Let’s start with children’s picture books. In class we went through a picture book meant for children which on each page had a thematically sorted conglomerate of illustrated images and their correct English label. The book is meant to be non-fiction, a visual tool for parents to teach young children the kind of vocabularies that a young, Christian, American person might need as they are learning to communicate. While this particular one was an older publication, hundreds of these types of picture books exist on various basic topics a kid might want in order to flesh out his or her vocabulary. Media as a tool for giving kids the tools of classification is incredibly important, and books are a really effective tool, because they usually require an adult’s accompaniment to engage with the child, which studies show is the best way to learn. However, I suggest that books like these are the very basic building block of a child’s taxonomy. Children’s media must be able to not only provide image/word associations, but present the observable world in action in a way that books can’t, and without simple illustrations and labels, give kids further valuable information about a particular subject. Moving image is the most effective tool for this kind of learning, and it is best demonstrated in observational documentaries such as Winged Migration (2001).
Winged Migration is a 90 minute documentary that follows the migrations of several different bird species from every continent over the course of 3 years. This documentary puts birds first and humans second with minimal human involvement, and narration is used sparingly. If you’re of the belief that the attention of kids can only be held by fast, colorful animations, than this might not at first seem like a film intended as “children’s media.” In my experience with children, their interest might be piqued by anything, so why not a film that is mostly shots of birds flying. This kind of film meets the needs of inquiry and curiosity, providing kids with a taxonomy of not only birds, but famous landmarks, geography, biomes, climates, food chains, and natural disasters. Most kids will not get a chance to see an avalanche in their young lives, but Winged Migration shows one occurring in nature. The focus of this documentary might not be avalanches, climates, or the statue of liberty, but by following the patterns and behaviors of birds, migratory creatures, they are able to see these things in context. Context is the key here that separates observational documentaries like this from the classification picture books. A picture book might be able to show basic features of a duck and label it as such, but the nature film allows for more inquiry and inference. “Look this is a duck. The duck swims, flies, grooms, communicates, and even fights sometimes.”
Children learn human behavior in their homes. They interact with their parents and siblings and watch plenty of shows about other children. Things like play, communication, and basic needs are picked up by the day to day necessities of being a young person. However, if this is all a child is exposed to, their world is small and human-centric. Winged Migration is the antithesis to it. It’s large, expansive, and rejects humancentrism. Through the documentation of birds and nature, children can learn through observation about diversity, natural environments, and understand the similarities and differences of all living things. While Winged Migration is quite educational, it also reads as spiritual. The music contributes to this of course with chamber choir music, but it is also interested in the transcendental qualities of nature, qualities that are capable of transfixing children and contributing to both their secular and spiritual inquiries and growth.
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