Top-Notch Videos Entertain, Educate

Educational videos make terrific stocking stuffers.

From phonics to ferry boats, a handful of films introduces children to unusual topics, employing quality footage, lively scripts and upbeat music.

Children on the brink of reading will enjoy a new video teaching phonics, vowels, spelling and syllables.

“Word Clue Adventure” (Orchard Hill Productions, $14.95) is a 30-minute video recommended for children, ages 5 to 8.

Kids join David and Ashley as they uncover the secrets of a mysterious map. Using the library for clues, their chase takes them swirling through computers and dictionaries, while Biblio Tech, a musical librarian, teaches them reading fundamentals in an engaging format.

A companion activity book also accompanies the video.

To order, call (800) 811-5372.

Dubbed “the ice-cream video” at our house, a delightful film has captured the imagination of my 4-year-old while instructing him on the culinary art of ice-cream and yogurt production.

“Let’s Go to the Ice Cream Factory” (Vermont Story Works, $14.95) begins with the age-old tradition of making homemade ice cream as Ben attempts to help his friend mix the ingredients - with disastrous results.

Children, 2 and up, will love Ben’s hilarious and self-deprecating antics before he decides to visit a real ice-cream factory.

Viewers accompany Ben on two tasty field trips to Deering Ice Cream Manufacturing Factory in Maine, and the Stonyfield Farm Yogurt Works in New Hampshire, for an insider’s view to the complexities of producing these frozen treats.

Children learn who invented the first hand-cranked ice cream freezer and when the first ice-cream cone was introduced. The 40-minute video also features simple recipes to try at home.

To order, call (800) 206-8383.

Kids do not have to own a horse to be enchanted by the award-winning film of a champion stallion, Erin Go Bragh, featured in the video, “The Little Horse That Could” (Dreams Come True Productions, $12.95).

From the beautiful scenery of the farm where Go Bragh gets his start, to the training ground where he jumps and performs, the 60-minute video offers a peek into the celebrated and noble sport of combined training.

Considered to be the “triathlon” of horseback riding, combined training involves both flat ground maneuvers and obstacle jumping. Go Bragh, a Connemara stallion, shares this charming tale in his own words, with a bit of Irish brogue.

For kids 7 to 14, this video goes beyond entertainment, communicating to youth the dedication and determination required to create a champion.

To order, call (800) 297-8787.

Small but mighty, ferryboats are more than romantic vessels of yesteryear. Children will learn of their significance in the world of trade and tourism in the 30-minute video, “Ferry Boats” (Outer Banks Productions, $14.95).

Embark on a nautical adventure with the video’s host, Anne Marie, on board the Cedar Island Ferry as it sails North Carolina’s Outer Banks. She gives a step-by-step description of the fine points of ferry navigation while recounting fun facts and the engaging history of ferries in America.

Recommended for ages 6 to 12, the video is available by calling (800) 477-7811.

, DataTimes MEMO: The Family Track is a weekly column of notes and information for families. Send items to Lynn Gibson, Features Department, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210-1615, or fax (509) 459-5098.