Chris' World Set To Educate But Above All Be Fun
By Robert Thomas
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnqzvFp9RrhMQuL0BS7IP6w
For many people their childhood television memories - depending on their age - might be The Uncle Bobby Show, Sesame Street, Romper Room or Dora where children are not only entertained but at the same time educated.
If you have fond memories of these or other similar shows there is a new local YouTube Show in the same tradition just starting to make its mark in the genre.
Called Chris’ World the educational and always entering YouTube show is the brainchild of locally well known self taught magician Chris Edwards better known as Magic By Chris.
“It’s a fun and educational program for kids to watch and parents don’t have to worry that it’s not safe,” Edwards told MJ Independent.
The 100 episodes Edwards is planning to film are designed for 2 - 11 year children but he said anyone is welcome to watch.
Edwards, who is well known for performing magic at parties ranging from toddlers right up to adults only, said he wanted to create something that had a local emphasis children and their parents could relate to.
The idea for Chris’ World was born out of opportunity and Edwards seeing the opportunity and running with it.
“I have a friend who makes puppets and he was having a big cleaning out sale at very good prices,” he said, adding “so I got a couple of puppets and started learning ventriloquism. Then I started incorporating them into the act,” he said.
The puppets were purchased by Edwards wanting to expand his paying party business but also a means to reach out to a larger audience and give back in a fun and educational way.
He says the puppets are along the style of the Muppets seen on Sesame Street and are of high quality.
The episodes are free to watch for anyone who would like to. And yes, Edwards is in costume and character as he appears in his Magic By Chris performances.
The inaugural episode is all about learning numbers and may be viewed below.
Although he has less than 100 subscribers at the present time Edwards said he expects that number to grow as cooler weather sets in and children are not outside enjoying the weather.
With episode one uploaded and being watched Edwards said he has drawn up plans for 100 episodes on the channel and depending how things work out when he goes to film what he envisions now as one episode may turn into two or three or more episodes.
At the present time he would like to produce and upload two to three episodes a week to the channel.
His second episode will be longer and teach children about the alphabet.
Future episodes will be geared to older children as he will teach mathematics through the use of flash card sets he has.
Edwards sees the channel as membership grows, growing into an interactive channel where local children can ask questions that would be answered by the puppets.
“They can pick a puppet and that puppet will do the teaching,” he said.
Other things he sees the channel having is the ability to - within the confines of privacy and safety - announce important events to the listeners such as birthdays.
Edwards said he has another YouTube channel dedicated for Magic By Chris that had sort of fell by the wayside over the two years of COVID - 19 and the related restrictions.
Although the puppets are part of Chris’ World they also will become part of his paid performances such as birthday parties where often the younger children do not understand the magic but will love the puppets.
“For the younger children they often don’t understand the magic. I can have shows that are thirty minutes of magic and thirty minutes of puppets.”
Edwards envisions the puppets as the stars of the new YouTube channel and they, through the educational element of the episodes, have a positive effect on children.
Other areas he envisions in the episodes will incorporate morals and manners to help children in their lives, he said. There will be sing along episodes, story time and much more.
The show could very well grow because at the present time not only is it the only show of its type in Moose Jaw but in Saskatchewan as well.
“It’s all about education and fun.”
