While the doll was, of course, a hit, and we completed some other enjoyable activities, we were surprised to find that one of our favorite India resources was this pair of videos from Master Communications.

Families of India

The Families of the World series currently has 20 titles available (that is, 20 different countries).  Families of India showcases two different Indian families: one from the city and one from a farm.  The stories are narrated by the children in the highlighted families, and tell about their everyday lives.  We see what their homes look like, who they live with, where they go to school, what they eat, where their water comes from, etc.

This is a great way to get a detailed look at life in India, although we didn’t find it quite as compelling as the other video.  I think, too, that the families in this particular video are financially more well-to-do than the majority of Indian families.  I’m not sure that was made very clear.  We do actually get to see inside their rooms, watch them cook and eat, and complete other activities, though, so we see a lot of detail.

Going to School in India

Going to School in India was truly fascinating!  There are nine different “videos” on this DVD, each portraying a different school in a different part of India.  The sections include: Going to School in the Lake, Going to School on a Bus, Going to School in a Mud Desert, Going to School on a Boat, Going to School on a Mountaintop, Going to School in a Tribe, Going to School in the Dark, Going to School on Wheels, and Going to School in a Monastery.   It is really amazing to see how the various schools are adapted to their local climates and lifestyles!  For instance, the school on the lake focuses a lot on the flora and fauna of the lake itself.

Like Families of India, this DVD is narrated by the children showcased in each section.  We see many of their homes, watch them travel to school, and learn a little bit about what they study there.  It’s a great way to see the differences and similarities between people living in different regions of the country.  Also, many of these children are probably more representative of the general wealth level of India’s residents.

This was really fun and enlightening, and I hope my children choose to study a country next year that one of these videos is available for!

Disclosure: These videos were provided by the publisher to facilitate my review.  As always, all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.