Beneficial kids' programmes on Playhouse Disney channel

Here are some educational TV programmes on Playhouse Disney channel for your kids:

Little Einsteins
Little Einsteins features four children (which include two boys and two girls) — Leo, June, Quincy, and Annie — along with their intelligent and transformable "Rocket". In each episode they embark on an adventure (or "mission") to solve some problem or help a new friend. These missions take them to far-flung locations including foreign countries and "extreme" environments such as Antarctica, underwater, or outer space. The show was designed to teach art and music appreciation by integrating famous or culturally significant art works and classical music into the scenery, plot, and soundtrack of each episode.

Mickeymouse clubhouse
This show, which stars Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy and Pluto focuses on interacting with the kids to stimulate problem solving. Each episode will aim to "solve a specific age-appropriate problem utilizing basic skills, such as identifying shapes and counting through ten." Mickey and friends also get aid from a computerized flying machine named Tootles, who brings "Mouse-ka-tools" to them, where one of the tools is a "Mystery Mouse-ka-tool", which Mickey and friends will prompt the kids to guess what the surprise tool is.

Hi-5
Hi-5 is a children's television program, based on the original Australian TV show.The show was so popular in Australia that an American group assembled to form its very own Hi-5. The band comprises 5 cast members who perform to preschoolers. Their shows are made into DVDs and aired on Playhouse Disney channel. Each show has its specific theme like Senses, animals, machines, adventure, and wonderful songs and dance.

Pocoyo
Pocoyo is a fantastic pre-school animated cartoon series about a young boy who dresses in blue and who is full of curiosity, loves to play games and discover new things. Kids are encouraged to recognise situations that Pocoyo is in, and things that are going on with or around him. Pocoyo's world is set in a 3D space, with a plain white background and has no backdrops. Pato, Elly, Loula and Sleepy Bird are his friends! The show teaches good morals like sharing things with friends, say sorry when you are wrong, etc. Each character has its own distinctive dance, and most episodes end with the characters dancing.

Danny & Daddy
It is an interactive animation series in which Danny, a boy with a lot of imagination draws pictures starting from very simple drawings, and gradually creating what will be its final form, and Daddy and audience must guess what he is drawing. Each episode is a single picture full of ingenious creativity that stimulate the imagination of children.

Television and your toddlers

Many parents are tempted to resort to using television or a video as a babysitter. But the sad truth is that watching too much TV would stiffle your child's thinking and development. Too much TV is never good for your child. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that children should watch TV no more than an hour or two a day, and that children under 2 should watch no television at all.

Here are tips on how to use television as a learning tool.

Limit the amount of TV your toddler watches
Since your child is under age 2, it's best to keep TV-watching to a bare minimum. If you choose to allow some television, break it up into 15-minute increments. Much more than that, and your toddler's brain can shift to autopilot.

Once your child hits 2, limit his total viewing time to an hour a day — even that amount is a lot for an active toddler. You should also keep the television out of your child's bedroom and turned off during meal times.

Watch programs, not television
Rather than sitting down to watch whatever happens to be on, carefully select the program your toddler's going to watch, and turn off the set when that program is over.

Choose calm, quiet programs
Slower-paced viewing gives your toddler time to think about what he's watching and absorb the information. Lots of action and quickly changing images will only confuse him or make his eyes glaze over.

Research has suggested that children who watch violence on TV are more likely to display aggressive behavior. Avoid scary shows, too. Instead, choose simple programs that emphasize interactivity. The best shows are those that inspire your child to makes sounds, say words, sing, and dance.

Watch with your toddlers and help him watch with a critical eye
Watch with your toddler to show that you care. Explain what's going on in the show, and encourage your child to ask questions and relate what's happening in the show to his own life.

Extend the show's content with activities or books
If you and your toddler have just finished watching a Sesame Street segment that introduces a number, talk about it later and find other examples to show him.