Does Anyone Use Educational Videos?

[thatdivalady]

I know there's a debate about who lets children watch television and who does not. I personally like Sprout for some of their programming and find it helpful. Now, what are your thoughts about Your Baby Can Read and Baby Einstein implemented as a brief supplement (i.e. for 30 minutes twice during the 10 hour period) in a daycare setting? I would really like to hear providers' thoughts on both sides of the fence.

[Kiki]

I don't have TV time in my schedule at all. However, I don't completely ban it while kids are here, there are some days that we watch things, but those days are pretty rare.
I am pretty curious though, why don't people use it? (And don't take that as a 100% all of the time baby sitter thing, but the occasional use?)

[Heidi]

I would say an hour a day is too much....just my opinion

[MNMum]

There is nothing to be gained by the under 2 crowd watching television (from what I have seen in the research).

The above 2 crowd, is probably getting more than they need at home. For my own children, we try to limit TV/Movies/Computer time, but they still get some exposure. My dck only watch about 1x/mo - maybe less. Honestly, their behavior is worse when they get TV time. There's not a great time to do it, either. It would be nice for between lunch and nap, but from the research I've read, TV before sleep makes it harder to fall asleep. Instead my 3 yo's look at books for about 20 minutes, while I clean up from lunch and change diapers. It's great, they talk to each other about the books, etc.

[Countrygal]

This is just what I do and it works for me - but I do think an hour a day EVERY day is too much.

I allow educational only videos during slow times. That almost always translates to while I am making breakfast and very occasionally to while I am making lunch. I'd say we average about 1/2 hour a day, 3-4 days a week. I have a half hour period between when the first ones arrive and the last, and that is usually when the videos come on. IMO it makes a nice transition time. Then we eat as soon as the last one arrives and we're off on our day! Quite often, though, they don't want to watch a video and then we don't. That simple.

[sharlan]

My 4 & 5 yo really like the Leapfrog videos and we probably watch them once or twice a week.

I do turn cartoons on for the 9 yos in the morning before school. I've found that is about the only thing that will entertain them for more than 5 mins. But even then, they are in and out of the house 1/2 dzn times in 30 mins.

[Blackcat31]

I am not going to offer my opinion here as I don't think it is relavant to the thread.

But I do think it is important that people understand that the researchers that say TV is bad for kids under a certain age say so because of the lights, flashing, and rapidly changing screen and so on and so on NOT because of the actual programming that is being played.

So educational or HBO... it doesn't matter according to the research.

[Ariana]

I am not going to offer my opinion here as I don't think it is relavant to the thread.

But I do think it is important that people understand that the researchers that say TV is bad for kids under a certain age say so because of the lights, flashing, and rapidly changing screen and so on and so on NOT because of the actual programming that is being played.

So educational or HBO... it doesn't matter according to the research.

Exactly this! Baby Einstein and other programs have been forced to cough up huge amounts of $$ in lawsuits because of their claims to make babies brains smarter etc. It's all hogwash.

[Jewels]

I personally don't agree at all with the your baby can read program, But I am not at all Anti TV, kids under the age of 2, have little interest in TV anyways, I have cartoons on in the AM until about 7-7:45, when breakfast is ready, then it is off for the day(except for the 5 yr olds, who watch a little during quiet time) But the kids never stay in my room watching the cartoons, they are out playing, but when my kids wake up in the morning they love a morning cartoon, and I find nothing damaging about it. At breakfast though the TV is off, and does not come back on. I loved morning cartoons when I was a child, and after breakfast would then spend the days outside alllll day. I do not think TV will damage my child, hahaha. And on the weekends, and friday nights, they can get a bit of screen time if we are home, and in the morning when my husband and I really love to be lazy.

[Hunni Bee]

Really early in the morning, while breakfast is being made and the SA kids coming and going, the Center tv is on PBS. Not my choice, but my kids see very little of it.

