This video skips right past the question of the birds and the bees and focuses on how a human being grows in the womb. For most kids, it can be a bit of a mystery what goes on inside Mommy's "belly" when she is expecting a child. This video gives them a good idea of how babies develop before birth, through demonstrations and comparisons that they can understand. Did you ever wonder what a young child imagines when his mother tells him that a baby is growing inside her? This video almost completely demystifies the process.
You Are a Masterpiece opens with the question "What is a masterpiece?" Real kids are interviewed before the gentle and enthusiastic narrator draws parallels between a special work of art and the beauty and uniqueness of each and every human being. She speaks to viewers directly, reminding them that they are masterpieces too!
The video features some short cartoon sequences — from the meeting of the egg and the sperm to a giggly baby exiting the womb. In between, live-action segments feature children answering questions and providing often-humorous feedback. They giggle at some of the more technical words (like "zygote") and make sometimes-imperfect attempts at pronouncing longer terms (such as "fallopian tube"). Children watch a zygote growing into an embryo and then a fetus through in utero photos, ultrasound images, and demonstrations.
After learning about the incredible early growth of a human life, children follow a fetus' development month by month. The video explores a range of interesting topics — from the reason for a belly button to fetal hiccups. Though genetics is not explored in scientific detail, the production celebrates children's differences — their unique appearances and tastes.
The developers helped to make less-intuitive prenatal concepts more understandable for the target audience by drawing parallels with familiar ones. For example, the narrator suggests that the placenta functions much like a filter in a swimming pool, compares the gestation period with the school year, and relates the developing fetus' weight to that of birthday cards and cakes. The feedback from onscreen kids helps encourage viewer participation. In fact, some children may be inspired to call out answers to the questions posed.
There are a lot of new vocabulary words to learn and quite a few concepts to absorb, so the developers wisely added a couple of short reviews in which the narrator recaps the material just presented. Still, the video is most appropriate for grade-school age children — the pre-K crowd may not be able to follow along.
As the title suggests, the video talks to the audience in such a manner that kids learn what happened to them before they were born. A young viewer is told that this is "your story!" However, it is also useful for inquisitive children who are expecting a sibling. Siblings-to-be can take their newfound knowledge along with them on a trip to the hospital for Mommy's ultrasound. This way, they can attach more meaning to an event that may have been a little too abstract to understand without the insight they've acquired from You Are a Masterpiece.
Your own little masterpiece is likely to enjoy the program. You Are a Masterpiece may not be a video that receives a lot of repeat plays, but it is enjoyable and informative while it lasts.
