomfortable time in life. Naturally, adolescents actively seek out ways to avoid those feelings and thoughts. For them, individuals that reflect confidence and command respect and admiration from the masses are the antithesis of their real-life experience within their own skins. At this time, more than any other, they just want to be like that. The problem is that their brains are not developed enough yet to think critically about any down-side to this.

So now, what happens when you marry the world of the television executive/ movie producer with the world of an average teenager? You get a clash of intended impact with actual impact, and shows that are created to entertain but actually have influence that extends way beyond that. Adolescents are watching shows like American Idol and are thinking the character of Simon is real and that his behavior on the show is something that if emulated could lead the emulator to a position of popularity and admiration among his or her peers. When that behavior, established to incite dramatic tension only, is also hurtful, the result is a lesson for young audiences that bullying is ok.

For more on this, check out this article from NPR and consider having a related conversation with your teen. What other shows are they watching where this is in effect? What other characters are like Simon? What is the experience like for the character or individual who plays opposite the “bully”? Has your adolescent seen this play out in his or her school? Do the kids imitate these characters? Quote them? Act like them? What can he or she do when behavior like this occurs? The good news is, with a little education and guidance, your children can separate, gain perspective and eventually observe characters like Simon as they were intended; for entertainment only.

Have you seen these? They are part of a line of robotics toys known as Hexbugs. Designed to appeal to kids’ interests in all things creepy crawly, this line of products is not only fun and engaging but it also exposes its target audience to robotics at a young age and gets them thinking about science.

We love it because the creators of this line of toys have managed to incorporate modern electronics and technology in a product that simulates a real-life bug experience while still leaving the options for ways to play with it open and free for imagination.

I recently spent a weekend with a seven-year old and took him one of these toys as a gift. Every chance he got, he took that toy out and tested it to the limits. We built ramps for it to see how high it could climb without sliding backwards. We raced it against other toys. We even timed it as it crawled from room to room. And this was just the beginning with only one of them at his disposal. I could only imagine if I had been there longer. We might have built webs, made other “friend” bugs from other objects, created story lines and incorporated other toys. Can you imagine what else you can create for this with Legos?

Perusing the shelves of toy options at stores like Toys-R-Us, Walmart or Target often leads to frustration for those of us searching for the kinds of unique gifts that kids not only love to play with more than once, but also inspire free play and imagination. With increasing numbers of options that can only be used in one way, with one end result, toys like this stand out and should be valued.

I came across this sign on the Web-site Pinterest today as I was looking for creative inspiration for another project we are working on. It got me thinking, how do you use media in your house? Is it a form of entertainment? Of information? Do you use it to stay connected? Is it purely functional (to keep time, pay bills, schedule events, etc.)?

And then more importantly, why do you use media in your house? Did you log on to the Internet because you were bored? Were you lonely and hoping to talk to someone? Were you motivated to get more information about something? Did you need a break from a busy schedule and just wanted to chill out in front of a video? Or, like this picture, did you turn on the television because you needed a moments peace?

The danger in media use occurs when it becomes a passive experience and as users, we tune out to its integration in our lives. Why not take some time over the next week, month, etc. in your house to track the ways you use technology and/or enjoy a media experience? Hang a chart somewhere central in your home that lists family members, media used, time spent and the reasons why the user became engaged.

Then look for any patterns that emerge. With this information, you can be intentional with your use. For example, do you check Facebook every day at 4:00pm because it gives you a break with your afternoon coffee? Why not plan a different activity for tomorrow at 4pm? Mix it up.

Regardless of how you use the information, it is a great opportunity to start a family discussion!

There are basically five different types of play: motor/physical, creative or constructive, social, fantasy or free play, and games with rules. It is important to facilitate each within your child’s experience to promote overall, healthy development.

Media and Technology have long been viewed as inhibitors of play in children and thus negatively impacting development. What NAEYC and the Fred Rogers Center actually uncovered however is that it there is more to it than that. Studies now reveal that there are ways interactive experiences actually work to promote different types of play and thus work to actually support and facilitate learning and relationships as opposed to limiting them.