I have a few dance videos that my kids really like, and we do those occasionally. But my classroom tv is on no more than 30-45 minutes a week, if that.

When the first words out of their mouth at 7 am this morning were, "Can you turn on the computer?", I made the decision to leave that off for the rest of the week.

What kids definitely don't need more of in their lives is flashing, talking screens. My 2-year-old nephew is completely addicted to Nick Jr. and I really could slap his mother. I really wish he went to daycare so at least he'd have other friends beside Dora and Diego

[Lianne]

There is nothing to be gained by the under 2 crowd watching television (from what I have seen in the research).

The children may not be benefiting from watching bits of tv but I sure am since I can make lunch without worrying about what trouble they're getting into. And, a happy, stress free provider equals happier, well adjusted children.


I am a tv daycare. It's on a couple times during the day to make my life easier. Yes, I said it. I'm putting my needs and sanity first. In my life, the world does not revolve around the children and I'm not trying to create perfect little geniuses with perfectly planned childhoods. I'm trying to create real children who live in the real world where there is tv, where adults have needs and wants, where the can handle life's letdowns and problems and where children often have to wait to receive the things (tangible or otherwise) that they want and even need sometimes.

I've been doing childcare professionally for 20 years now and not one of the children I've cared for has been damaged by watching appropriate tv. Although I guess the studies are correct 'cause none of them are geniuses, either

MNMum, my comments are not directed at you at all. Rereading my post, it looked that way so I wanted to reassure it it wasn't. I'm venting at society's view of children & tv in general

[countrymom]

I'm a tv daycare. Its on all day. Do they watch it, barely, right now the tv is on and they are playing with the dolls in another room. I really think its a noise thing with them.

Yes, there are people who use it as babysitters, like my sister who has the 4 yr old dd, she was obsessed with spongebob at the age of 3 and started to talk like him and guess what, she has speech issues (there was a study a bit ago about how bad s.b. is and "suddenly" there was no more s.b. in the house, but the damage was done)

we have pbs or treehouse on and leap frog videos. But like I said, no one here sits infront of the tv and watches it.

[My3cents]

The children may not be benefiting from watching bits of tv but I sure am since I can make lunch without worrying about what trouble they're getting into. And, a happy, stress free provider equals happier, well adjusted children.


I am a tv daycare. It's on a couple times during the day to make my life easier. Yes, I said it. I'm putting my needs and sanity first. In my life, the world does not revolve around the children and I'm not trying to create perfect little geniuses with perfectly planned childhoods. I'm trying to create real children who live in the real world where there is tv, where adults have needs and wants, where the can handle life's letdowns and problems and where children often have to wait to receive the things (tangible or otherwise) that they want and even need sometimes.

I've been doing childcare professionally for 20 years now and not one of the children I've cared for has been damaged by watching appropriate tv. Although I guess the studies are correct 'cause none of them are geniuses, either

MNMum, my comments are not directed at you at all. Rereading my post, it looked that way so I wanted to reassure it it wasn't. I'm venting at society's view of children & tv in general

I think most providers feel the same way- at least the ones that I have talked with. Stimulation is everywhere and the focus should be on teaching children how to deal with that and not eliminate it. Thanks for posting and keeping it real-

[Country Kids]

This month we are watching 1/2 an hour a day of dinasour train because we are learning about dinasours. Some watch it some don't. It is amazing though because the ones that do watch it actually understand some of the things we are talking about more and are soooo excited to tell mommy and daddy about it at pickup!

[newtodaycare22]

I only have preschoolers, so no little ones (in regards to the research about kids under 2 and stimulation, etc).

We watch 30 minutes a day-when I'm cooking lunch and getting ready for nap. We watch PBS kids, leap frog videos, or Dora. Everything is educational and since I have 6 kids with no assistant, it's a great time for them to wind down after the park and allow me to took/set up cots.

I think in a 10 hour span, 30 minutes is completely fine. On a rainy day, maybe we'll do more. No parents have ever had an issue.