by Sorah Devlin

Created on: September 27, 2009

Television can help to develop your child's imagination, giving them something to base their imaginary world and creatures upon with a more visual interpretation than books alone. Reading books tied into their favorite shows can also help to cultivate their creative side, providing parents with a number of ways to connect with their child. Some shows are wonderful in providing this "starter seed" for your child, as well as teaching them (and you!) things to help them in the future.

"We need your help!"

One particular genre that seems to have hit a wonderful chord in my own home is the adventure help-the-character-find-things show, such as Dora the Explorer, Go Diego Go, and Ni Hao Kai-Lan. My son loves to find and move things with the characters, as well as repeating back the words in different languages taught by the characters. Both Dora and Diego weave words of Spanish into the episodes, while Kai-Lan and her friends speak Chinese throughout their adventure. Even I've picked up a few words I never knew! All three of these shows can be found during the Nick Jr lineup, or on their younger child channel Noggin.

"Play nice!"

Every child needs to understand how to behave around others, and seeing some of their favorite characters being kind to each other as well as using good manners can set a great example. Shows such as The Wonder Pets and Yo Gabba Gabba are great at showing kids how to get along with others. With songs that not only get your child dancing around, but also remind them on how to behave, they'll soon be singing along and remembering how the characters behaved toward each other. Another plus from The Wonder Pets is the variety of different animals the trio come across in their adventures; your next trip to the zoo may reveal just how many new animals your child has learned from them!

"Boogie down!"

Inside every kid is a little musician. They love to hear music, no matter what kind. Some shows cater to this little music lover with a variety of different genres in one episode, letting your kid get the musical wiggles out. Jack's Big Music Show has at least 4 songs an episode, including a music video designed for the under 5 crowd that showcases a special style of music. The Imagination Movers on Disney also spices up their show with a number of songs, each teaching kids a different theme, like proper manners, how to play nice with friends, or how to solve problems.

Watching a little television with your toddler is a great way to spend some time together, but remember that is even better to use this as a launchpad to more fun activities with your child. What were some of the activities the show encouraged your kid to do? Expand on them and turn it into a fun game to play together. Did you both learn some new words? See how many your child can remember. Did they pick up a favorite song from the show? Sing it out loud in your own rendition! Have fun together, and enjoy the developing imagination of your child.

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