Educational shows can be helpful for young children

  • By Emily Yahr The Washington Post
  • Friday, June 22, 2012 6:10pm
  • Life

Kids and TV: Talk about a lightning rod of a topic, especially in today’s era of countless channels and options.

For official guidelines, the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages children ages 2 and younger from watching television.

As for older kids, the AAP recommends no more than one to two hours of nonviolent educational programming per day, supervised by an adult.

We talked to Dimitri Christakis — a member of the executive committee of the AAP Council on Communications and Media and a director at Seattle Children’s Research Institute — about the best way for parents to utilize the small screen.

Q: Can TV actually be good for kids that young?

A: “I often say, ‘All television is educational,’” Christakis said. “The real question is: What is it teaching?”

For children in the 2-to-5 age range, certain shows can teach kindergarten readiness skills: patience, being kind to others, learning to share.

Kids love to imitate what they see, so as long as parents are selective and choose high-quality programs, they shouldn’t be too concerned about the “ill effects” of television.

And, Christakis says, it can have a positive impact.

Q: So what are some of these “high-quality” shows?

A: Christakis says he gets this question all the time but is hesitant to single out programs. “The 2-5, that’s really kind of the sweet spot of television for children,” he said.

“It’s an age range where there’s an enormous number of quality programs, more all the time.”

He encourages parents to do their research about what constitutes a high-quality show for their family because all children are different.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Snohomish County Dahlia Society members Doug Symonds and Alysia Obina on Monday, March 3, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
How to grow for show: 10 tips for prize-winning dahlias

Snohomish County Dahlia Society members share how they tend to their gardens for the best blooms.

What’s Up columnist Andrea Brown with a selection of black and white glossy promotional photos on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Free celeb photos! Dig into The Herald’s Hollywood time capsule

John Wayne, Travolta, Golden Girls and hundreds more B&W glossies are up for grabs at August pop-up.

The 2025 Audi A3 premium compact sedan (Provided by Audi).
2025 Audi A3 upgradesdesign and performance

The premium compact sedan looks sportier, acts that way, too.

Edmonds announces summer concert lineup

The Edmonds Arts Commission is hosting 20 shows from July 8 to Aug. 24, featuring a range of music styles from across the Puget Sound region.

Big Bend Photo Provided By Ford Media
2025 Ford Bronco Sport Big Bend Increases Off-Road Capability

Mountain Loop Highway Was No Match For Bronco

Cascadia College Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Midori Sakura looks in the surrounding trees for wildlife at the North Creek Wetlands on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Cascadia College ecology students teach about the importance of wetlands

To wrap up the term, students took family and friends on a guided tour of the North Creek wetlands.

Mustang Convertible Photo Provided By Ford Media Center
Ford’s 2024 Ford Mustang Convertible Revives The Past

Iconic Sports Car Re-Introduced To Wow Masses

Kim Crane talks about a handful of origami items on display inside her showroom on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Crease is the word: Origami fans flock to online paper store

Kim’s Crane in Snohomish has been supplying paper crafters with paper, books and kits since 1995.

The 2025 Nissan Murano midsize SUV has two rows of seats and a five-passenger capacity. (Photo provided by Nissan)
2025 Nissan Murano is a whole new machine

A total redesign introduces the fourth generation of this elegant midsize SUV.

A woman flips through a book at the Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Pop some tags at Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley

$20 buys an outfit, a unicycle — or a little Macklemore magic. Sales support the food bank.

The Mukilteo Boulevard Homer on Monday, May 12, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Homer Hedge’: A Simpsons meme takes root in Everett — D’oh!

Homer has been lurking in the bushes on West Mukilteo Boulevard since 2023. Stop by for a selfie.

Two visitors comb the beach at Kayak Point Regional County Park on Friday, June 14, 2024, in Tulalip, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Nate Nehring and WSU Beach Watchers to host beach cleanup at Kayak Point

Children and families are especially encouraged to attend the event at Kayak Point Regional County Park.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.