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Finding Appropriate TV Shows for Preschoolers?

As a parent you want your kids to have the right experiences and that goes for watching TV and DVDs. It's really tough sometimes to decide what's appropriate. What do you do and how can you know you're making the right viewing choices for your kids? It's not easy, but with a little effort, you can make a significant impact on your child's viewing.

How to Choose Appropriate TV shows for your Preschoolers or Kindergarteners:

  • Become an investigator. Most families have either cable or satellite TV with menus you can view to see what's on. It's time to do a little investigating and narrow down the channels that are age appropriate. Appropriate shows for kids ages 3-5 are typically shows that educate and entertain Examples are shows like Sesame Street, Barney, or Dora the Explorer. These shows are never outdated and you're kids will love them even if an episode was made 10 or 15 years ago. It is always a good idea to watch the shows and determine if you think it's appropriate for your kids.
  • Look For Educational Shows. Hhere are a lot of great kids shows that are clean, educational as well as entertaining. Public television always has great selections from which to choose. Beware of many cartoons that use bad language. Many of the older cartoons from the 70s and 80s use words like "hate," or "stupid " and/or can be filled with derogatory dialogue.
  • Keep an Eye on What They Are Watching. It might be difficult to monitor the TV shows and you might worry that your kids might change the channel and watch a show that's not appropriate.
  • Know what they're watching and let them watch those shows. You can also purchase a V-chip and set it appropriately for your preschooler. Record Shows You've Viewed and Approved and Let Them Watch Those Shows. Find the shows that you and your kids like and record them. Recording shows is a good way to control exactly what they're watching.
  • Go to the Library and Check Out DVDs Most modern libraries now have a great selection of young kids DVDs that you can check out for your children. Check them out, watch them and determine if it's appropriate for a preschooler to watch.