Body of work
YouTube series covers puberty from many viewpoints
Every Body Curious
Streaming Shaftesbury Kids YouTube Channel
Thanks to the work of author Tarō Gomi, children around the world know that, yes, Everyone Poops. But do they know that everyone becomes a sexual being, too? The YouTube series Every Body Curious (previously Sex-Ed School) covers the biological nitty-gritty, as well as the emotional and psychological sides of puberty, with season 2 now streaming on the Shaftesbury Kids YouTube channel.
Episodes are bite-sized — about 15 minutes — and geared to children aged nine to 12. Educators Nadine Thornhill and Eva Bloom lead discussions with an informal classroom of kids, incorporating activities aimed to make even the most giggly, red-faced participant feel comfortable.
Thornhill spoke about the series and how parents can broach the subject of sexual development with kids.
Q Why the name change for season 2?
A When the creative team got together to start planning season 2, we spoke a lot about letting the kids' curiosity drive each episode. Kids want to know about sex, but they also want to understand the bodies they have, who they're becoming and the people in their lives.
Q What would you say are the three most important season 2 episodes for children to watch?
A I love all of our episodes, but if you're going to force me to pick three I'll go with Communication, Relationships and Gender Expression. Not only are they fun and funny episodes, all three explore experiences kids have to navigate on a near-daily basis.
Q How did you make sure kids would be comfortable watching the show?
A First of all, I have to shout out everyone involved in designing, building and dressing our set.
It's so vibrant. Everywhere you look there's something fun to see, read or touch. We made sure to incorporate as many games, activities and silly moments as possible. Learning about sex, bodies and the like is important — but we can also have fun doing it. When we work with the kids on the show, we do everything we can to help them feel comfortable. We let them know that they're allowed to share any thoughts or ask any questions they want. If something is funny, they can giggle. If they'd rather just sit and listen, that's OK too. If the kids on the show are comfortable and secure, it's my hope that the kids watching at home will be, too.
Q How can Every Body Curious supplement what kids are learning at home and school?
A Since the show takes place in a classroom, it can help them feel more comfortable having similar in-class discussions with their real-life peers. Teachers can easily use the episodes as a jumping-off point for a lesson or borrow some of our activities for their own students. Having conversations about sexuality at home helps kids better understand their bodies, their emotions, their identities and how to build relationships as they grow up.
Q What are a few tips for talking to kids about their bodies and sexuality?
A Take your time. Don't put pressure on yourself to teach your kid everything you think they need to know about sex in one or two conversations. Similarly, don't feel you need to binge the entire series. It's totally OK to start with one short conversation, or one quick episode. Take some time to digest the information and then explore more another day.