When you’ve been to the park, read a few books, played games and there are still several hours left in the day, watching television shows can be a great way for children to learn about the outside world and to experience new things. In our household, Sesame Street, VeggieTales, Caillou, Baby Einstein, and WordWorld are mom-approved and well liked by the kids.
Sesame Street has stood the test of time for a good reason. The program introduces children to letters, numbers, and lessons about growing up. As technology has changed and made most children’s televisions programs digital, mainstay puppets like Elmo and Grover make this show unique and fun to watch. The music and lessons featured on Sesame Street have proven memorable in our household. One day a few years ago, when I was sick, pregnant, and unable to do much of anything, my then fourteen-month old daughter repeatedly watched an Elmo’s World: All About Faces segment of Sesame Street. By the end of the day, she had three new words, “mouth,” “teeth,” and “eyes!”
WordWorld, a PBS show that teaches children how letters combine to make words, is not only visually interesting for children, it also introduces them to letters, spelling, and basic stories. After watching WordWorld in it’s regular time slot for a few weeks my daughter mastered the entire alphabet. We were then able to build on these skills by pointing out letters in words we read in books.
Caillou, another PBS television program, features the day-to-day activities of Caillou, a four year old boy. The story lines are simple and easy to understand. While we don’t watch this show every day, once in a while my two year old daughter enjoys seeing Caillou go about his regular, ordinary days. The show Caillou emphasizes that activities that may seem humdrum to adults can be really exciting and new to children, teaching that each new event is a learning experience.
Baby Einstein programs are also a hit in our household. Like most children, my thirteen-month old daughter loves animals. Baby Einstein shows like Wild Animal Safari and Animals Around Me introduce her to the amazing outside world of nature. On screen, she is able to see animals that can only be seen in far off lands and vastly different environments from her own. The variety of animals shown in these programs, combined with the calming classical music, create an atmosphere of peace and wonder in our household.
In addition to learning about nature, letters, numbers, and the hard work of growing up, VeggieTales programs are a staple in our viewing diet. VeggieTales programs are unique because they focus on teaching children Biblical stories and stories based on Christian principles. For parents that want their children to learn basic, faith-based morals, VeggieTales fits the bill. The silly songs featured in these stories also help to keep my two year old daughter’s attention.
Watching television should never take the place of children exploring the world hands-on, but it can be a great supplemental tool to teach children new concepts. Shows like Sesame Street, Caillou, WordWorld, Baby Einstein, and VeggieTales have all been helpful teaching tools in our household of preschool age children.