Advantages of TV for Kids

Where kids are related, TV and movies on a large scale are taken by parents as something which can spoil kids and can ruin their education, but with healthy viewing habits and parental supervision, limited “watching time” can become a positive experience for children. Television actually has an incredible potential to impart education to children and that too in a stunning impressive manner not like they are being given the schools. While children are given formal education in schools, the knowledge obtained from watching television is impossible or at least very difficult to acquire through other mediums.

Here are some ways children can benefit from watching TV and movies:

TV can help kids learn about a variety of subjects: If there’s a subject your child enjoys, more likely than not, there is a TV show, movie or educational DVD that explores the subject in detail with great animation, melodious and impressive voice over, and sometimes narrating whole history, habitation, feeding habits or any other related facts which kids watch and learn with utmost interest. You might be even surprised to find out that a lot of kids watch and love educational shows aimed at adults. Children’s shows broadcasted on TV from time to time, whether they name themselves as “educational” or not, but they may offer opportunities to spark interest in learning among the kids. For instance, was your child wowed by seeing the Hippopotamus or a penguin in a documentary shown on Animal Planet Channel or in one of the Discovery Channel Documentaries? If yes, he has inner urge to know more about the hippopotamus or penguins and their lives for which he went online to look at pictures and read about the Hippopotamus. In this way, kids establish a habit of finding out more when things interest them.

Through TV, kids can explore places, animals, or things that they couldn’t see otherwise: Most kids are not able to visit the rain forest, Zoo to see a tiger, elephant, lion or giraffe in the wild, but many have seen these animals on TV. Thankfully, education minded producers have given us many shows and movies that allow viewers to see wonderful recording of nature, animals, marine life, society, and other peoples. Kids and adults alike can learn from this type of media and gain a greater appreciation for our world and the animals and other people who inhabit it. The documentaries or serials aired on TV leave a longer lasting impression on the kid’s brain and they recall it as and when needed. For instance, there are programs about travel and tourism, which give information about various countries, people and places, cultures and communities around the world. The videos, pictures, commentary and music which accompany the shows generate an effect which is difficult to obtain by simply reading a book or listening to someone’s lecture. There are various programs that deal with scientific issues, by using effective techniques such as magnification, slow motion video, time lapse photography, computerized models and animation etc. These techniques are used to demonstrate a particular issue, which makes learning an exciting experience for kids.

TV shows can inspire kids to try new activities and engage in "unplugged" learning: When kids see their favorite characters engaged in fun learning games, they want to play those games too. Preschoolers’ shows broadcasted on television are particularly effective for generating ideas for learning activities and using characters to motivate kids. If you have a child who loves Dora the Explorer, for example, you can create clues and a riddle for them to solve at home, or challenge your child to create the riddle and clues. Or, turn a regular activity into a challenge and encourage your child to solve it like the Dora the Explorer do in her shows. And your kids will love doing this.
TV and movies can motivate kids to read books: Of the new movies that are released each year, you can bet that several of them are based on books. For example, a lot of harry potter movies which kids do love to watch are based on the books written by J.K. Rowling. Parents can challenge kids to read a book with the promise of going to the theater or renting the movie when they finish it. Or, kids may see a movie and like it so much that they decide to read the book. Later on parents can discuss the differences between the book and the movie to help kids develop thinking skills.

Kids can build analytical skills by discussing media: What do you think will happen next? Who did it? What will be the outcome? What could that character have done instead? Asking these types of questions as you co-view with your children will help them learn to think, develop problem solving skills, and predict on few events, making TV viewing a more active learning experience. More significantly than just memorizing facts, developing thinking skills will help them for the rest of their lives. Also, remember those compare/contrast tests in school? Parents can help prepare their children for this type of literary thinking by discussing programs with them. Compare and distinguish characters or shows. Who is the main character? Describe the plot. Explain what was the setting and main idea? What was the issue and how was it resolved? Use TV time to help children practice for all those essay tests, group discussions, debate competitions, and they might find that talking about this stuff can be interesting and fun!

