Bottom line: WordWorld: Happy Birthday WordFriends! contains three birthday-themed episodes of WordWorld, the PBS series for preschoolers. The entertaining and educational episodes focus on a reading curriculum, and a cohesive theme gives kids an opportunity to see some of the words spelled multiple times.
MPAA Rating: NAGenre: Children's educational/3D Animated
Age range: Preschoolers
Runtime: Approx. 33 minutes
WordWorld: Happy Birthday WordFriends! - Overview
The 3D animated series WordWorld incorporates letters into the characters and animation to help kids understand that letters make sounds and, when put together, spell words. The comedic plots center around the WordFriends -- Sheep, Frog, Duck, Pig, Ant, and Dog. The animals are drawn as letters that form the shape of their bodies, so kids can see the word "Dog," for example, as they watch Dog.
The WordWorld: Happy Birthday WordFriends! DVD contains the following three episodes of the show:
- "Happy Birthday DOG!": Dog is sad because everyone forgot his birthday -- or so he thinks! Little does he know, his friends are in the process of making him a C-A-K-E.
- "PIG's Present": PIG's nephews are planning an extra special surprise, but will PIG's peeking ruin all the fun?
- "Bit by Bit": Poor FROG has a toothache, so he sends his birthday present for MONKEY with his friends. When DUCK and BUG drop the present and break it, they rely on ELEPHANT to help them build the word and put the gift back together again.
WordWorld: Happy Birthday WordFriends! - Guide Review
All of the episodes on the WordWorld: Happy Birthday WordFriends! DVD tie into the birthday theme, which is fun for kids and allows them repeated exposure to some of the birthday words like "cake." Since repetition is a major part of learning, kids benefit as they help their WordWorld friends celebrate.
Not only do the episodes on the DVD entertain kids and educate them about spelling and words, but they also convey a light moral lesson. Kids will see that it pays to be patient, and that problems can be solved by breaking them down bit by bit. The characters on WordWorld are easy for kids to relate to, with their big hearts and childlike mannerisms, so the lessons the characters learn hit home for viewing kids as well.
WordWorld: Happy Birthday WordFriends! - Expand Upon the Curriculum
- Challenge kids to draw their favorite animal using the letters that spell the name of the animal, as the characters on WordWorld are drawn. Have them create fun surroundings for the animal using letters or words as well.
- Make up some flash cards of root words and help kids put them together to form bigger words.
