catholicweekly.com.au 25 12, April, 2020 Good values programs for the younger crew In the midst of a lockdown, parents might sample some of these family - and faith-friendly shows WITH PARENTS and kids alike sheltering in place, mums and dads may be on the lookout for entertainment that will hold children’s at- tention. Following, in alpha- betical order, is a roundup of some programming aimed at little ones that’s available on major streaming platforms. Fireman Sam The Amazon Prime show Fireman Sam comes from the UK and has a complicated pedigree. First broadcast back in the late 1980s, it was start- ed up again as a Claymation series in 2005, lasted one sea- son, then was brought back yet again – now with comput- er animation – in 2008. The character of the title (voice of Steven Kynman), dubbed “the hero next door,” and his male and female col- leagues are an integral part of the fictional community of Pontypandy in Wales. As the firefighters come to the aid of townsfolk who have gotten into such humorous scrapes as being stuck inside a large, wooden cake, each 10-minute episode also en- courages kids to be helpful to the people around them. Ideally, this could inspire a family conversation about the importance of focusing on others rather than ourselves. If I Were an Animal Available on Netflix, If I Were an Animal is a wildlife documentary with fictional elements. Each 20-minute episode looks at four different species from the perspective of two young siblings, Emma (voice of Fleur Delahunty) and her big brother Tim (voice of Zachary Young). The fantastic videography is captivating to watch as the kids are introduced to a baby animal, name it, and then proceed to explore its nature through questions and com- ments. The dialogue is really cute – ¾ ¾ Sister Hosea Rupprecht VeggieTales: In the House. IMAGE: NETFLIX Julie Andrews stars in Julie’s Greenroom. PHOTO:ALI GOLDSTEIN/NETFLIX perfect for little kids, who will be able to identify with the child narrators. Parents wanting to engage kids further with this show could try some auxiliary ac- tivities: Ask them what ani- mal they might want to be, perhaps have them draw or colour you a picture of that animal or go for a bit of shared online research about it. Julie’s Greenroom Julie’s Greenroom is a Netflix original that’s both fun and ed- ucational. Julie Andrews plays the titular theatre director who instructs a group of Muppet children in the fine art of put- ting on a play. As each episode unfolds, the kids learn all the various as- pects of what it takes to mount a successful stage production. They not only have to come up with an idea, a script, music and costumes, but also tackle the technology that helps with lighting, sound and special ef- fects. Each 30-minute installment features a celebrity who works in the field encouraging the “greenies” to let their talents shine: Chris Colfer as a writer, Josh Groban as a singer, Alec Baldwin as an actor and so on. The wrap-up presents the resulting performance. Discus- sion inspiredby the showcould involve asking kids which thea- tre-related career they might enjoy pursuing. Leo the Wildlife Ranger Su-Ping Chio voices the ti- tle character of Leo the Wild- life Ranger on Amazon Prime. Whenever Leo finds an an- imal around his home that isn’t supposed to be there, he, his sister and fellow rang- er Katie (voiced by Hillary Blazer-Doyle) and their adult mentor Rocky (voiced by Joe Murray) work to return it to its proper home. Each episode is 10 minutes long and encourages audi- ence interaction. Since viewers are asked to help Rocky choose the best way to aid each creature, the show could be the basis for some interesting discussions with younger family members about decision-making. ENTERTAINMENT The Stinky & Dirty Show Amazon Prime’s The Stinky & Dirty Show , based on the books by Jim and Kate Mc- Mullan, follows the adorable adventures of garbage truck Stinky (voiced by Jaden Betts) and backhoe loader Dirty (voiced by Jacob Guenther). The 20-minute episodes are divided into two segments, each of which presents Stinky and Dirty with some dilemma they need to solve. If their original approach doesn’t work or go as expect- ed, they ask, “What if...” and try something else until they achieve their goal. The series is creatively scripted, features exciting scenarios and sustains its silly humour. VeggieTales: In the House VeggieTales: In the House is a Netflix original series based on the well-known earlier se- ries. Like the videos and fea- ture films of the franchise, the show promotes Bible-based Judeo-Christian values. Two stories are told in each 20-minute episode and all of them pose some problem for Larry the Cucumber (voice of Nawrocki), Bob the Tomato (voice of Vischer) and their other friends to solve. Help is given in the form of a specific Scripture passage that applies to the quandary. In one installment, for in- stance, Larry and Bob get annoyed with each other. But they know that St Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians includes the admonition, “Do not let the sun set on your anger.” So they decide the solution is simply not to go to sleep. Of course, silliness ensues as they try to keep their heavy eyelids open. But they even- tually forgive each other. Fans of this series may want to check out a similar offering, VeggieTales: In the City , also on Netflix. Parents could share with youngsters real-life situations where they used biblical principles to guide their behaviour or choices. - CNS 1300 554 552 www.girafferemovals.com.au •
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