Toddlers: 24 Months+
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POLL: TV for Toddlers?
If you allow your DC to watch TV, how much do you let them watch? And what shows? What about children's movies?
We don't let DD watch very much TV at all (we usually turn it off after her two favorite shows), and the shows that she does watch are educational in their nature. Her favorites are Handy Manny and The Imagination Movers on Playhouse Disney. Shows that DH and I used to watch when we were kids (Reading Rainbow and Sesame Street, for example) she has absolutely ZERO interest in. Sometimes we turn on a children's/Disney movie for some background noise while she's playing during the day, but she rarely stops to watch...
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Re: POLL: TV for Toddlers?
My DD is the exact same way. Even when Handy Manny and Imagination Movers are on, she goes about her business, pulling every toy out of the toybox, and she only stops and watches when they sing a song that she likes to dance to. It's so cute.
My DD wasn't really interested in TV until more like 16 months.
She watches TV while she is in her highchair. I'm pregnant with #2 so things have been a little different since getting preg, I have been SO sick.
DD likes Mickey Mouse, Wonder Pets, and Pooh. Also maybe Little Einsteins and Dora.
I try not to leave the TV on too much but unfortunately DD has been a little neglected - there's not much I can do when I'm sick to my stomach or I am laying down trying not to throw up.
DD likes it when I put on music (I put it in the DVD player), she loves to dance etc. Doesn't even have to be a kids CD - my friend sent me a copy of her viola concert (classical) and DD loved it!
Nest Bio ~ ~ Baby Food Blog
ds watched Johnny and the Sprites for about 15 minutes in the morning while we are getting stuff together to get out the door.
Our daycare provider has the Wiggles on first thing in the am to keep the two babies occupied while she gets herself organized (about 20 minutes) and then she turns the tv off for the day.
Dh likes to watch spongebob with ds so they may watch that a couple of times a week and sometimes the tv is on in the background, usually music.
None are so much educational as just fun for him to watch. We are bad, bad parents
I let her watch 2 minutes once a week. And actually, it's just a You Tube video (classic Kermit and Piggy usually
. I only let her so I can get her nails cut.
The tv is never on while she's awake. Read too many studies. Even if it's just Jeopardy on in the background it's not all that great for babies.
We do listen to Kindermusik cds quite often, though.
DD didn't get interested in TV until we started watching videos of her at around 18 months. Before that she wouldn't ever look at the TV even if it was on while she was in the room.
Since we got sick of watching the same videos of her over and over and over again, we branched out to some Sprout TV on Demand. Usually just one show a few nights a week and maybe 1 or 2 on the weekends. She'll watch some Sesame Street, she loves Thomas & Friends, and we've watched a few episodes of Frances.
We try not to have the TV on in the background, and we usually only put it on if she requests "vid-yo" and we can't distract her with something else.
I tried to put a Disney movie on the last time she was sick, and she fell asleep within 5 minutes. We'll save the movies for when she has a longer attention span and until she's older.
Only thing dd cares to watch is Barney. I turn it on in the morning while I get ready and its anywhere from 10-30 minutes. And then in the evening if she is cranky and we have tried books, play, etc, we will turn it on for a 15 minute segment and she is usually happy with it.
I know this is a touchy subject and people can really tend to get on their high horses about it, but I think moderation is the best course with TV and kids.
My kids watch a little TV in the morning (I watch the Today show until I've seen the headlines, then switch to PBS.) We don't have cable, so our channels are limited anyway. My DD gets on the bus at 8, but my DS watches until I get the kitchen cleaned up and take a shower. Then the TV usually gets turned off until lunchtime. We watch Mr. Rogers and then it's time for him to go to school.
He likes most of the PBSkids shows you would expect a preschool kid to like. He likes SuperWhy and has been enjoying Sid The Science Kid, which I find to have great content, but to be seriously annoying. But, then, I'm not the intended audience for it!
Once in a while, if I'm doing a lot of cleaning, or have business phone calls to make, I'll let him pick a tape or DVD. We have lots of episodes of cable kids' shows on video. He likes Blues Clues, Thomas, and Little Einsteins. He would watch the Cars movie every day if I let him, and would love to be allowed to watch Star Wars, but we just let big sis watch it and she's eight!
He won't watch any show in which an episode has been unnerving or frightening. For instance, he used to love Curious George, but got scared by an episode in which a man tried to catch gophers in a farmer's field (the episode was a little freaky...) and now he won't watch any Curious George!
DD watches Noggin. We love Noggin! Once in awhile she'll be interested in one of my shows (like Jon and Kate + 8), but she rarely watches DH's ESPN now.
Ellie is 18 months and could not be less interested in television. There were days during this pregnancy that I wished she would just sit and watch tv but she wouldn't do it. I keep her pretty busy and interact with her quite often so that's probably more exciting to her.
When baby #2 comes and I don't have quite as much time, she may turn to tv...nothing excessive but if she finds a show she likes, I'll let her watch.
My ds will sit and watch certain shows, like Handy Manny, Little Einsteins, Lazytown and Jack's Big Music Show. But that is only on the weekends.. if he wakes a bit too early.
We tend to keep the tv on for background noise, espeically if my dh is working at night, but ds does not pay attention to it.
Although I will say, there have been times when he has stopped and watched about 10 minutes of the history channel or the speed network with my dh.
He loves, loves, loves Sesame Street and that seems to be the only show he is interested in watching. I turn it on while I make dinner, but he doesn't sit and watch TV. He will play and climb all over everything and then stop and dance when music comes on. He will watch the Elmo's World segment.
We do have the TV on for us at other times, but he shows very little interest unless there is music for him to dance.