Latest news with #RuthAmos
The Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
From clever apps & free games to animal web cams & fun ways to get kids moving – how you can use screens for good
WITH the long summer ahead, parents may find themselves relying on screens more than they would like to keep the kids entertained. A recent survey found that a third of mums and dads will be using phones, tablets and TVs to fill up the six-week break. But this doesn't have to mean rotting your children's brains or exposing them to online dangers. If you choose carefully, there is plenty of content that can be enriching and engaging – and won't break the bank. Here's our pick of the best . . . OPEN THEIR MINDS WITH YOUTUBE THERE are dozens of great educational channels on YouTube. Using the YouTube Kids app, select the channels you want them to see and limit everything else. A great pick is MC Grammar, the rapper alter-ego of teacher Jacob Mitchell. His channel is full of rap versions of favourite books by authors such as David Walliams and Julia Donaldson, and he also raps the times tables. Or try Kids Invent Stuff, run by engineer and inventor Ruth Amos. Kids will have hours of fun in the garden with The Range's bargain buy - it also lights up, plays music & is on sale Children send in drawings of inventions, which Ruth and her team then have a go at making. So far they've made everything from doorbells that explode popcorn to a 6ft unicorn that poops jelly babies – combining science with a whole load of fun. 8 CBeebies presenter Maddie Moate' s channel is packed full of educational and entertaining content for all ages, including one about how astronauts poo in space and another all about exploding cucumbers. She also has a second channel, Let's Go Live, with co-host Greg Foot. It features easy science activities to do at home, using items bought from the supermarket, so kids can put their learning into practice. GET THEIR BODIES MOVING TOO SCREEN time isn't an excuse to be a couch potato, so check out Cosmic Kids Yoga, available as a YouTube channel and an app. Yoga instructor Jaime Amor helps them practise yoga moves to songs and stories, such as Room On The Broom or Moana. 8 Jaime also has a Peace Out series, which introduces mindfulness to children aged five and upwards – perfect for calming overactive rascals. SEE THE WORLD FROM THE SOFA YOU don't have to get on a plane this summer to see the world, thanks to innovative website The site features live webcams dotted all over the globe, ranging from an aquarium in Monterey Bay, California, and bird sanctuaries, to an elephant park in Tembe, South Africa. 8 They even have cameras located in a puppy play room and a kitten rescue centre. It's live, so you never know what will cross your screen – and if you're lucky you might see something super special. PLAY GAMES IF your kids are badgering you for expensive games or consoles, steer them to ones you're already paying for through streaming subscriptions. On Netflix, head to the main screen and click on the Games tab. Options, which include Sonic Mania Plus, can then be played using a smartphone as a controller. The games do not work with an Apple TV. Amazon Prime offers a selection of free games to download, usually available to play on your PC. The choice refreshes every month. And on Sky TV, head to the app to access a load of kid-friendly games that they can play on the telly. The range includes retro options such as Pac-Man and Tetris. PODCASTS THEY WILL LOVE… GOT a long car journey coming up? If so, it's time to download a podcast. Most of them are free on either Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 8 Try Bust Or Trust, which investigates some of Earth's most interesting mysteries, including supposedly haunted paintings, aliens and the truth behind Stonehenge. Younger kids will be entranced by Thomas & Friends Storytime, a weekly podcast with tales about the origins of the engines – and plenty of life lessons too. But kids of all ages will love Story Pirates. With help from comedians, songwriters and celebrity guests, the hosts bring to life stories that have been written by children. Recent episodes include an interview with a zombie expert and a Dungeons And Dragons special. It's an award-winning series with weekly episodes plus a huge back catalogue to enjoy. For budding history buffs, there's You're Dead To Me, where comedians and expert historians have funny chats which should keep the whole family engaged. Episodes have covered everything, from Arctic exploration to King Arthur. And at the end of a long day, Sleep Tight Stories has lots of child-friendly tales which promise to send your little ones off to sleep. …PODCASTS YOU'LL LOVE TOO IF you've got older kids, there's a wealth of podcasts that are aimed at adults but have lots to offer teens too. The Rest Is History is hosted by historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook, and they have a real knack for explaining history in simple terms. 8 Another great option is Stuff You Should Know, hosted by Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant. They are able to explain just about anything, from the origins of ketchup to what lurks in the catacombs of Paris. But if it's a simple laugh they're after, then the Off Menu podcast will serve up hours of entertainment. Comedians Ed Gamble and James Acaster interview celebrity guests all about food, asking them to pick their favourite starters, sides, mains and deserts. Recent episodes have included Marvel star Sebastian Stan and Star Wars' Daisy Ridley, as well as actor David Tennant. If you've got a teen who loves movies, a great option is Film Sack. Four hosts watch an old movie – one that's available on streaming services – and give it a playful review over the course of 90 minutes. This is best if you have older teens. The show is largely clean, though that will depend a little bit on the movie that's being 'sacked' (ripped apart). Recent episodes have included a look at Ocean's Twelve and The Goonies.
