Henson’s educational puppetry goes next-gen with Sid the Science Kid
by Stevie Smith - Sep 1 2008, 13:00
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Nice program, but really light on science.
My kids love it and so do I.
They introduce new tools for a family to use after the program.
TV is not the teacher it is a tool.
The show is great for a preschooler. The science is basic enough for my son to grasp. Also It's nice to see a program reflective of the diversity of his family and friends.
On many review/commentary sites, the reviewer(s) often suggest Sid the Science Kid contains little science a lot of entertainment. I am confused by these comments, as this show peaks the interest of preschool kids and is a remarkable tool to encourage kids to ask questions and seek answers. For example, as a scientist, I have attempted to interest my 2.5 year old daughter in tools used in science (microscopes, etc.) with little success. However, after watching a few episodes of Sid, my daughter wants to use a magnifying glass to see small objects, and wants to plant seeds so she can watch plants grow. These simple observations are not exactly scientific, but how many details of scientific methodology could a 2.5 year old understand? Thus, the show is successful at promoting kids to become observers of the world around them. I commend Brian Henson on job well done.
To cookiemonster: Teaching kids equality is a bad thing???? I know quite a few families where the dad stays home and mom goes off to work it's the norm here in the middle class especially now that lay offs are at a peak.
My kids, 4 1/2, 2 1/2, and 1 1/2 all watch this show, and ask questions and point out the characters differences.
Way to go Jim Henson Studios, for bringing another classic show to public television.
We love this show. It has been a great tool for him to start observing the world around him.
My daughter just loves watching this show. She stares at the TV and moves to the music. Even I enjoy the interaction of this show ith kids. I'm actually looking for DVDs. Anone know where I can get them?
The female child characters are all mousy.
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Cookie MonsterSep 1st, 2008 - 14:29:52
I just watched the first episode. This show is 10% science and 90% promoting equality.
Sid's dad is white and his mom is black. His teacher is Hispanic. His friends are a mix. Fair enough, but is it necessary for Sid to literally exclaim about every single female character, 'She's reeeeeally smart!!' Of course his mom is a computer whiz, because his dad is too busy taking care of the baby.
The science was lousy. They spent the whole episode talking about charts and data, but they never counted anything. They just lined up a bunch of symbols. They also never mentioned the primary reason charts are made, which is to make it easier to observe trends. They talked about visualization a little, but never explained why it matters.
The characters (except for Sid's grandma) were obnoxious, preening, attention whores straight out of American Idol. Bottom line: By the end of the episode, I wanted to give Sid a rectal exam with that toy microphone he carries everywhere.
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