Television and Your Toddler

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

18 Jul 2006 05:48 AM

When you have a toddler, you are faced with a lot of choices. So after you are done wrestling with the let them or not let them watch television, then you have to wrestle with what shows are good for toddlers or at least appropriate - and with the plethora of programming available out there - this can be a lot more difficult than just electing to put the television on PBS and calling it good.

Not that I am knocking PBS, I was weaned on Sesame Street and the Electric Company. While the former is still available, the latter sadly went off the air years ago. So here are my top picks for television programming that is ideal for your toddler and why.

Dora the Explorer

Dora the Explorer is a multi-lingual show that involves following directions, singing and following the clues and puzzles to get from one place to another. Dora is fun for little kids and older kids alike. My daughter used to bounce to the singing songs and the repetitive phrases. By the time she was 2, she would ask for a map to figure out where we were going and she wanted three key points that we would be passing if we were going anywhere.

Rolie Polie Olie

This show is a great one, it teaches values such as sharing and respect. It also emphasizes telling the truth and the consequences of not telling it. It's ideal for young toddlers because the show focuses on characters that are all about shapes - Rolie's family is all rounded while his neighbor and best friend Billy Bevel are all squares. There are lots of colors, movements and songs - it's engaging for infants, toddlers and older children.

Bear in the Big Blue House

My 9 month-old nephew loves this show and my daughter adored this one. I can still sing the songs of what's in the mail today and Goodbye, Goodbye, Good Friends Goodbye. Airing on the Disney channel - Bear in the Big Blue House is specifically geared towards toddlers and preschoolers. It teaches about values, including sharing and not judging others on their appearance. There are holiday specials, and even one that deals with homelessness and caring for others more than we care for ourselves.

The Wiggles

This show is like the modern day version of the Monkees, only for our children. It's a huge hit in Australia and Disney brings them to the United States to share their musical numbers, singing fun counting songs and learning fun in each and every show. Three of the four Wiggles themselves were preschool teachers and they engage your toddler to get up and get moving

Do you have a favorite show for your toddler?

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Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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L Robbins (18930) 18 Jul 2006 07:36 AM

We don't have any programming in our house. DS gets to watch about 45 minutes of TV a day while I do my chores every morning, and it's always a Baby Genius, a sign language video, or Baby Moves, which teaches dancing, music, and rhyming.

It's just a small collection of DVDs, but it works for us!

Heather Long (16954) 18 Jul 2006 09:36 AM

We used a lot of DVDs rather than the actual shows when they aired too -- in fact, the television I had set up didn't have any external access at all. Even as she got older, I still incredibly limit the television because commercials make me crazy.