BBC News
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
YouTube at 20: Creators talk about the impact of the platform
In the 20 years since its creation, Youtube has grown from humble beginnings to billions of videos being watched every day - but can posting videos on the platform offer a viable career? We spoke to some of South Yorkshire's favourite creators about how the website changed their lives. 'Think about your skill' Ruth Amos from Sheffield runs Kids Invent Stuff. The channel has 71,000 followers and has been going since 2015. Primary school children send in their invention ideas and Ruth and her colleague Shawn bring them to life."There's lots of different ways that you can make money from YouTube, there's ads, sponsors, collaborators or you can have things like Patreon, where people support the work that you're doing. "Quite often, it you're a content creator you do a lot of those different ways, not just one of those things," she says."When I was growing up you couldn't watch someone's channel about robot making or cookery and that's what's amazing about YouTube – all of our hobbies have found a home on there as well as some of those viral moments."The channel has run collaborations with Channel 4 TV show Taskmaster and had a go at breaking Guinness World Records. According to Ofcom, more than 80% of three to 17-year-olds use the site. A survey by the Lego Group in 2019 suggested a third of young Britons and Americans wanted to be vloggers. However, there are more than 100 million channels on the site - some with only a handful of followers or video Ruth recommend the career to the children who send her their invention ideas? "I think it is a career anyone can do because if you're interested in creating content, and you're creative, it's actually something lots of people can have a go at," she says. "If someone wants to be a YouTuber I would also think about your other skills, because some of the most popular channels are channels where people are filming themselves doing something else. So think about your skill." 'Constant plate-spinning' Lee Hinchcliffe, from Barnsley, has been filming content for the platform since he was 15. He began with gaming videos before trying skit videos and then challenge channel took off when he started playing McDonald's Monopoly. He spent hundreds of pounds at the chain trying to win a £10,000 prize ticket. "I never won it, I lost a lot of money, but people saw that video," he says."I've always had the love of creating videos and entertaining all my life, so that's why I've gone at it since school."YouTube is my university and I got my degree there, because you can watch back everything I've done." Off the back of his channel, Lee became a TV presenter with CBBC, starring on screen alongside madcap puppet Hacker T Dog. He said his YouTube experience had made the switch to television much easier. "Instead of doing a screen test and auditions, it was like, 'we've seen your videos, here's your mic, here's your earpiece, off you pop'," he says."It's an obsession and it's grown into a career I'm able to do every day. There's no switch off because it's hard to switch off from something you love so much, and it needs constant plate spinning." 'Do something you love' Steve Garbutt, 55, runs Yorkshire Car Restoration in Doncaster with his son pair have been creating YouTube videos for the past five years and their business has says they had gone from a 1,000ft warehouse to 10,000ft - and from three or four cars to more than 40."You have to put many hours into YouTube, because you not only have to do the work, you've got to change camera and lighting, and you're doubling your work load. Then you've got to go home and edit all your footage," he says."I've always been a bit of a techy, I like my gadgets and things. My original training when I left school was in computers. And then at 21 I changed careers because I thought there was too many people doing it."They began on the platform by offering free car restoration to famous YouTubers such as Mat Armstrong, who has 4.5m followers."You've got to be very clever, you've got to look where the opportunities are. Rather than money it gives you a lot of opportunities. "Our first opportunities were to restore famous YouTubers' cars free of charge, in exchange we got them advertising for us and sending us people to watch."They have also worked with The Stig from Top Gear, Mike Brewer from Wheeler Dealers and Jonny Smith from The Late Brake they hoped the channel would make money but they soon found the support they received more rewarding."We get so many good comments it makes you want to make another video. Even if the financial reward isn't there, because unless you're someone like Mat Armstrong it's not as profitable as everybody thinks," Steve says."The amount of hours you put in doesn't warrant that kind of money, you should be paid more. But the reward is massive."I would encourage someone not to just do YouTube, to make sure they get a career and base their YouTube on something they love."Don't think your niche is going to explode and make you famous." Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
