<![CDATA[KidSenz - News for kids - Blog]]>Sat, 05 Dec 2015 01:38:45 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[News and kids]]>Thu, 15 Aug 2013 19:56:26 GMThttp://www.kidsenz.com/blog/news-and-kidsNews for kids
Over the last few years I found myself researching and then explaining interesting topics from news headlines to my kids. I was very encouraged by the interest shown by my kids in absorbing and subsequently engaging in meaningful discussions on current stories in the news. Some of the stories we discussed are global warming and its relevance to their green teams at school, latest smartphones, comets, shooting stars, the latest books, movies etc.

Why do I do this? Perhaps some of it has to do with growing up reading, listening to and watching news from around the world. News was an integral part of shaping opinions, starting conversations and social interactions when we were growing up.

I believe that early exposure to news is essential to building well rounded citizens. It is difficult to get an in depth appreciation of the nuances of global current affairs overnight - inculcating an interest in news early really makes a difference.

Somewhat to my surprise, when I looked at news sources that my kids could turn to now, I did not find any suitable news sources. Most news outlets today are driven by ratings and the “if it bleeds, it leads” mantra and are heavily weighted towards sensationalism and violence. Even the news sources that are focused on kids and avoid sensationalism are “dry”.  For a generation that has grown up on tablets with exciting apps and  visual dazzle, it is very challenging to hold their interest with plain text news article alone.  

I talked to several parents and teachers and recognized a real gap in the availability of engaging kids oriented news sources. A couple of friends and I started KidSenz, a platform to bring news to kids. Several parents and teachers also joined our effort as contributors.

This dedicated team carefully selects stories that are appropriate for kids and delivers them using animated newscasters in a manner that is simple, easy to understand and is fun. The news, curated by KidSenz, covers engaging and diverse topics such as space, world cultures, environment, major holidays, sports, entertainment and politics.

KidSenz, currently in beta is available as an online resource to parents, teachers and kids at www.kidsenz.com and www.facebook.com/kidsenz.

Written by: Ambika Pajjuri