Just for Fun
Happy Halloween!
These adorable children come to your courtesy of flickr users Paranoid Black Jack, Pete the Chop, jijis, weblivz, Joe Thorn, and Uriel 1998, used under a Creative Commons license.
Flashback: Educational Computer Games of the 1980s
The website Educational Games Research lists the "Top 10 Most Influential Educational Video Games from the 1980s." As a child of the 1980s, with fond memories of playing Number Munchers (#8) and Where in the USA is Carmen Sandiego with my sister on our Apple IIe, this list certainly made me nostalgic. What are your favorite educational video games for PK-3 students, from the past or today? (hat tip: Alexander Russo)
High-Quality Children's Television: Now Streaming Live at a Computer Near You
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting just launched PBS Kids Go! a new website that offers high-quality, educational children's programming streaming live on the web 24 hours a day. The site features both full-length episodes and shorter clips from 14 children's television
programs, including favorites like Arthur and Postcards from Buster, all offered commercial-free. In addition to specific shows, the site also offers "channels" that feature clips and episodes focused around a particular theme, such as "helping out" or "get fit!" as well as games and other features. With all the usual caveats about avoiding TV for children under age 2 (it's not any better because it's on the computer!) and all good things in moderation, this is a great resource for parents, teachers, and caretakers seeking high-quality entertainment for youngsters outside the hours it's regularly scheduled to air. Not to mention grown-ups who are bored at work (hey, it's waaaay better for you than TMZ!).
Getting Hitched on Sesame Street
Annie Evans is a writer for Sesame Street. Martin Robinson is a puppeteer who brings Snuffy, Telly, and Slimey the worm to life on the show. Last week, the two, who are long-time friends and colleagues, were married last week in a ceremony on the Sesame Street set that included a cameo appearance by Oscar the Grouch. In the 1980s, two Sesame Street characters, Maria and Louis, were married on the show (see video below) as part of an arc designed to show children the progression of a relationship from friendship to love, to marriage and family. Evans and Robinson's ceremony was less traditional than that one, but, judging by the pictures and video in the New York Times "vows" section, no less adorable. Congratulations and best wishes to the happy couple!
What Do Elmo, Chris Brown, and Susan Neuman Have In Common?
We can't stop smiling at this Sesame Street clip featuring Elmo and Chris Brown--and not just because of the mad dance skilz Elmo displays between verses.
Heroic Second Grader Leads China's Olympic Team in Opening Ceremonies
Early Ed Watch is quite taken with little Lin Hao, the 9-year-old earthquake victim who walked alongside Chinese basketball star Yao Ming at the head of China's Olympic team in Friday night's opening ceremonies. 
Lin Hao was a second grader at Yuzixi Primary School in Yingxiu Town, Wenchuan County, this May when a massive earthquake struck Wenchuan County and Sichaun Province, where it's located, causing Hao's school to collapse, burying him and his classmates in the rubble. While trapped in the rubble, Hao helped encourage his classmates and keep them calm by singing songs and encouraging them to sing with him. After freeing himself from the rubble, little Hao went back to help free two other classmates, despite being injured himself. Hao's appearance was one of the most touching moments of the opening ceremonies.
1234: Feist on Sesame Street
Indie rocker Feist appears in Sesame Street's first episode this season, performing an altered version of her hit song, "1234" to teach preschoolers (and monsters!) how to count to four.
Public Service Announcement
As early education analysts, we DO NOT RECOMMEND this. But it is pretty funny. Based on our, admittedly nonscientific, survey of the available data, Sen. Obama seems to be winning the key demographic of people who put politically oriented videos of their babies on YouTube. Maybe if Sen. McCain outlined an early education agenda he'd get more support from the tech-savvy infant and toddler demographic.
Totally Gratuitous Cute Baby Photo Post (With Bonus Georgia Pre-K info)
We here at Early Ed Watch are big fans of Bravo's Top Chef, and we also love any excuse to put pictures of adorable children up on the blog. So we're pleased to congratulate Top Chef contestant Richard Blais and his wife, Jazmin, on the birth of their beautiful new baby girl, Riley (pictured here with her dad).
Hips Don't Lie
This weekend, a who's who of Latin pop stars, including Shakira and Ricky Martin, held free concerts in Buenos Aires and Mexico City to build awareness for the importance of early childhood development and raise funds for ALAS, a nonprofit started by Latin American artists, including Shakira, Wyclef Jean, and Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez,
Let's hope their message was heard: There are 54 million children under the age of 5 in Latin America, 32 million of whom live in poverty, and improving childhood development and education for these youngsters is essential for the region's future progress. Someone seems to be listening; last week ALAS raised $200 million in funding for its mission from Mexican telecom billionaire Carlos Slim Helú and Howard Buffet (son of Warren Buffet, who's made significant investments in early education in the United States as well).
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