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Shaping Youth: Nickelodeon's diversity programming

It seems China is finally getting some much-needed positive media coverage, with the official 2008 Beijing Olympics site up, more people using Skype media to learn Chinese with authentic accent integration, and now, some preschool positives to bring Mandarin into the home.

Nickelodeon’s diversity programming is enriched with the debut of the “play along, think-along” cartoon “Ni Hao, Kai-Lan,” now slated for the first day of the Chinese New Year. (now airing February 7th, with a ‘sneak peek’ next week on Nickjr.com and iTunes, Jan. 28)

Shaping Youth Correspondent Ashley who blogs at Children’s Media Consultant reported this awhile back, noting that it represents Nickelodeon’s first foray into Eastern culture, focusing on social and emotional lessons, multicultural values, cause-and-effect thinking, and basic Mandarin language skills for 2- to 5-year-olds. (NYTimes article here)

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NICK JR. CELEBRATES THE CHINESE NEW YEAR AND INTRODUCES

'This February, millions of preschoolers will learn that “Ni Hao” means “Hello” in Mandarin Chinese, as Nickelodeon Preschool introduces them to Chinese culture and language on Nick Jr.’s groundbreaking new animated series Ni Hao, Kai-lan. The original, half-hour 20-episode series will teach 2-5 year olds Mandarin words and phrases for the first time on television. The premiere episode of Ni Hao, Kai-lan, titled “Dragon Boat Festival,” will debut on Nick Jr. on Thursday, Feb. 7 (11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., ET/PT), the first day of the Chinese New Year (Year of the Rat). Additionally, Nick Jr. will roll out six new Ni Hao, Kai-lan episodes, weekdays from Friday, Feb. 8 – Friday, Feb. 15, (11:00 a.m., ET/PT) and the series will air regularly weekdays at 11:00 a.m. (ET/PT) on Nick Jr. "

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Ni Hao, Kai-Lan Mandarin Chinese Children's Cartoon Learning Show Premieres in February 2008

Ni Hao, Kai-Lan, an animated series to help children learn Mandarin Chinese, will begin airing on February 7th, 2008 on Nick Jr.

This is just another sign of the times: the world around, people are waking up to the importance of Mandarin Chinese in tomorrow's world. I will be documenting this phenomenon and other such interesting goodies on Mandarin Chinese Info

Ni Hao, Kai-lan is a play-along, think-along series that weaves together Chinese language and culture, preschool-relatable stories, and interactivity, with Kai-lan as your intimate friend and playmate!

Find out more about the show on Nick Jr.

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i almost forgot to tell you! every morning when i drop off baby cakes to her daycare/preschool i say "see you later, love you" and give her a big hug & kiss. she responds by following me to the door and giving me a light hug, saying "no" in the ever so gentle tone that she... usually has. so mornings when i'm running a little behind, which is just about every morning, i remind her that we have to be mindful of the time when we say are goodbyes. so...on tuesday morning i told her this and she says "well, i think you have to sneak out. be quiet so i don't hear you then when i'm not looking go real fast." lol. i don't believe in sneaking out when dropping off young children so i was never in the practice of doing that. every morning since then she reminds me to sneak out and i let her know that i will sneak out and she has been doing great with that (knock on wood) although it breaks my heart to not give her a hug and kiss before we part.