Online Entertainment - Not Just For Grownups!

by Suzanne Robertson

It’s the end of a busy day - you’re overwhelmed and your preschooler is cranky. (What’s new, huh?)

There’s still a very looooooong hour to go before starting the dinner-bath-books-bed routine.

Tick-tock. As a parent, it’s very tempting to punt – “GO WATCH TV!”

Lucky for parents, video posting online has moved from a novelty “Girl-on-girl kissing! “Look-how-drunk-I-am” videos!) to a substantial place for the general public to be entertained and informed. Yes, online videos are now an option for parent and child entertainment! The online landscape for little ones has exploded with original videos that are funny and educational.

So make a healthy snack that won’t spill or get crumbs in the keyboard (apple slices, carrots or cheese), snuggle your little one on your lap and enjoy some online entertainment. Let your child control the mouse and they’ll get the added benefit of a hand and eye coordination exercise.

As in advertising, “babies and animals” sell. Here are some of my family’s favorites:

WARNING: Be sure to screen each video before showing your kids. My four year old daughter and I almost jumped through the ceiling when a video labeled “cute kitten” contained a “gottcha” monster face. Some seemly innocent clips from television shows have been altered by teens who think cussing, fart jokes and drug use are hilarious. Also, look for age appropriate content - some videos are great for a 5 year old but not-so-much for a 3 year old.

Elephant Jumping on a Trampoline
This two minute short of an elephant jumping on a trampoline is a must-watch. The video includes great music and a fun concept as well as presenting an opportunity for learning about the massive pachyderm. Did you know that elephants are one of the few mammals who can’t jump? And they are excellent swimmers who have been known to travel great distances in the ocean. Elephants mostly swim with their face above and their mouth below the water surface. They breathe through their trunk which they use as a snorkel.

Baby Panda Sneezing
Who knew a baby panda sneezing could be such a classic? This video has over thirty million views – many of them mine. Gazoontheit baby panda!

Dogs Decorating a Christmas Tree
To see a super cute “produced” video that will bring back the warm feelings of the holiday season, visit this site from Hungary and see dogs decorating a Christmas tree. (I tried to find similar videos celebrating non-Santa holidays. If you come across pets lighting the candles or playing with a dradle, let me know!)

Top Ten Babies Tasting Lemon
Kids love to look at other kids. Watch a montage of ten cuties getting their fist taste of a lemon. Careful, if you have babies in the house, they might find themselves terrorized with a citrus slice from big brother or sister!

Most Famous Laughing Baby
The most famous laughing baby on the internet (with over 70,000,000 views to date) is this little guy. I dare you to try and keep a straight face!

1929 Mickey Mouse
This is a short clip from an early Black and White 1929 Mickey Mouse cartoon called "The Opry House". Kids familiar with the “modern” Mickey Mouse Clubhouse might be surprised to see scrappy Mickey go at it with a feisty piano. Search YouTube for other classics you might remember from your childhood (not that your childhood was in 1929…)

Favorite Classic Commercials
Remember some of those classic “kid” commercials before Bratz Dolls and video games? Search online for some of your favorites for a trip down memory lane with your child. Think food or toys.

Here’s a Kool-Aid from the 80’s – Remember the cry of “Hey Kool-Aid” would cause a big red pitcher to bust through a poorly made styrofoam wall?

What kid hasn’t enjoyed Chicken McNuggets or a Happy Meal? A deprived kid, that’s who! Here’s the first appearance of Ronald McDonald on TV for the infamous hamburger chain. He’s…interesting, no?

Classic McDonald's Commercial - Watch the top videos of the week here

Mr. Microphone! It makes the perfect Christmas gift and it's only $14.88!

Baby Tiger
See how many times you and your kid say “Awwww” while watching this baby Sumatran Tiger Cub frolic at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. Really, don’t you just want to bring him home?

You’ll probably want to bookmark videos that make a splash. Kids love to experience favorite books, movies, songs and games over and over. The next time you’re stuck for an end-of-the-day mellow activity, scoot up and log on.

If you liked these clips, we'll be featuring more of our favorite vids for kids in the future!  Don't forget that you can also suggest videos using our "Suggest a Video" feature. We'd love to hear from you!

 

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