For example, let us consider social play. One study revealed that children working in pairs or small groups at a computer displayed the same traits as those interacting without. These children learned social “rules” like give and take, reciprocity, cooperation, and sharing. In addition, educators can now use tools like the video cameras in phones to help shy children interact more by encouraging them to seek out conversations through “interviews”.

In addition, there is evidence to support physical play. With Wii and X-box and other game consoles, the whole phenomenon of “exergames” has gained popularity. These games require players to be active and to engage/ compete with others. They quite literally get kids off the couch and give them more active ways to be part of this media based world.

Perhaps the most prevalent type of play is constructive and/or creative play. There are many examples of this on the Web, as young children are allowed to blog and create other things using images. They can color and record sounds. They can build by clicking and dragging simulated blocks on top of one another, etc.

So you see, interactive media can be useful in promoting the healthy development of children. Not to be confused with more passive media that requires viewing only, interactive media is specifically created to facilitate active and creative use and response. As an adult, taking an extra moment to think critically about the overall experience and linking it to as many particulars about impact and the individual child or children is vital when making decisions about activities. Just as you have your child drink milk to promote strong bones and teeth, strategically using media and technology to teach content, enhance behaviors and strengthen relationships is possible when cause/effect is considered.

Recently, NAEYC and the Fred Rogers Center for Media released an updated statement on technology and young children. Where they previously had advocated restriction and abstinence for young children. They now say, “We believe that when used appropriately, technology and interactive media have tremendous potential to nurture early learning and development.” “Appropriate” then translates to use within developmentally appropriate classrooms to enrich existing curriculum. How does this work exactly? Let’s take a closer look at Disney’s new movie, the Lorax and how both the movie and various on-line resources can be used to enrich a first grade curriculum- either at home OR in the classroom. With the prevalence of modern marketing techniques, children are probably talking about it, collecting movie toys from McDonalds and living out the movie’s influence in other ways. Why not maximize its impact for good?! Haven’t yet seen the movie? Rent it! Or show some of the trailers!

Writing: The State of California’s first grade standard for writing includes: ” Students begin to learn to write clear and coherent sentences and paragraphs that develop a central idea, considers audience and purpose.” And “Compositions describe and explain familiar objects, events, and experiences”

Here are some activities that address this:

A) The movie has a famous quote. “I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues” Why not have your child create a dictionary of a tree language? Together you could keep adding words as they come up over time!

B) Write a story together! “What would you do with the last Truffula seed?”

C) Or increase vocabulary and try your hand together at this word search!

Science: The obvious theme throughout this movie is being more friendly to the environment which goes hand in hand with science! The State of California’s first grade standard for science includes: “I observe the world and use words, graphs, and illustrations to describe it”

For an activity to address this, we found these great ideas on-line and already in practice!

A) On Recycling

And

B) The Lorax Project Web-site

Mathematics The State of California’s first grade standard for mathematics includes: “They measure with simple units and locate objects in space.” specifically, for measurement, “students describe and arrange objects in space in terms of proximity, position and direction (e.g. near, far, below, above, up, down, behind, in front of, next to, left/right)”

For an activity, why not:
A) Make a forest of different sized Truffula trees and have your child or children create maps for things within that forest.

OR same idea w/ a twist

B) Pretend an area outside with lots of trees is a Truffula forest and take turns hiding something within the trees- or use this image and a little imagination! Then, the person who hides the object has to give directions or clues to the other person or people playing to find it!

Or

C) Do a Google or other search with your child on line for all of the various images on-line that show Truffula trees then compare and contrast them together. Which is bigger? What are they near? What is below them in the images? What is above?

And don’t forget, there is also the book by Dr. Seuss and all of the other wonderful stories within his collection for private and shared story times! Whether you are a teacher searching for lessons or a student or parent exploring sites with activities, this is really just the beginning of a lot of possibilities!

Sometimes you just need a moment. What follows is an example of how media can be used as a resource for education. In this example, it is the start of the whole experience that gives adults that time but also ensures kids benefit too! It is what we call at AIME, a win-win!

The Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series stars a small lady who lives in an “upside-down” house in a lively neighborhood inhabited mainly by children who have bad habits. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle has a chest full of magical cures left to her by her deceased husband, Mr. Piggle-Wiggle, who was a pirate. In “Mrs.Piggle-Wiggle: The Won’t Pick Up the Toys Cure” on Hulu, Mrs Piggle-Wiggle must cure one little girl of her bad habit of leaving her toys out.

Here are some play ideas you can do at home with this video to expand upon its content and to create learning opportunities:

1) (Cognitive/ Intellectual) Make an upside down house. You can draw it, you can build it. What does it look like? How is it different than a regular house? Why is it upside-down? Who are the neighbors? What do their houses look like?

2) (Physical)Have a “don’t pick up the toys” day. Restrict it to one area of the house and have your child or children try to use as many of their toys as possible. See how messy that area gets! Make sure to use both big and small toys. When the area begins to get crowded, find one small toy and take turns hiding it in the mess. The one finding the toy must stack, sort and take great care to move toys out of the way until he/she finds what he/she is looking for!

3) (Language) Within Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, there are a lot of fun plays with language. For example, when Mrs Piggle-Wiggle is needed, she hears a “Wail of the Windsproggles wafting” Pick a toy, any toy and make up silly ways to call that toy using the same letter the toy starts with. Does it take a toot-toodle- toot to call the train? Or a “DRAAAAAGGGHHHHH-A-DOO” shout to call the doll? The words don’t have to make sense. What matters is the letter/ sound they start with!

4) (Emotional) How is your child feeling today? Let him/her invite Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle to play for a bit. If he/she is sad, then suggest that Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle help spread cheer! If he/she is happy, then together they can play a game that is happy! This one is up to your child.

5) (Social) One social skill that is important in life is being able to read and interpret emotions. Go back through the video and stop on different moments where the actor/ actress face shows an emotion relative to the story. The tree feels sickly, how does his face show it? Now, take paper plates and have your child draw faces with different emotions on each. He/ she can then play with these emotions however they want to. Put the plates on Popsicle sticks, and they become puppets. Hold them up in front of your face and they are masks for a play. Once the plates are made, the play is up to your child!

Lastly, does your child LOVE Mrs Piggle Wiggle now? Why not check out the books by Betty MacDonald for more of her wacky adventures!

One positive aspect of media is its ability to reach and influence greater numbers of people than could previously have been impacted. Nowhere is this more evident than in Whitney Houston’s career which was arguably made by her exposure in modern media. When Whitney was rising to stardom in the 1980′s, MTV and other mainstream platforms of music video were prominent influences in our culture. Houston became one of the few black female artists whose music videos received heavy rotation on these channels. Not only did these frequent spots solidify her stardom, but they also helped her to gain notoriety with a host of new fans that might not otherwise have heard her music. On MTV, it was Whitney’s popularity that broke through color barriers and also allowed for other African-American female artists to also be successful.

Fast-forward 20+ years and there are many popular musicians today from many different backgrounds that were perhaps a part of this audience that now all proudly call Whitney Houston a role model. Christina Aguilera for example was born in Staten Island, NY and raised in PA. She sent a demo of her singing Whitney Houston’s “Run to You” to Disney when staff there were looking for a singer to record the song “Reflection” for their animated feature film Mulan. It was this demo that caught the attention of producer and label executive Ron Fair and led to Aguilera earning a contract with RCA Records.

Then there is Leanne Rimes. Born in MS in 1982 and raised in TX, Leanne grew up also listening to Houston. In a recent quote she said, “Whitney Houston was the first CD I ever bought, I’m doing what she taught me to do by listening to her records over and over as a little girl.”

Mariah Carey also has spoken of Whitney’s influences. Mariah was born in 1970 and raised in NY. Her soulful techniques often imitate those of the pop legend. And Jennifer Hudson from Chicago, IL. who learned the “difference between being able to sing and knowing how to sing” from paying close attention to the incredible range of Whitney’s voice and from following Whitney’s strategic use of notes to make her songs more of an art form than a simple tune or melody.

