The positive effects of educational television on children
'While the common adage is that prolonged screen time is bad, new research has found that this may not be the case at all' – SKYWORTH.
‘Children’ and ‘television’ put those two words together and you’ll be debating for the rest of time. Between the ‘all for it’, ‘dead against it’ and ‘on the fence’ schools of thought, you’ll be hard pressed to change a parent’s made-up mind, no matter where on the fence they sit.
However, with many kids having spent more time at home than school over the past year, so much has changed, including their amount of screen time.
Plus, said Jaco Joubert brand manager for high-end television company SKYWORTH, while the common adage is that prolonged screen time is bad, new research has found that this may not be the case at all.
While there are negatives to kids watching television, there are certainly positives too. Of course, moderation is key, however with so many shows, many of them educational, catered specifically to children, you’ll find kids are learning a thing or two from the box.
Joubert highlighted some of these positives:
• Education – There is a lot of educational content out there, you just need to help your kids find it. From learning about the environment and animal kingdom, to language and maths, educational content is an undisputed positive when it comes to kids and TV time. Programmes such as Sesame Street, Dora the Explorer, Arthur, Peppa Pig, are just some shows with educational qualities. There’s a wide variety of educational apps available on Android TVs that parents and children can partake in together, without having to use an additional device.
• Sports – There is no replacement for the real thing, however, with many schools’ sports and extra murals on hold due to social distancing regulations, a great way to help your kids understand a particular sport is by watching it on TV. Plus, if you’re up to it, after the virtual game why not toss or hit a couple of balls in the garden?
• Cultures – We’re living in an age where technology has never been more advanced; we can connect to people across time zones with the click of a button, and host conferences with people from across the globe, all from the comfort of our own home. If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we’re more connected than ever before. While in the past learning about new cultures meant travelling, nowadays the best way to familiarise and learn about people, cultures, traditions, etc, is by watching TV.
• Inspire – Kid’s shows can inspire children in all sorts of ways. The children’s shows on TV are meant to encourage little ones to try out new things. They’re meant to tap into their potential and unleash it by showing them how being creative can be fun. Shows that aim to inspire kids help boost their creative thinking abilities.
