Explaining 9/11 to kids: Did Nickelodeon succeed?

As the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks draws near, the network attempts to clarify the harrowing details of the day in a way children will understand

A casual, orange sneaker-clad Linda Ellerbee hosts a news special on Nickelodeon to help explain the 9/11 attacks to kids.
(Image credit: YouTube)

In the opening segment of What Happened? The Story of September 11, 2001, a news special that aired on Nickelodeon Thursday night, viewers learn about the misconceptions children, especially those who were born after 2001, have about the events of 9/11. (Watch a video clip below.) One girl thinks there were 500 planes in the air. Another thinks the terrorists were Japanese. Another child believes the event never even happened. Linda Ellerbee, who has been hosting news specials for children for nearly two decades, believes that, as the tenth anniversary of 9/11 approaches, it's high time to educate children on what happened that day. "Ignorance is not bliss," she says. "Ignorance is dangerous." Did her special, which is bound to be re-aired, succeed?

This is the right approach: Ellerbee achieves the right tone, appearing "casual, like a trusted friend," says Maria Sciullo at The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. First-person accounts from those who experienced the tragedy are key for kids who've learned about 9/11 largely through overheard conversation. The special is aimed specifically at children, which explains its to-the-point brevity and simple, straightforward explanations. But "given the hysteria that exists even today in some quarters, it might not be a bad idea to make it required viewing for adults, too."

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