High-Quality Videos For Parents And Kids

Children are often the inspiration for innovative products. Such is the case with several high-quality educational videos now available.

A handful of parents of young children noticed a scarcity of nonviolent, reality-based videos on the market, so they created their own. The winning formula blends instruction with music, action and actual workers. The results are videos that are truly enjoyable for kids and parents alike.

“Parents have told me they want 30 minutes of worthwhile entertainment their kids will want to watch over and over again, that encourages kids to feel they are capable of doing anything,” says Marcela Davison Aviles, creator of “You Can Ride a Horse.”

Aviles’ 30-minute video, recommended for ages 2 through 8, lets children explore the exciting world of horses. Learn about different breeds, riding techniques, safety, vaulting and more. Order “You Can Ride A Horse” ($12.95, Blackboard Entertainment) by calling (800) 968-2261.

Dump trucks and bulldozers: After seeing his two sons transfixed on construction equipment, Fred Levine moved his family next door to a four-lane highway construction site. The resulting video is “Road Construction Ahead,” 30 minutes of live-action footage complete with blasting sequences and heavy equipment of all kinds, accompanied by an upbeat soundtrack.

Order “Road Construction Ahead” ($19.95, Fred Levine Productions) by calling (800) 843-3686.

Three-alarm excitement: Ride along as Mike, the friendly fire fighter, takes you from the fire training academy to a day at the fire house in “Fire and Rescue.” Thirty minutes of lively music and real-life fire fighting makes this a riveting experience for kids of all ages.

Order “Fire and Rescue” ($19.95, Fred Levine Productions) by calling (800) 843-3686.

View a real working farm: Storyteller Mac Parker is a farmhand who takes kids on a behind-thescenes look at an actual farm in Vermont. “Let’s Go To The Farm” grabs kids’ attention for 60 minutes through all four seasons of farm life, milking cows, making maple syrup, harvesting crops and riding tractors. Recommended for ages 2 through 8.

Order “Let’s Go To The Farm” ($14.95, Vermont Story Works) by calling (800) 206-8383.

Star-gazing made accessible: Viewers can see the stars in a new light through the eyes of a motherdaughter team of amateur astronomers in “Astronomy 101, A Beginner’s Guide to the Night Sky.” Learn about the basics of astronomy, constellations, telescopes and planets in this 25-minute video that encourages both boys and girls to explore the world of star-gazing.

Order “Astronomy 101” ($19.95, Mazon Productions) by calling (800) 332-4344.

Learn to fly: In an effort to teach his children the joy of flying, a pilot created “Ready For Take-Off,” a thrill-packed hour of take-offs and landings featuring single-engine and bi-winged aircraft, gliders, multiengined planes and jets. Learn the controls, tour the control tower and see the view from the cockpit.

Order “Ready For Take-Off” ($19.95, Watchin’ TV) by calling (800) 386-5988. xxxx