Parents can use TV to help kids learn the truth about advertising: Advertising may be annoying in between the shows which children love to watch, but it presents yet another opportunity to develop children’s thinking and analyzing skills. Young kids may not even know the difference between programs and commercials. They are just watching it all and implementing it to their reality. But being a parent, you can explain the aim of advertising to your children and alert them to any delusory tactics used through the advertisements to sell their products.

Good role models and examples on TV can positively act upon kids: Children are very much influenced by people they see on television like the Shaktiman serial have a greater influence on the kids and many of the kids started trying to whirl and fly like Shaktiman, similarly nowadays kids are very much influenced by the cartoon characters, especially naughty kids, are very much influenced by cartoon character Shin Chan. Parents do complain that their kids are copying Shin-chan's occasionally weird, unnatural and inappropriate use of language, as well as  his inappropriate behavior. Obviously, this can have a negative result, but it can be positive too, like you can ask your kids just to see how Shin Chan is a spoilt brat and being a good boy or girl they should not copy him while behaving or talking with their friends and elders. Lately, kids' TV shows have begun promoting some positive agendas in cartoon shows like Chhota Bheem, such as healthy living and environmental awareness etc. As kids see their favorite characters making positive choices, they will be influenced in an excellent positive way. Through these cartoon shows you can also point out positive traits that characters display to your child and thereby you can make your kid a little bit responsible, sensible, and intelligent and a positive thinker.

Imagination: Children have very good imaginative power and a part of their imagination comes from watching television. After the kids watch anything on TV, they go out and redo it in play. Parents can allow their children to watch those shows that allow the kids to stretch their imaginations.

Awareness: Some people think that they shouldn't allow their children to watch news, because there are lots of bad things that go on in the world. That can't be opposed. But for the complete growth and better understanding of the world, children, at a certain age, should be encouraged to watch the news so they are more aware of the world around them. We can't protect our children everywhere and forever, watching the news will keep them more aware and alert of what is going on in their world so they will be prepared when they go out in the world and when they get older.

Keep Watch: It is recommended that every time you keep a close eye on what your children are watching on TV. There are many programs that are not meant for children to see, containing vulgarity or violence. Parents are the only deciding factor on what their children should watch. There are a number of excellent programs (educational and fun filled both) which are available for children's viewing. It is easy to find reviews for children's shows by simply typing in a few words to Google. This will help you avoid those pitfalls that you hear so much about children watching television and doing acts which are not appropriate. Make sure the shows you are allowing your children to watch are age appropriate. Hence, age appropriate television programs can be beneficial to children if you are careful about your choices.

Family Time: Television offers a reason for families to spend some time together. You can still limit viewing television by designating specific hours or selected programs on a weekly schedule. Setting aside some of those TV viewing hours specifically for family viewing promotes interaction, conversation and togetherness. Whether it becomes a bonding moment with young kids watching "Discovery Channel" or endless discussions about the plot intricacies of "Animal Planet" with your teens, television can be an accelerator for family interaction and a very nice reason for quality family time spend together.

Exposure & Engagement: Educational television programs bring children in touch with different cultures from all around the world in a very engaging manner. Educational channels like Discovery, The History Channel can show kids the people and places they wouldn't otherwise meet in their daily life. This can help stimulate and shape a child's interest and make him more engaged and responsive in classes that deal with those specific topics.

Learning English as a Second Language: Watching television gives kids ample English Learning opportunity whose native language is not English by giving them the conversational rhythms of spoken English. Students who are learning English as their second language can benefit from watching English-language television channels and English News.

Get Ideas for Craft: A number of television channels nowadays broadcast programs in which children are taught to make beautiful craft items from the waste items found in home. These programs keep children engaged and learn something productive which they can use of sitting in their homes.

But, despite the benefits of TV for educating kids parents must not forget to make kids sit at appropriate distance from the television sets i.e., 8 to 10 feets from the Television Set, this will not effect their eyes.

Now tell us your view, on your kids watching television is good or not? Your valuable comments, suggestions and feed backs are welcome. If you feel there is something else besides what we have not discussed in this article please write your suggestions in the comment box below.