My kids love their YouTube playlists on KidDesktop!  The only problem comes on my end, since I often find myself searching for new videos to add.  I want videos that are appropriate for young kids (our boys are 6 & 4), but also interesting enough that they will enjoy watching them.  And if they can actually absorb something educational  through repeated viewings, then my job is complete!

With this criteria list in mind, I have had lots of luck with videos by everyone’s favorite “Muppetteer:” Jim Henson.  My 4-year-old has Cookie Monster’s famous “C is for Cookie” on his playlist (search for BovQyphS8kA to get the version he has)*, as well as Beeker from the Muppets doing an enthusiastic rendition of “Ode to Joy” (search for xpcUxwpOQ_A)* which literally almost fries poor Beeker at the end…vintage Muppets!  The 6-year-old has REM and the Sesame Street Friends singing “Furry Happy Monsters Laughing” (search for zkHM8xG6i8o)* and the Muppets’ skit “You Put the Lime in the Coconut” (search for 1wg_L0wGTyA)*.  Granted, the last selection doesn’t really teach any academic or social skillset, but it’s cute and fun.

I’ll continue adding my (and my kids’) favorite YouTube videos, but I’d really like to hear from you, as well.  How old are your kids and what do they like watching on YouTube?

*You can use these “tags” to search for a video in the KD Builder YouTube set-up, or in YouTube itself.  As always, we STRONGLY suggest you view videos all the way through to make sure it is appropriate for your OWN child.

Many thanks to Karen for turning us on to the website for the Magic Schoolbus.  This is a really good site for both boys and girls.  Although younger kids would enjoy exploring the site with some help from a parent, I think kindergarteners and older will really appreciate this one.  Parents, when you add this site to your child(ren)’s Activity Bar, you will probably want to allow pop-ups so the kids can get the maximum benefits.  When I clicked through the site I didn’t come up with any worrisome pop-ups (ads, etc), but there were pages I would not have been able to view if pop-ups were blocked.

Happy surfing, kids!

http://scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/tour/home.htm

I feel like someone the morning after a one-night-stand, since the first thing I have to say is: “I’ve never done this before!”

I really haven’t blogged before — and I don’t have experience with one-night-stands, either — but my goal is to make this interesting as well as to give updated info about KidDesktop, good kids’ websites, good kid YouTube videos, and other things of interest to people with young children.  Hopefully this blog will be fun and interesting, and I’m sure you’ll let me know what you think.  So….read on!