Page 69 - Star Wars Insider #195
P. 69
STAR WARS KIDS
On Let’s Make Star Wars, kid exposition of a longer series, Star Star Wars saga. In By the Numbers,
hosts Sean and Marissa take the Wars Resistance helps to capture a super cut of moments and scenes
lead for fun and educational those imaginations and the thrill splices together everything from
craft tutorials infused with age- of living in the galaxy from the every creature in the films (90, and
appropriate jokes and puns. The relative safety of a community they’re all name-checked here) to
series, along with its sister program of neighbors cohabitating and every question Luke Skywalker asks
Let’s Draw Star Wars led by a team working together aboard a refueling (153 for the inquisitive Jedi). If you
of Industrial Light & Magic artists, platform. Focused on pilot-turned- can count it, chances are it will
puts the magic of making Star spy Kazuda Xiono and his high- get its own installment, including
Wars fi rmly in the hands of its flying friends aboard the Colossus, tracking Kaz’s screams and tumbles
youngest fans. “It’s the type of stuff the brightly colored animated show (230 total, although he yelps a lot
I love that we’re doing, especially delivers highly relatable characters more often than he falls down).
having my own kid who loves to and fast-paced starfi ghter racing, Star Wars Under Five Minutes
draw everything,” says Waugh, plus action and intrigue. Kaz may is more of a crash course for the
counting his young son among be a spy, but he’s still learning uninitiated. “Star Wars can appear
the fans. “I think every parent has the ropes and he can often be to be a daunting franchise,” Waugh
that dilemma of Sunday afternoon found bumbling through a well- admits, with nine Skywalker saga
where there’s been too much TV meaning ruse or tripping over his films, two standalone live-action
and you have to figure out what own feet. His friend Neeku takes movies, and hundreds of hours of
to do. It sparks their imagination everything literally, to a hilarious animation already out there. The
and also celebrates what they and sometimes disastrous effect. series is intended to be a welcoming
love.” Waugh hopes that fans entry point for all ages and anyone
discovering these how-to shows “t iS iS aN with a couple of minutes to spare.
will embrace how it helps teach the “For the parent or the kid who’s
oP oR uN tY
fundamentals and simple shapes just trying to get into Star Wars but
that make up the Star Wars galaxy, doesn’t know where to start, you
allowing even the youngest fans fO PrE tS tO can watch these and catch up with
to make Star Wars their own and everyone else, laugh along with it
bring it into their daily lives. It’s a iN rO uC STr and you’re in,” Waugh adds.
tangible and fun way to celebrate WA s T T eI “We want to be able to meet
the creativity that brought the kids where they are. It’s been very
fictional galaxy to life in the kI s nD fO special to be able to make this
first place, while supporting the stuff and then watch its impact,”
natural inclination toward drawing kI s o iS oV r Waugh says, especially sharing
and crafting that helps children STr aR .” the site with his young son. “He’s
understand their world. who I’m making them for as
For older viewers, Galactic much as everybody else, because
Builders pulls back the curtain even And they’re surrounded by sharply I think anybody who’s a fan of
further to explain how practical drawn characters who all have the franchise wants to share that
effects bring BB-8 to life along with their own unique perspectives— experience. This is an opportunity
other feats of Star Wars on-screen from Tam, mechanic-turned-First for parents to introduce Star Wars
engineering. The series shines a Order cadet, to Torra Doza the to their kids and for kids to discover
spotlight on real prop makers and precocious young racer, to Synara Star Wars and maybe introduce it to
toy builders as well as competitive San the mysterious pirate spy with their parents.”
kids who are rising stars in the a heart. The show is available on It’s a place of possibility, a blank
STEAM fi elds—science, technology, Disney Channel, Disney XD, and canvas for exploring the heart of
engineering, art, and mathematics. DisneyNOW, with Season One what makes Star Wars so great—
The series, made in conjunction also available on Disney+, and characters who feel as real and
with FIRST and Star Wars: Force for fans who want to know more familiar as your own friends and
for Change, acts as a guide for about how it connects to the saga family; the imagination behind
kids fascinated by Star Wars tech as a whole, Star Wars Kids offers a the strangest creatures, aliens,
and parents considering how that behind-the-scenes look, Bucket’s starships, and droids possible; and
predisposition might lead their List, with a short list of weekly fun an epic mythological underpinning
younglings to a future career path facts accompanying each episode. of good versus evil battling it out
or hobby. There are also shorts like Star in the gritty galaxy. Star Wars is
Wars By the Numbers and Star Wars for everyone. But Star Wars Kids
Joining the Resistance in Under Five Minutes, created is making the galaxy far, far away
For children and adults more by Lucasfilm’s online team to a whole lot more accessible to the
inclined toward the lengthier specifically offer a fresh take on the next generation of young fans.
STAR WARS INSIDER / 69

