OK The world is obviously not divided into GOOD shows and BAD shows for little kids. But I do think there are some toddler shows that are more beneficial than others.
Disclaimer: I am not a scientific researcher or psychologist. But I HAVE had 6 years of watching the effects of various screen time on my 3 different toddlers as they’ve grown.
I’ve condensed my thoughts into a Toddler Show Barometer of sorts, or 4 questions you can ask yourself to figure out the best kind of show for your little one.
OK HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS!
1. Do my children play creatively immediately afterwards?
This can be the sign of a great TV show for my kids. When a show is overly addictive and mind-numbing it leaves my kids excessively whiny when it ends. However, there are other shows that elicit only mild whining upon conclusion, followed promptly by creative imaginary play!
It’s like the content of the show has inspired them to go see what they can create or discover or replicate in THEIR world. I love when that happens!! I mean, usually. Sometimes Curious George inspires some pretty messy endeavors in our household. 😉
2. Is the show free of put-downs and rude insults?
I feel like it’s really easy to make a show with a typical bully or mean villain…but there are much more creative shows out there that don’t rely on this low-hanging trope! When there’s a decent amount of insults in a kids show– even if it’s the villain saying them– I slowly see those words and actions creep into my kids’ interactions with each other and others in the family. Not my favorite.
It doesn’t mean a show needs to be free of conflict– in fact that’s pretty important to the arc of any compelling story. It just means the conflict feels a little more organic and isn’t overly cruel or dramatic just for the sake of it. Conflict can lead to great team-building and problem solving instead of name-calling and blaming.
For example: the Octonauts working together to saving the ocean creatures VS. PJ Masks fighting off a name-calling Romeo.
3. Does the show have slower pacing?
What we’re looking for here is more slow scenes than intense flashy movement. It’s more low-hanging fruit to rely on big dramatic scene transitions to grab a kids’ attention every 20 seconds.
Kids can actually be fully engrossed in a slower story that is well-told and centered around their own life experiences! It makes it much more difficult to turn off a fast-paced show as well.
To compare this with dogs, it’s the gentle rythym and sounds of Bluey & family compared with the action-packed zooming of Paw Patrol. (just to illustrate this concept– I’m not super against Paw Patrol generally).
4. Are my kids learning anything while they watch this show?
I know to some extent kids are ALWAYS learning about the way the world works when exposed to a show of any kind. However, I can certainly tell the difference between a show that is cranking out episodes mindlessly versus thoughtfully curated content and scripts intended to educate their audience.
I’m not expecting every kid show to explicitly (or even implicitly) teach the letters of the alphabet and the names of shapes and colors. I’ve been impressed at the variety of kids shows out there today, and all of the various skills my kids have learned from them! I’m talking about emotional skills, interpersonal skills, cause and effect, animals, world geography and cultures, and so much more.
To bring us full-circle back to #1, I LOVE when a show inspires my kids to go check out a non-fiction book at the library in order to learn even more. Or any book. 🙂
And sometimes your kids like a show that isn’t particularly educational or mind-expanding and honestly that’s OK too. 🙂 Sanity for mom (or dad or whoever) is a great reason to put on a show for a little bit.
Let’s hear from you!
What are your favorite shows for your toddlers and preschoolers? What do you love about them?
Let me know in the comments below!
Cover Image by Victoria_Watercolor from Pixabay
Looking for more entertainment for kids?
Check out some of these other related posts:
ENTERTAIN YOUR KIDS WITH MINIMAL EFFORT (FOR TIRED MOMS)
UPDATED! 5 DELIGHTFUL PODCASTS FOR CHILDREN (THAT I LOVE TOO!)
3 thoughts on “How to Know if a Toddler/Preschooler Show is “Good””