Smarty pants

Remember when I said that the kids were starting To recognize things that we had not taught them. My original conclusion still stands, it's the tv we choose to watch. I've come to notice some subtleties that make certain shows better than others.

My list of great shows is fairly short, Word World! What makes it exceptionally educational compared to others is that the way they teach in each episode does not change. This show is all about letters and learning to recognize how they fit into words. Anytime the characters focus on the letter of the episode they show the letter on screen along with saying it, sounding it out and showing how it combines with the rest of the word. This does not change in any single episode, with 2 skits per episode. My babes are getting the highest level of exposure to letters in a short 15 minute skit.

Other good shows are: Dora the Explorer, Go Diego Go!, Super Why, Blues Clues and Ni Hoa Kai Lan. These shows, while still very good educational shows use varying methods of teaching in each episode. I've noticed that my children retain less of the education from these shows and more of the repetitive portions, like the backpack song in Dora or how to skidoo in Blues clues. Those are not things that will help them in preschool. To make the most of these tv shows I have to reinforce the learning quickly after the episode has ended.

The ones we watch for fun are: Backyardigans and Wonder Pets. These shows really have no educational value except imaginative play which is still very important for young children. While in developmental psychology I was told by my professor that children reinforce the things they learn through imaginative play. I've seen evidence of this in my babes every time they make a picnic for Jeremiah and I from their play kitchen. Amie is cooking elaborate fake meals for us in an attempt to emulate what we do in our kitchen. Her meals may not be gourmet yet but she's on her way to one of many potential careers in her bright future!

Xoxo, A. Scott