DVD Review: “Families of the World Series: Germany & Philippines”

Released:  September 20, 2011

Run Time:  25-30 Minutes

ABOUT:

In the award-winning Families of the World Series, viewers get a peek at the everyday lives of two families – usually an urban and a rural family. We are introduced to a child who helps narrate his or her activities. The footage is fantastic – intimate but not intrusive. Lots of interesting facts about the country are presented from a realistic viewpoint which brings other cultures up close. Free teacher’s guide is available to download at familiesoftheworld website.

Journey to Germany to visit 8-year-old Sophia, who lives with her family in a tiny town near Frankfurt. We see Sophia at school and at her guitar lesson, follow her to a fundraiser for a classmate, meet the chickens and calves she helps tend, attend a concert where her sister sings in a gospel choir, and walk around charming Marburg, setting for many of Grimm’s fairy tales.

Ten-year-old Ole enjoys a Boy Scout cookout in a landfill-turned-park, dresses up like Dracula to “trick or treat” with friends in his neighborhood, practices with his handball team and takes care of his tortoises. We sit in on his older brother’s drum lesson, follow his mother as she teaches at an animal museum, and go sight seeing with the family in downtown Berlin, where they live.

Travel to the tropical Philippines with 13-year-old Khim and 7-year-old Shahani. Khim lives with his grandparents on Cebu, one of the country’s 7000 islands. He is a freshman at a school with 10,000 students. Besides school, his day includes taking care of the family’s goats, playing arcade games, gathering wood and cooking rice for dinner.

Shahani lives on Luzon with her mother, father and sister. Like Khim, Shahani’s school is large…5000 students who each wear a name tag. We follow her to opening ceremonies and English class, buy groceries with her mother, check out the large mall where her father entertains at birthday parties, and watch Shahani and her sister practice in their father’s dance class.

MY THOUGHTS:

My boys are only 3 and 4 so they don’t know much about America let alone other countries.  I love that these DVDs features a day in the lives of kids and their families from other countries because it shows that not everyone lives the same way as we do.  My boys saw how other kids eat, work, go to school, play with friends and more.  They are educational DVDs that really are not totally boring to watch!  I really think it is important for kids to understand other cultures and how other kids live and this DVD series is great to watch.

BUY IT: Families of the World is recommended for ages 5-11 and retails for $29.95 each.  To order Families of the World DVDs, call 1-800-765-5885 or visit www.familiesoftheworld.com.  You can also find the series on Amazon.

Mom and More Disclosure: I was sent these DVDs to review in exchange for my honest opinion. Please see my Disclosure Policy.