Sunday, April 17, 2016

Top Netflix Shows for Educating Young Children

Not all TV shows are created equal. When it comes to letting my son have some screen time, I do try to be selective. So in that spirit, let me share the shows that both my preschooler and I can agree on.






1.  Bo on the Go: This show is just so neat!  The premise is that the main character, Bo, gets energy when the viewer participates in activities with her. These activities include things like running, jumping, and stretching. As an added bonus, viewers are asked to clear their "Bo Zone" (exercise area) of toys before beginning the show. What a cool idea to get kids moving! The addition of getting kids to clean up is just genius, too.

2.  Mother Goose Club: This one appeals more to my son's singing and dancing side. It's a combination of real people acting out Mother Goose rhymes and cartoons doing the same.  A little hint to make it more educational: Turn on the subtitles. Then you can read the songs and sing along. 

3.  Word World: This show is a neat mixture of visuals and words. All the animals are made of the word that spells their name. For example, the bear is literally made of the letters b-e-a-r, creatively stretched into the shape of a talking bear.  It teaches words and letters. 

4.  Super Why: The "Super Readers" in this show solve social problems, like not wanting to share, by reading fairy tales and fables. The characters apply the lessons from the stories to their situation and search for "super letters" to find an answer to their question/problem along the way. The super letters spell the answer. The show teaches letter, word, and sentence recognition.  

5.  Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood:  If you loved Mr. Roger's neighborhood as a kid, then you'll enjoy watching Daniel with your kids. It teaches the same social/ behavioral lessons, but from cartoon Daniel's perspective. I love discussing how the characters are feeling and what they should do to solve their problems with my son as we watch together. 

What are your go-to shows to teach educational and social lessons to preschoolers?  I'd love to get done more ideas for my Netflix que!



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