NOTE: This is a sponsored blog post. While I have been compensated for this article, I fully endorse this initiative. All views are my own.
Dear parents, I have great news for you! Thomas the Tank Engine gets woke, and this is a big deal.
Indeed, Thomas & Friends have partnered with the United Nations to support the Sustainable Development Goals; a set of 17 objectives created to tackle challenges around health, education, environment, poverty and more.
I am so grateful when I see great examples of corporate responsibility.
I believe this initiative to be particularly timely and relevant.
Kids Edutainment at its best
As part of their commitment, the team behind Thomas & Friends developed resources to help parents talk to their preschoolers about specific sustainable development goals and how to embrace the world as one community.
By visiting allaboardforglobalgoals.com, you will find a series of educational videos, each attached to a sustainable goal. All comes with talking points and ways to address a particular goal with your child.
These types of resources are useful for parents to introduce complex ideas to children, without overwhelming them. It gives a great opportunity to start conversations without the seriousness of a “big talk”. More importantly it keeps “play” at the core of learning, which ease children into grasping important concepts.
As a father of a boy and a baby girl, I found the Gender Equality portion to be particularly helpful to address the issue with my is seven-year-old son. Being a father in a #Metoo era, requires being pro-active in teaching healthy dynamics between boys and girls.
Watching this video with my son strengthened his empathy and his ability to “relate”. It contributed to set a standard for taking an interest in the experience of girls and women. Identifying with Thomas the Tank Engine was easy for him. Seeing how girls could be his mom, his sister or his friends was a great teachable moment.
Thomas the Tank Engine as an “ally” for raising responsible, empathic children
Media monitoring is a key component of parenting in 2018.
As a content creator, I understand how much storytelling can influence beliefs and world views. Therefore, as a father, I am particularly mindful of what my children watch, and what “messages” they receive.
When an iconic toy brand such as Thomas The Tank Engine uses UN’s sustainable development goals as the background of Thomas’ adventures, this is huge.
It sends a strong message of global responsibility.
It places media back to its primary purpose: education.
When ethics of my home are reflected in my children’s media, I feel relieved, supported and respected as a parent. In a time of great division, we need the kid’s entertainment industry to be particularly mindful and responsible for the content they present.
What’s a better way to do so than supporting sustainable global goals through storytelling?
All Aboard for Global Goals!
It is time to take action!
Teaching young children about sustainable development goals helps them become global citizens.
- Visit allaboardforglobalgoals.com
- Share your experiences using the hashtag: #AllAboardForGlobalGoals
- You can learn more about the 17 sustainable goals here.