Whitney’s music went global and influenced musicians like Charice from the Philippines and Leona Lewis from England. Leona says that she “idolized her as a little girl.”

Perhaps less notable are the influences on those of us that never did reach stardom but still shared in her music. Facebook comments from friends today include: “Her song, ‘I Wanna Dance’, always made me get up and move! I always laughed when she laughed at the end.” “I watched her videos over and over.” “She inspired me.” “She was Goliath-strong, agile, and vibrant.” “Whitney was the soundtrack of my childhood.”

From MS to the Philippines, Whitney Houston’s music was broadcast utilizing mainstream methods of communication to a vast and diverse audience. A few individuals that were a part of this audience went on to make choices in each of their own lives and to ultimately become successful because they were witnesses to her talent. From vocal techniques to the confidence to challenge stereotypes and try something new, each of these fans walked away with something different that made a difference in their individual lives. So, if someone in your life is listening to something you don’t particularly care for, don’t be in such a rush to change the channel. You never know what that song might come to mean one day.

If you can’t go outside, help them keep the spirit of competition alive inside with one of these other game ideas:

1) Host a lip-syncing contest: Let’s face it, most teenagers are into the latest music. Many will know the half-time performers and/or the celebrities chosen to sing the anthem at the beginning. For varied reasons, some of these stars choose to lip-sync their music during the show. Why can’t your kids do the same?

2)Super Bowl Trivia Contest: Why not engage in a little friendly family competition and see who knows what about football! Check out these sites for questions- Doc’s Sports Service, Hub Pages, and Yahoo Sports!

3) Commercial Bingo: Create Bingo cards and fill in the squares with unique items you might see in a typical commercial during the Super Bowl. These might include various brands of beer, pizzas, automobiles, cell phone companies, snack foods, soda,etc., Make each card different. Whoever fills in their card first, or completes a vertical, horizontal or diagonal line, wins a prize!

While playing, remember that because our society tends to foster and value attitudes of competition and success AND psycho-socially, teenagers are at a point where they are focused on achievement, it will undoubtedly make the experience a lot more enjoyable for all if you offer up plenty of encouragement along the way! In this instance, it is not about who actually wins or loses! It is about having fun!

Here are some related activities however that you can do for them:

Toddlers: Physically, two year olds are beginning to explore their worlds using all their senses. One activity in particular is how to get from here to there. This commercial features travel in a car. When they see this, why not ask them about what they know about traveling in a car? Do you have toy cars in your house? Why not give them a starting place, and an ending place (not too far away) and let them drive the toy car from here to there? You can also build a road with them, and try it again? Can something be a bridge? Or a road block? Then try it without the toy car. Give them a greater distance and have them roll, crawl, scoot, creep, walk, run, hop and jump to get from point A to point B. Do you have dolls with legs that move? Animals that can crawl with help? Challenge your child to make them travel the distance as well. You do it too! Who has bigger steps? There are lots of things you can do for this journey!

Preschool and School Age: Children birth to age 8 will have no understanding of what a day off means. So for them, why not create it? Ages 3-8 in particular are the perfect ages for adventure! When they see the ad, why not ask them what it would be like if they could take a day off of school and go to the moon instead?… How will you get there? Where will you stay? What will you wear? What will you eat? Before the big game starts, help them map things out… find a space in your house that can be the space ship, designate the area for the moon…. then let them create. You can give them paper to make pictures to decorate their house on the moon, or to make pictures of stars or planets to be the “views” from their ship windows. You can find some of your clothes perhaps to wear as “space suits”, add stuffed animals for space creatures… and even make plates of their own special food to eat. At commercials, you can radio in and see how they are doing! Remind them, they can only visit for one day! At the end of the game, check back in- where did they go? What did they see?

For young children in particular, free play is important. So, instead of passively watching, why not let the items, themes and/or ad content from the big game today inspire you to create new games and activities? Everyone will enjoy things a lot more!