Mediasmarties.nl: Media recommendations for kids
New country = new language = new books, tv shows, music and movies. So how is a Nomad Parent to know which ones are right for their child? Enter Mediasmarties.nl. This website is perfect for helping Nomad Parents sort through Dutch media and find recommended content for each age.WHAT IS MEDIASMARTIES?
Mediasmarties.nl is a non-profit organization commissioned by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. It is completely independent and its recommendations are not driven by advertisers. Mediasmarties was created to help parents sort through the large and ever-changing volume of media choices available.
HOW DO I USE IT?
There are two easy ways to use Mediasmarties to find content for your child:
- If you are only here for a short while, you can go directly to the "Media-aanbod voor kinderen" page (use the direct link in the menu at the top of the page) and do a search. You can use the search bar to type in criteria or you can use the menu on the left side of the page to sort by age (leeftijd), theme (thema) and type of media (just click to include or exclude media types). The site requires virtually no Dutch language knowledge to conduct a basic search.
- If you plan to stay in the Netherlands for a longer time period (> 1 year), you can register and create a profile for each of your children. Mediasmarties will track media and give you regular updates on content for each child. This way you don't have to go back and search as your children grow and their interests change. Creating a profile does require a minimum understanding of Dutch or the use of a translator tool such as the one available in the google toolbar. You can have multiple children in your master profile and switch back and forth among them once you are within the site.
BEST PARTS
One thing I love about this site is that it covers all types of media. If your child has a favorite book, you can use the site to find out if there are tv episodes, movies, apps or websites with the same character. I also love the control it gives me over media choices by eliminating the guesswork (and bad choices). Lastly, Mediasmarties helped me build a plan for introducing technology to my child. Age-appropriate websites and apps make it easy for kids to learn to use technology on their own and can keep you from worrying that your child is accidentally sending out emails or deleting your contact list while your back is turned.
I highly recommend that you go and check out the website today:
----> http://www.mediasmarties.nl
What do you think of the site? Do you have other tools you use to get media recommendations for your children? Please share your experiences in the comments section below.
Saturday 09 June 2012 at 08:57 am.
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