Quality Children's TV

Screen time gets a lot of bad press as it should. Please see the preceding article. Since almost everyone finds their way in front of a screen especially the TV screen what is watched should be quality. A reminder here adults need to monitor the total screen time for everyone especially the young- this includes computer, videos, video games/activities, text time, and movies.
If children are going to watch TV then look for some shows that are age appropriate and address and expose children to a variety of ideas that help in learning as children grow in age. There is some great quality out there for children including “Sesame Street”, “Between the Lions”, “Little Einstein” “Disney’s Club House”, “Special Agent Oso,” and “Sid the Science Kid”.
If you haven’t watched Sesame Street lately I want to applaud the Children’s Network. The Sesame Street of today is right up with the changes of society as well as preparing students for the National Core Curriculum. They are focusing on more than just the letter and number of the day. The show gives name (vocabulary) and introductions to some of the science and math concepts children will be studying as the child gets older. I saw the idea of air being invisible, one to one correspondence in counting, and the vocabulary sides and angles demonstrated with a triangle. This program has consistently through the years given great introductions to materials and vocabulary that children will encounter again and again. Researchers tell us that a student needs to be involved at least 18 times before a word or idea becomes part of the mindset. Their “Electric Company” is great for children interested in or struggling with reading and writing. It of course helps to support children learning English.
Disney Club House is also working on concepts like counting, conservation of materials (matter), even and odd, and fractions, matching, alike and different.
One of my favorite early reading and pre-reading shows is “Between the Lions”. It addresses so many ways to word attack including repetition, phonics, and working with word chunks (rhyming) as well as whole word recognition. One big underlying theme is transfer of knowledge. For example if this chunk “at” works in the word “bat” it also works in “cat” and “catch.” And if cat is read/spelled this way in this book, it is the same word on the bag in the store, or on a card, or wherever you see that combination (consistency). The characters and various segments are wonderfully varied and diverse.
I also want to mention Jim Henson Company’s “Sid the Science Kid”. This is one of my very favorite children’s shows. It is so appropriate and Grandma wears slacks, and dances, and knows and shares ideas and is definitely a positive character. Anyway there are so many things that are right about this program. The science themes and activities are age appropriate (preschool, kindergarten). The four young students go to a preschool and learn about bones with joints, dirt, animals, senses and all those things children are curious about. Each child is very different and that works well. The thing that impresses me the most is the science journal. At this young age the students draw and tell about their picture which relates to the theme/lesson. I love that the children are writing- yes picture writing in a little notebook. The children often play or act out something about what they have learned. It is “children” working and trying or singing-working and playing together. Sometimes when on the playground they use the old Rowen and Martin “Laugh in” shapes doors to open and ask a question which someone else answers about the day’s topic or tell a joke that only little ones can appreciate. Sid and his friends are joyful and full of energy and conversation involves children interacting and communicating with each other. The writers have caught the essences of children.
Appreciate the idea that many of the children’s shows do incorporate movement. As the significant adult get up with your child and move. Many concepts are understood best by doing and moving is something we all need.
The idea here is to choose carefully for your child since screen time should be kept at a minimum and realize quality is important. That means sit down and watch and interact with your child and use some of the vocabulary or help transfer. A child learns by what others model in real life and on the screen.