Little Laureate
| Industry | Educational multimedia |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Lake Orion, Michigan, United States |
| Website | http://www.littlelaureate.com/ |
Little Laureate is an American company that produces developmental, multimedia products for small children and their caregivers. It was founded in 2001 by Heather Maclean and Monica Gibson.[1][2]
Premise
Little Laureate's first products were DVD programs that promote world culture, conservation and creativity using great works of art, architecture and animals with fully scored classical music and world music. The series features animation, live footage, and a process the company has dubbed "Symphonic Art Animation," wherein onscreen visuals are animated in time to classical music. The series is hosted by an animated star named "Star."[3][4]
Little Laureate products suggest they are meant to be watched with an adult, and provide adult-only special features to promote that concept. Every piece of art onscreen is identified by a caption, like music videos, that cite the name of the work and its artist. The DVD includes an onscreen written guide called "The Crawl" that resembles VH1's Pop-up Video, and is designed to give information, inspiration and humor to adult viewers.[5] Special DVD and CD gift sets also include a 24-page parent booklet.[6]
Baby Video Debate
Little Laureate has largely avoided the babies-and-television debate encountered by competitors Baby Einstein and Classical Baby because it uses only art to teach instead of puppets or toys, and frequently cites a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report that early art exposure helps children learn academic and life skills.[7]
Titles
- My World Gallery
- My World Adventure
- My World Colors
- My World Safari
- For the Love of Art (re-issued as "My World Gallery")
- For the Love of World Travel (re-issued as "My World Adventure")
Awards
- "Best Video Series of All Time," Parents magazine[8]
- "Video of the Year," Parenting magazine[9]
- "Gold Award," National Association of Parenting Publications[10]
- "Media of the Year," Creative Child magazine, November 2007
- "Top 10 Best Audio Products," Dr. Toy[11]
- "Top 100 Best Products," Dr. Toy[12]
Firsts
- Little Laureate is the first toddler home media product optimized for high-definition television.
- Little Laureate is the first children's series to license a song from the African Children's Choir; "Bolingo" appears on My World Safari.
Distribution
Little Laureate products are distributed in the United States, Canada, Korea and Hong Kong.
References
- ↑ Little Laureate, Internet Movie Database
- ↑ Heather Maclean, Internet Movie Database
- ↑ "For the Aspiring Little Laureate in Your Life," Opinionated Parent, December 13, 2007
- ↑ "Learning for Your Little One" Mom's Favorite Stuff, January 9, 2008
- ↑ "Little Laureate Eats Baby Einstein for Breakfast," Z Recommends, July 9, 2008
- ↑ "Little Laureate: Love at First Sight" Swanky Moms, February 4, 2008
- ↑ U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report
- ↑ "Best Video Series of All Time for Small Children," Parents magazine, June 2004, page 63
- ↑ "Video of the Year," Parenting magazine, February 2004, page 146
- ↑ NAPPA Gold Award Winners
- ↑ Dr. Toy Top 10 Best Audio Products
- ↑ Dr. Toy Top 100 Best Products