Duh! Study: TV Doesn't Help or Hurt Toddlers

on March 3, 2009 at 5:00 PM

infant and toddler TV viewing Apparently, researchers have not yet reached a consensus on the whole TV viewing and toddlers thing, because there's ANOTHER new study out that finds, well, pretty much what all the previous studies have found: Watching the tube is not going to turn your tyke into Einstein.

I'm sure you already knew this. Time spent with books and playing with mom is much more educational that staring zombie-like in front of a screen.

In fairness to the researchers, from Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, this study claims to be the first to investigate the long term associations between infant TV viewing from birth to 2 years old and both language and visual-motor skill test scores at 3 years of age. Both children who watched TV and those who didn't did equally well or poor on tests for those skills.

What I found most interesting, though, was while the study showed that increased infant TV exposure is of no benefit to cognitive development, it was also found to be of no detriment. The overall effects of increased TV viewing time were neutral.

The researchers did not measure the actual CONTENT, however. Personally, I feel this is the linchpin, the thing that makes the biggest difference in a child's cognitive abilities, but also in social skills, attitudes toward others, and a child's "innocence factor."

Some shows geared to toddlers are just not appropriate for them in my opinion -- the edits are too fast and the concepts way too scary or adult. I can see the naivete in my kids compared to others who watch a lot of violent or upper-age bracket programs, and I love it.

But even if this study found that TV turns children into mass murderers, I'll wager a week's pay that many moms would still plop their little ones down in front of it from time to time. I know I would. As much as I try to avoid it, my house would not be able to run if I didn't get those pockets of time to get food on the table, return a phone call, or get a wash in.

About the author Cynthia Dermody

is The Stir's Managing Editor who has trophies in her home for her skills at the Irish Jig. She makes cupcakes with as many fattening ingredients as possible, doesn't comb her hair for months at a time, and was probably a faerie in a former life.

Filed Under: activities, development & growth, play

Comments (28)

zombie_mommy

on Mar 3, 2009 at 5:31 PM

my daughter watches tom and jerry on a daily basis. its still on cartoon network during the morning. she doesn't watch disney channel or nick.

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RanaAurora

on Mar 3, 2009 at 5:45 PM

The shows my kiddo watches (aside from Spongebob) are like, Little Bill, Blues Clues, Calliou, Little Einsteins, Max and Ruby...

When I was little, I watched Captain Planet, Pound Puppies, and things of that type.

NovemberLove

on Mar 3, 2009 at 5:53 PM

Everyone has to understand that these studies are correlational at best. While you can test children who watch TV and those who don't, the results may not necessarily be entirely due to TV watching. A child might have scored poorly on their test because their nutrition isn't as good as the other children and they weren't able to concentrate as well so on and so forth.

I think the older cartoons are better for children. I think newer cartoons over-stimulate and teach children that entertainment should come easily. I would worry that watching too much TV would teach my child to be bored with slower-paced entertainment such as reading, writing and coloring.

Aasiyah

on Mar 3, 2009 at 6:09 PM

i don't allow my child to watch any tv. and i've cut my tv down to one show a week and that is the biggest loser and i use it for motivational purposes. Tv is terrible even for young kids.. cartoons are ridiculously violent and even the "good" wholesome cartoons or channels are full of things i woudln't want my child to learn.

Amber115

on Mar 3, 2009 at 6:42 PM

We watch a lot of TV, but not the violent stuff like Power Rangers. Educational (Dora) or mind-numbing (Yogi Bear) are fine, not violent. IMO

aurorabunny

on Mar 3, 2009 at 6:58 PM

My son has learned SO much from TV, but we usually watch together so I can make sure he's getting the concepts and we watch things like Baby Signing Time videos and Jacks Big Music Show (love dancing together!). I fail to see the educational value in things like Power Rangers or Spongebob Squarepants. I think they're fine for older children as far as entertainment goes but no they really don't hold any educational value.

lilbeansmommy

on Mar 3, 2009 at 7:15 PM

My LO has never watched Spongebob or Power Rangers, Tom and Jerry or Popeye- I don't consider those show's toddler t.v.

Try watching something on the Sprout channel- IE Sesame Street, Play with me Sesame

JPsMommy605

on Mar 3, 2009 at 7:28 PM

I had to vote other becase IMO, none of those listed are appropriate for toddlers, but shows with slow movement and repeated words/action are, like Sesame Street or Thomas the Train. Most I'll allow my son to watch on a regular basis is Caillou or Curious George. I don't know the whole gamut of children's programming, so I'm sure there's a lot out there that's positive and slow, but real life with family, friends and imagination is still way better than any tv programming yet available.

Hrivera5

on Mar 3, 2009 at 7:30 PM

we watch the PBS shows like Super Why and Seaseme Street. He loves it and he learns from it. I think spongebob and all of those are for older children.

MommedForces

on Mar 3, 2009 at 7:48 PM

I have to agree with Hrivera that shows on PBS like Super Why and other shows like Sesame Street and Deigo and Dora Explorer are helping our young ones learn. It teaches them language and colors and the Alphabet etc. It reinforces what I am teaching my toddler. It can give moms a little break too. I do agree that a large majority of television shows are awful though.