Let Curious George® Help You Teach Your Children About the Arts!

    I recently received an advanced screening DVD of some of Curious George’s® adventures as he takes on the Arts in an all new season premiering Labor Day, September 5, 2011 on PBS KIDS®.  Believe me, my boys were eagerly awaiting the package before it even arrived because they are long time fans of the Curious George® books by Margret and H.A. Rey.  Since they were very little, we have shared in reading these wonderful books together about a little monkey who is curious and inquisitive about the world around him just like many young children are.

    These new series featuring Curious George® are designed to teach kids about science, math, and engineering all around them by presenting the topics in entertaining situations and episodes.  Each episode lasts one half hour and includes two animated stories featuring George and all of his new friends.  These episodes are then followed by short action pieces where real children are shown demonstrating the theories and ideas that George introduces in his animated stories.  This encourages children of all different background and different learning modalities to explore science and math-related play.

    Each episode also follows Curious George® as he explores the Arts through painting, sculpting, music, dancing, and other activities that promote creativity and originality in children.  He explores some of these activities by entering a photography contest, creating a wind symphony, sand painting the desert, and even dancing the box step.  The best part is that parents can get involved and engage in these activities with their children while instilling in them a love of the Arts and an appreciation of different cultures.

    My eight year old’s favorite episode was the “Mother’s Day Surprise” one.  I asked him why this was his favorite and he shared with me that he liked how George and Marco worked together to surprise Marco’s mother with a dish that they prepared for her to eat.  As I was discussing it with him, my five year old chimed in that they were cooking Spanish food like the food that we eat here at home.  As a parent, this was especially important to me because I want my children to view programs that are multicultural and contain characters that they can relate to from their own life and their own culture.

Make sure you check your local listings and the Curious George Website so you won’t miss the new episode of Curious George® Takes on the Arts, premiering on PBS on September 5th.  It is a great way to encourage pre-schoolers and children of all ages to explore their inner artists. In addition, PBS will also be celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month  by re-airing episodes starring our favorite duo, George and Marco. It’s a month long celebration of Latino culture and the arts!

**All the images in this post are the property of Curious George® & © 2011 Universal Studios and/or HMH. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PBS KIDS (R) Public Broadcasting Services**

Disclosure: This post was written as part of a blogging program through PBS KIDS® and Latina Bloggers Connect.  I received DVDs to preview with my own family.  Any statements made in this post are the author’s honest opinions. I only recommend products or services I use personally and I believe will be “family friendly.” I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

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