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Does everything we get for our kids have to be educational? I can’t think of a thing that isn’t marketed to parents without its educational value plastered prominently on the packaging.
The trouble is, there’s no hard evidence showing that any of the “educational” DVD’s, CD’s, computer games, or other media really affect young children in a significant way.
Vicky Rideout, vice president of the Kaiser Foundation, said in The New York Times:
The market is expanding rapidly, with all kinds of brand-new product lines for little kids. But the research hasn’t advanced much. There really isn’t any outcomes-based research on these kinds of products and their effects on young children, and there doesn’t seem to be any theoretical basis for saying that kids under 2 can learn from media.
For better or worse, computers and TV’s are a part of our everyday lives. I harbor no illusions that watching something or pushing a few keys is better than actually doing something concrete and real. That’s why we made our own Christmas cards this year instead of ordering boxes off the Internet.
I am a true believer in educating your child in any entertaining way possible. “Rainbow Dreams” book on DVD has that advantage of reading itself to your kids, if you’re too busy to sit with them. It also entertains everyone with adult friendly songs that move the story along and have good, valuable lessons to discuss with your kids. Kids just want to know they’re loved and sitting on the couch and watching an educational book on DVD that is musically driven is one way to share your time. http://www.rainbowdreamskid.com
Deb: You are so right about the wiggly default setting. If I were as much of a spaz as S, I’d be soooo exhausted all the time! As it is, taking care of the spaz is exhausting enough.
My middle child gets as much pleasure out of watching old Casper the Friendly Ghost cartoons as he does ‘educational’ Winnie the Pooh 1-2-3.
The tv loses hands-down if I’m making cookies or other treats in the kitchen though.
I think kids, if given the chance, prefer to be active and hands-on. That’s not to say they don’t enjoy sitting and using the computer or watching a show, because they do like that. Most of them are born with a default setting of “wiggly” though. hehe.
2336 days ago
[...] NB: I wrote more about the NYT article at Play Library. [...]