Benefits of Television for Toddlers and Preschool Children

I don't believe ALL TV is bad. I've watched my 2 year old learn Spanish, the alphabet, colors, counting and more from television &/or videos. At a very young age she was able to communicate with us via sign language thanks to some signing videos. While I certainly don't condone sitting your child in front of the television all day, I do think you can follow the steps below to get the benefits of television for your toddler or preschool-aged child. I'll use the pronoun "she" below but obviously this applies to both boys and girls. I just find using he/she everytime interrupts the flow when you're reading it.

1. Be picky with the shows you allow her to watch. Choose only shows that teach good morals or have educational value.

2. Limit the amount of time she watches TV or videos per day. 1 hour is plenty of time to sit and soak in TV. That's not to say there are days when my daughter watches more than 1 hour but this is a good limit to try to stick to.

3. Choose videos that teach sign language. Our daughter was learning to sign by 6 or 8 months of age! She could tell us when she wanted more and when she was all done. It was helpful for us to understand her needs and also for her to avoid being frustrated. Babies know what they want and often can't tell us. Learning sign language is a great way to increase their vocabulary before they can even speak! Our favorite was Baby Signing Time. They have a website, www.babysigningtime.com.

4. Choose multi-cultural shows like Dora, Diego & Ni Hao Kai Lan for your child to learn a few words in a different language. Our daughter can both count and she knows her colors in Spanish and English. They also have great shows that teach the alphabet and shapes.