On Kids' TV, Get With the Program

It's the same with "Sesame Street." Many parents of infants figure that if the show's good for preschoolers, it's probably good for a 10-month-old, too. But that's not true, says Rosemarie Truglio, Sesame Street vice president for education and research. The show isn't designed to be comprehensible to children younger than 2.

When shows are designed to fit the cognitive demands of specific ages, children can certainly benefit. Studies from Yale University have shown that 2- and 3-year-olds who watched "Barney" gained more social and academic skills than children who didn't. Three-to 5-year-old children who watch "Blue's Clues" -- which includes lots of pointing and labeling and encourages children to shout out answers to questions -- have shown gains in tests of critical thinking skills over children who've never seen the show.

Parents don't necessarily need more strictly educational programming. Lots of us get tired of educational products that simply push phonics and alphabet recognition. We want videos that are fun and engaging -- and that meet children at their level. We want to know that our kids can make connections between what they see and the world around them. Just as we try to choose toys and books that match their stage of development, we want to be sure that the videos we pick will hit them in their sweet spot for inspiration, too.

Finding good programming for young children isn't just about public television. It's about looking for features such as repetition and routine that help a child remember the story and message. It's about avoiding programs with characters that kick, punch or push each other around, actions that young children will often imitate. It's about finding shows that don't dwell on conflict, fear or anxiety, and that give more than short shrift to finding answers or resolution.

In our household, that means we're holding off on most Disney videos until our two girls, 4 and 6, are out of kindergarten. Instead, we've relied, for example, on "Elmo's World" at age 2, "Dora the Explorer" at age 3 and "Pinky Dinky Doo" at 4. And though we don't always watch with our kids, we do sit down with them to try out new shows. "You thought what?" we'll say afterward. If a program was poorly designed, we're apt to get an "I dunno." But when one works, our daughters bubble forth with descriptions, get inspired to make new things or go play "pretend" versions of what they saw.

Video is a part of our children's lives, and I'm thankful for it. But as they grow up in a multimedia whirlwind, they'll need us to manage not only how much time they spend with TV and video but also what they watch. That means that parents, TV producers and educators alike are going to have to be aware of what our children will actually be absorbing when the screen lights up.

lisa@lisaguernsey.com

Lisa Guernsey is the author of "Into the Minds of Babes: How Screen Time Affects Children From Birth to Age Five."