It has long been suggested that watching television has a negative impact on children’s attention spans. In September, 2011, a study from the University of Virginia demonstrated that quality children’s programs do not have this effect. In fact, children’s television can have many positive effects. It can simply entertain, or it can expose children to new culture, ideas and emotions. Cable and DirecTV offer parents choices in high quality children’s programs that can be educational, informative and socializing. Learn more at www.direct.tv about availability in your area.

One channel that is offered by DirecTV is Nick Jr. The channel’s claim to be “like preschool on TV” is not far from the truth. Award winning programming such as Blue’s Clues encourages children to interact and join in with the television. Another show featured on this channel, Max and Ruby, showcases healthy ways to solve disputes between precocious Ruby and her mischievous brother, Max, without the intervention of their parents, who are mysteriously absent from the series. The entire channel has a fun line-up of programming encouraging everything from mathematics, foreign language, social development and even physical fitness. Nick Jr. simplifies things by letting parents know what skills each program builds at the beginning of each show.

 

The Sprout channel offers programming developed by PBS Kids, which is best known for the critically acclaimed show, Sesame Street. This channel has a desire to provide children with “real life learning." It accomplishes this through its main focal points of being spontaneous, timely, and centered on children’s natural instincts of what is interesting and playful. Caillou is one program aired on Sprout that was also included in the study from the University of Virginia. Children watching Caillou showed increased abilities to solve problems and pay attention. Caillou offers a very realistic look at the life of a four-year-old boy with a vivid imagination. Encouraging and modeling imagination builds on later skills such as problem solving and can boost self-confidence.

 

Everyone has heard stories of children who have learned skills through television, from counting in Spanish to tying shoes. When quality programming aimed at educating children is presented in a calm, natural manner, there is no impairment on the child's ability to function. Rather, television is a tool that media savvy parent utilize to educate and socialize their children.