Children's shows on TV - most educational?

[tammyw]

I let my daughter watch only one 30 minute recorded show per day. We find that she gets aggressive when we let her watch more, so we really have to limit it. She is 3.5 btw.

But I'm wondering which are the best shows to have available for her? Since it's only one per day, I want her to get the most educational yet still entertaining shows.

Currently some of the shows I have set on our DVR are, which I know are not necessarily educational are:

- Little Einsteins
- Dora
- Diego
- Little Bear
- Charlie and Lola

Any suggestions for the most educational shows on tv? We have all the channels including noggin.

[coleslaw]

It sounds like you are going for the cartoony-type shows, but my vote is Mister Roger's Neighborhood. The man was unbelieveable! My dd and I watch together almost every day and discuss the topics with dh when he gets home.

FYI - there is now a CD called Songs From the Neightborhood with some of his songs sung by vaious famous artists in all different styles of music - Jon Secata, Amy Grant, Donna Summers and more. It's so great!

[~*SugarMama*~]

Personally, I find Dora and Deigo to be pretty educational. As long as you are enforcing what they are watching, just about anything can be a learning experience.

From Dora, both my two children have picked up some rudimentary spanish. Since both love animals, Diego has shown them bits and pieces to spark their interest in learning more about different breeds (hence, my DD's fascination with the banded armidillo right now)

[bjorker]

We have very few channels on TV to choose from, which for children's programming basically leaves PBS. I do like Mr Rogers Neighbourhood as well, but judging by what I've seen (which is very little) I'd go with "It's A Big World" (I think that's what it's called). Again, I've watched very little children's programming, I've never even seen Dora - but this one impresses me, and I love their songs. I can't say that about any other show I've seen. It seems to teach being open-minded and exploratory, and I really dig that.

[lisalou]

DH is a musician so we really dig Jack's Big Music Show. She learns about different types of music and instruments as well.

Personally Dora is like nails on a chalkboard to me.

I like Little Bear but I don't know how educational it really is.

Backyardigans I find interesting as well. There's music, encouragement of imagination, and exploring different interests.

Overall though I would argue none of it is education unless you are watching it with her and are turning it from a passive exercise to an active one. Otherwise, just find one that one that you like and she likes. Given that your child gets too wound up after more than 30 min personally I'd probably avoid TV altogether. And I'm not anti-TV by any stretch.

[mata]

I would say Little Einsteins and Backyardigans.