| Author |
Message |
    
rml
Citizen
Username: Rml0570
Post Number: 30
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 12:21 pm: | 
|
Any suggestions on an educational movie about dinosaurs appropriate for a 4 year old? My daughter has a Dr. Seuss book and listened to Magic Treehouse which has a story about Dinosaur land. These have really raised her interest in wanting to see and learn more about them. Of course, I'd rather not have anything scary! Thanks. |
shoshannah
Citizen
Username: Shoshannah
Post Number: 1177
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 12:31 pm: |
|
The "Land Before Time" series is a popular one for kids that age. The educational part is weaved into entertaining story lines with dinosaurs as the characters. |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 437
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 12:46 pm: |
|
The SO library has a large section about dinosaurs in the children's room. They might also have movies to recommend.
My kids have loved the Land Before Time series for years - we have them all. (as an adult I find them nauseating, especially the way some of the characters are made to mispronounce words like baby-talk. But I think in the long run they are harmless.) |
Meandtheboys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 2973
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 1:17 pm: |
|
Dorling-Kindersly (DK for short) publishing has all sorts of great kids books. Thier "Big Book" series includes a "Big Book of Dinosaurs" with lots of great pictures.
Land Before Time is a great animated series, but not so much educational about the dinosaurs. Just has dinosaur characters in it. |
CLK
Supporter
Username: Clkelley
Post Number: 1899
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 1:24 pm: |
|
You might try the DK Eyewitness videos. I haven't seen the Dinosaur one but the ones we have (Cat, Ape) are very tame and quite appropriate for a little kid, and not at all like the rending limb from limb nature programs targeted to adults. The science is weak-ish at best in these but probably not bad for a little one. The videos are short - 30 minutes.
Another possibility: My dino-infatuated 8-year-old daughter loves the entire "Walking With Dinosaurs" series - we have every single episode, including all the spin-offs (Allosaurus, Prehistoric Beasts, Cavemen, & Monsters - and "Chased by Dinosaurs" which is very fun). They might be a little too intense for a four-year old though. They are modeled on the adult nature documentaries you see on TV - a lot of dinosaur mating, predatory behavior, etc.
The "Chased by Dinosaurs" spinoff is more targeted to kids, but still maybe too intense for a four-year old (depending on the kid - some would be OK with this). It's designed to be more like "Crocodile Hunter" type shows. There is a daredevil scientist (Nigel Marven) who goes back in time to observe dinosaurs, and has a few near-miss situations. He is very funny though, and appealing to kids. |
Bettina
Citizen
Username: Bettina
Post Number: 106
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 8:57 pm: |
|
Some parents may be horrified but my 4-year old son loves the "Walking With dinosaurs" and "Chased by Dinosaurs" videos. Yes, they are scary although they do not frighten him. Most of the books/information about dinosaurs spends much time on how the carnivorous dinosaurs loved to eat the other dinosaurs. My son knows all about this in gorey detail. But if you're squeamish on his behalf, wait until he's older because these videos are really very well done. |
knak
Citizen
Username: Knak
Post Number: 137
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 9:01 pm: |
|
Try the Magic Schoolbus books and videos, which actually have scientifically accurate information mixed in with the school field trip/ time travel standard story. The videos are from the old TV show, which you can catch in reruns on the Discovery channel (8:30 AM most weekdays, I think). |
CLK
Supporter
Username: Clkelley
Post Number: 1903
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 11:13 pm: |
|
Hey, Bettina, no judgments here - kids are all different. My kid is very, very sensitive and has walked out of kid-oriented movies because they were too intense for her - but she never felt that way about nature documentaries or the dinosaur programs. I hope I didn't scare the original poster off of the "Walking With" series, as they are indeed very good.
Some 4-year olds will be OK with those - others, maybe not - but nobody knows the tolerance level of a kid better than his/her own parents.
|
Closed: New threads not accepted on this page