Kids are more glued to a screen nowadays than ever before, from phones and tablets, to TV’s and computers.
According to US healthcare system, Lifespan, children between the ages 8 and 12 are exposed to around 4 hours and 36 minutes of screen time daily, while the average teenager spends about 6 hours and 40 minutes in front of a screen daily.
A child’s experience with the content on the screen can have a significant impact on their development. Now, more than ever, is the time for video on demand players to consider the type of youth content they make available on their platforms.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) will also change the world in which children of today will grow up, the jobs available to them in future, and the skills they’ll need to perform these jobs through the integration of technologies such as robotics, machine learning and Artificial Intelligence. This is why Vodacom is amassing digital content that can help prepare the youth of today for this brave new world on its premier video on demand platform, Video Play.
Video Play now boasts a substantial selection of educational content for kids and young adults ranging from mathematics, science and coding, in fun and easy to understand formats that engage and inform children across the age spectrum.
“The Fourth Industrial Revolution presents a lot of opportunities for inclusive growth, job creation and a better society for all, but it also means that the way in which we educate the youth and what we teach them needs to change,” says Vodacom Group’s digital and fixed services officer, Zunaid Mahomed. “With our fun and educational content on Video Play, we aim to not only help prepare the youth for the change that 4IR will bring, but also make it accessible for all as anyone with a smartphone can make use of the platform.”
Video Play’s roster of educational youth content includes animated shorts, question and answer programmes presented by kids for kids, and documentaries from kids educational TV channel, Da Vinci kids, which uses humour and imagination to provide meaningful educational takeaways, as well as a digital playroom for the younger kids filled with immersive stories and personalised learning from kids entertainment and education content producer, Hopster, which helps kids learn through the stories they love.
Through this, kids are able to engage with digital content that can shine a light on the wonders of the universe, such as black holes and dark matter, they’re able to delve into the key concepts of Einstein’s theories, learn fun facts on life and science and even explore such topics as culture and positive stories to build sensitivity, understanding and diversity.
“Children in today’s digital environment are growing up with exposure to smartphones, tablets and computers from a very early age which can impact their interactions and their development, but by making use of these technologies and streaming platforms such as Video Play to purposefully drive learning, we can bypass socio-economic challenges and ensure that educational growth and empowerment is inclusive and enjoyable,” adds Mahomed. “At Vodacom, we are committed to using technology in a positive way to enhance and improve education, democratising education through technology.”
This content is available as part of the Family & Kids bundle on Video Play, at either R5 a day, R15 a week or a R25 monthly subscription. Vodacom also offers Video Play data bundles specifically designed to ensure customers are able to watch video content from as little as R50 for 1GB of data, providing high quality content at an affordable price.