Web Design for Kids (... and Curious Grown-ups!)

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This DVD is an introduction, the basics you need to learn, if you want to design your own web page. The instruction is easy to understand for kids of all ages, recommended for ages 8 and up, and especially less knowledgeable adults... like me!!

Brian, the instructor on the DVD made it so simple and nonthreatening. Have you, or your kids, had the desire to make a web page on your own, to begin learning HTML, and looked for online free resources or books from your library and come away with huge amounts of confusing information or books almost as big as the telephone book, and been more discouraged and perplexed than when you started?

Brian and his student helpers will take you step by step through the beginning code. You will not just have a lesson; but a lesson you can see, hear and copy as you go along. I am a visual learner and this DVD is just like a tutorial, only better. They take you step by step and introduce the code you need little by little.

The best way to view this is on a computer or t.v. with another computer or laptop open to Windows so you can not just listen but do each step in the lesson as you go along. Here is a quote from the website that sums up my feelings.

"The final major barrier had something to do with the "gobedygook" terminology of HTML. I found out that this is probably the main thing that scares away a lot of grown-ups, let alone kids, from learning HTML. The solution was to replace several bits of terminology with Sesame Street language, so that anybody could understand!"

The DVD is approximately 1 hour and 22 minutes long and consists of seven chapters. Some of the subjects covered in the DVD are:

• Coloring the Background and Letters
• Making Letters Move Across the Screen
• Designer Backgrounds
• Changing Fonts
• Adding Pictures

One of the best things about this program is that you can build a pretty cool website with only Notepad, Paint, and a couple websites from the Internet. You need nothing but the DVD and things already loaded on your computer.

How we used this:
My son Nathan (15yo) and I put the DVD in my husband's laptop and he sat at my desk with my computer open to Windows, ready to go. We were not sure how it would go but Nathan was ahead of Brian and the kids for most of the basic code in the first chapter of the DVD. In the coloring backgrounds section Nathan pulled up a website, on his own, that he knew about that had the possible colors, with their codes, that can be used on websites. I did not know he knew about that or knew where to find it. One thing Nathan did not know about was the marquee. Making words scroll across a website. He thought that was really cool and got really excited about that part.

Nathan and I did the whole DVD in one sitting. Since Nathan did not need the introductory part about making folders and saving stuff in them it was only about an hour long and did not seem even that long. Ever since he watched that DVD he has been working on a detailed website of his own. He also made a one page website for me to upload and link to here. He wants me to tell you this is not how his final website will look this was just a quick page for me to show on this post. http://pfamily.webs.com/myfavcreations.html

My son Chrstopher (12 yo) did not want to be in on the review of this product...

Until...
he saw the fun Nathan was having!!!

"What are you guys working on?", Christopher asked.
"That Web Design DVD that you did not want to do," I replied.
"Hey that looks cool. I want to try it now."

So, Christopher and I worked on the DVD yesterday. He had as much fun as Nathan, maybe more, because he had less background to start off. He also already knows about making and saving to folders so we did not have to review that part of the DVD.

Christopher also got really excited about the marquee effect especially making it bounce back and forth and go up or down. Brian also makes the kids mess the code up on purpose so they can see what effect mistakes in the code have on the web pages. Christopher loved some of these mess ups!! Having the kids mess up the code on purpose really emphasizes the importance of every letter and symbol in the code and what to watch out for if your code does not work the way it is supposed to.

I am also working on a web page myself. I have had a lot of fun with it over the past day or so. Keep your eyes on my blog for an update about that sometime in September. I want it to be just right!!!

We loved Brian's DVD and plan to buy Volume 2 when it comes out later this year.

Out of 5 stars we give Web Design for Kids...




If you have more questions there is a whole page for FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) here. Including a small clip from the DVD that you can view.

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If you would like to read other reviews on this wonderful product by my Crew Mates go to this link: TOS Homeschool Crew - Web Design for Kids

and visit my blog again soon,

Debbie