Noggin Vs. Sprout: Preschool TV Programming

My three-year-old daughter counts to ten in two languages, sings her alphabet, and knows her colors and shapes. She also knows Dora, Diego, Sagwa, Angelina Ballerina and a slue of other pre-school characters. It's the results of preschool TV programming.

My daughter watches both Noggin and Sprout, Two channels designed to entertain and educate preschoolers. But how do they really compare? Here's a head to head comparison.

Platform

Although both channels cater to the preschool audience and their caregivers, they do so in different ways.

Noggin is the only commercial-free educational channel, but only airs during the crucial learning hours of 6am-6pm (eastern time).

Sprout is the only 24 hour preschool programming; however, it does run advertising.

Objective

The both channels also have a slightly different mission.

Noggin's mission focuses on connected learning. Connected learning is the concept that "children make connections between essential curricular content and the world they know." Noggin approaches connected learning by using TV formats that are interactive; by repeating a learning situation while approaching it from slightly different angle; by providing learning that is contextual and grounded in research; and by taking multidisciplinary, curriculum-based material and making it applicable and demonstrable.

Sprout has very similar objectives providing connected learning experiences with gold-standard PBS classics like Sesame Street, while attempting to provide programming that will mirror daily preschool activities. Daytime programming is designed to get children up and moving while evening programming is designed to help calm them down, much like the structured play of preschools.

Programming

Noggin strives for an interactive approach and its programming delivers. Programming like Dora the Explorer, Go Diego Go, The Upside Down Show, Blues Clues, and Pinky Dinky Doo, encourage viewer participation in physical activity and cognitive problem solving.