Which educational videos are best for babies and toddlers?

Question

My daughter watches a lot of Baby Einstein. Are there any other videos I can show her that are positive and educational? Or is BE the best?

Answer 1

PBS has a lot of shows your daughter will like. Seasme Street is always a good one.

Answer 2

I will speak from personal experience. Kids under 2 years do not need ANY television. People thought I was crazy for not letting my daughter watch TV or "eductaional" movies and so on. Those that happen in real time like the ones you mentioned are okay after two. My daughter is nearly 3 and she watches all those programs you mentioned and loves them. But before she was two, I did puppet shows, colored with her, read to her and so on. She can write her own name, read some books to other kids (mostly from memory mind you), write some of her alphabet, use sign language, speak a few words in Spanish and Chinese (greetings, colors, numbers and whatever else I happen to know), and she can do things that kids a couple years older than her can not do (even in the motor skills area), she loves to paint and sing and dance and draw. Now, am I super mom? NO, absolutely not and is she a genius? I doubt it. Her attention span is AWESOME, people stop me all the time to talk to me about it and ask me what I do. I can take her anywhere and she is mindful and courteous and polite. ALL KIDS can learn these things, but it's MUCH easier to teach them when they are able to focus. Kids that watch TV before two have a greater tendency for ADHD and other behavioral problems. It's not that the content is bad or it's not educational (though some things on TV are awful and commercials - well, that's a whole different thing I could go on and on about) ... it's the quickness of movement and color and the stimulation. So while the brain is wiring itself for those first two years and they watch that stimulation - they need real life to match it. That is not going to work out. So, please, don't misunderstand - there IS a place for television shows and movies and learning DVD's - but not until 2 years old. And even then, in moderation... no more than and hour or two at max, a day. A side note - my sister has two children - one is 8 and she takes meds for ADHD (she watched "educational" things from like birth on), and the other is 2 and he is really hard to keep up with and has NO attention span. He too watched Barney and Diego and so on. A friend of mine let her daughter watch Baby Einstein and Dora and Blues Clues and she had night terrors and her Pediatrician specifically said - no TV at night and she shouldn't have been watching it until 2 anyway. My Ped was THRILLED that I didn't let mine watch it. So, as I said, from PERSONAL experience... I advise against any form of TV or Movie "entertainment" or "learning" until children are two years old. I have seen the benefits of it and it's AMAZING! Be Blessed!

Answer 3

Doctors recommend NO TV till at least two yrs old. TV before then only teaches kids to focus straight ahead and tune out the 'stuff' going on around them. (as a teacher, I can pick kids who watch tv from an early age. even the 'smart' kids have difficulties in class). TV at an early age will affect a child's attention. here is a link below on the negative along with the positive affects of TV viewing. (from the academy of pediatrics)

Answer 4

Your local public library would have a selection of appropraite videos. As an ECE, I believe that children benefit far more from play. As a parent I know how tempting it can be to plop them in front of the TV, and sometimes thats all we can do in order to get dinner prepared, but whenever possible, look at books with your child, sit and play, take them for walks outdoors, and you will find they will gain a whole lot more from the interaction than from any video.

Answer 5

Babies and toddlers shouldn't be watching television this early. Even when children enter pre-school, they should be watching no more than 30 minutes of TV each day.

Answer 6

Ideally, children of this age shouldn't be watching tv at all! Our society is starting the trend of plopping the kids in front of the boob tube at earlier and earlier ages. Your child will get so much more out of one to one activities with you than anything out there on video. Read to her daily, expose her to classical and ethnic music, and get down to her level on the floor. Engage her in sensory activities appropiate for her age: massage, rice/water play, etc.

Parents are their child's first and most important teachers. Videos can't replace the bonding and development that comes from intensive interractions and new experiences.

Answer 7

I think it best if we avoid videos for babies and toddlers. instead engage them more in more interactive and participative activities like group song, play, story telling, etc. that would help in engaging all the faculties of kids and they would have better learning experience

Answer 8

The happiest toddle on the block series and baby einstien are both good, we also like Barney and sesame street! (expect for mr. noodle he's retarded)! Dora and Diego are both good ones too! The playhouse disney shows are just empty entertainment!!

Answer 9

You can show her the Wiggles Video's. They're interactive, meaning she can dance along to them and also educational. You could also show her Elmo Video's, but they kind've get annoying after awhile. Also, you could show her T.V. shows on PBS kids. They're educational, too.

Answer 10

sesame street is very fun to watch and educational. they teach many diff things from emotions to diff languages. not sure if on dvd yet though.