Looking for a fun way to get kids learning about the election — without all the awfulness of what’s appearing on the news lately? One of our favorite kindie bands, The Not-Its, are out this week with Are You Listening, a very entertaining new video for kids about Washington D.C. and all that goes on there.
The way They Might Be Giants has been so great at taking on educational subjects without sounding like they’ve set textbooks to music, the The Not-Its are doing the same in their introduction to our nation’s capital.
Related: The best Schoolhouse Rock videos on YouTube
The rockin’ tune is quite catchy, and my kids had a blast watching the video, in which the band members dance through historic political snapshots, Zelig-style, of Presidents Johnson and Nixon (with Elvis no less), Martin Luther King Jr., the Supreme Court justices, the Capitol congressional gallery, the Washington Mall monuments, and more.
A favorite: The band peeking through the Presidential motorcade windows to watch Obama and Biden texting in the back seat.
The song kicks off with several verses about Washington D.C. and all the amazing monuments and cool attractions worth visiting. (Don’t miss the very funny line they sneak in about the CIA — though you might have to explain that one to the kids.) Then it gets into a bit about the House of Representatives, protesting, and “standing up for your rights” to make changes.
It’s certainly not in depth in any way, but I like that the video can be a way to engage kids who think politics are boring, and get them asking more questions. Hey, maybe it will even inspire your own children to find causes they care about and figure out how to make changes in Washington themselves.
We’re counting on you, next generation!
Find out more about The Not-Its from their website, and check out Washington D.C. and other tracks from their new album, Are You Listening? on Bandcamp.com.
