YouTube and My Kid's Education

When you're homeschooling a curious, computer-loving ten year-old boy, the school day often starts on the Web. I've started thinking of these sessions as Google U. Seriously. It seems like every time we find ourselves wondering about something, Step 2 is a Google search. Unbeknownst to me, my son was fascinated by brine shrimp. He had been Googling how to raise his own Sea Monkeys and happened upon one man's excellent video tutorial detailing how to build a simple brine shrimp hatchery:

...and a fascinating project was born. (Sound familiar? My son's finished hatchery was the subject of my LifeScoop caption contest).

The brine shrimp hatchery hooked me on YouTube as a rich source of educational material. I'd been avoiding YouTube because I was afraid it would suck my son down the wormhole of mediocre pet comedy and adult-oriented narcissism. It was a short-sighted worry, however -- it would be like avoiding the Internet or television because of the few bad programming choices. Better to teach intelligent viewing habits than to block the channel altogether. As a result, I've found that YouTube is an endless source of material, often presented by passionate lovers of the topic (who turn out, usually, to be the best teachers). Take Jazzy78910, creator of the brine shrimp project. This guy is SO EXCITED about what he's doing! Exposing my son to that level of enthusiasm -- about anything -- is just as valuable, if not more, than whatever material the video covers. I want him to see, firsthand, that learning isn't just for "school" or for kids -- it can fuel one's entire life.

There's more than simply the random video here and there (although you can watch random videos and never run out of material). Some folks go on to create entire shows complete with themes and episodes. You can find traditional TV shows in YouTube format (NOVA episodes!), as well as amateur productions on every conceivable topic. I'm a newbie crocheter who has hit the limits of my book learning. The YouTube show "The Art of Crochet" picks up right where I need to go:


If you feel like browsing rather than searching, check out YouTube Channels. There's an Education channel, but I encourage you to widen your definition of educational programming to include anything you find interesting. Several universities put lectures online under the channel YouTubeEDU.

Bottom line: don't be afraid to expose your kids to YouTube. Chances are they're already watching it, so if you can join in the fun and learn in the process, you'll all be smarter for it!

Have you learned anything from YouTube (besides the fact that cats can flush toilets)? If so, share your favorite videos! Family- and work-safe, please. I want to show my kids!

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Asha Dornfest is the founder of Parent Hacks -- where savvy parents swap clever, often unconventional, parenting tips. Here's the practical, real-world stuff you'll never find in an "expert" book. Featured in Real Simple, Parents, and PC Magazine.