Why I let my Toddler watch TV- Top 5 Educational Shows

When I was pregnant I was that Mom saying I wouldn’t let my child watch tv until after the age of 2.🤣 Well, clearly that didn’t happen because here I am posting this blog and Moose is yet to turn 2! I am not the one to bash moms for letting their children watch TV so if that is you, you’re probably not in the right place here. We spend most of our time playing and exploring but tv is also something we enjoy. This post will share our top educational tv shows for toddlers.

Why I let my Toddler watch TV

I started letting Moose watch a little bit of tv here and there around 1. Honestly, I’m not one to watch a lot of TV, so that is the main reason I didn’t think Moose would be watching.

So here is why I let Moose watch tv… as a mom, we need breaks and one way to get those is by letting your kiddo watch some TV obviously, there are other ways too. These shows that I am sharing are ones that help boost his vocabulary, cultural knowledge, imagination and creativity, among so many other great things! I am by no means encouraging you to set your kiddo in front of the TV all day, every day. But I am saying that TV in moderation is OK.

I discovered a few shows on Netflix that I felt were good options, each episode about 15 minutes long and educational which made my teacher heart happy! Then I discovered PBS kids and most of their shows also have educational aspects. So keep on reading to find out what our family’s top 5 educational tv shows are!

Top 5 Educational TV Shows for Toddlers

Netflix-

Word Party- This Is Moose’s FAVORITE show! He asks for “Party” every day! This is a great show that introduces new words in each episode. More recent episodes even include the words in Mandarin and English as one of the characters is from China. Now that Moose is older he loves repeating after them and his vocabulary is growing! He enjoys the songs and gets really excited when he learns something new! One of the episodes is about potty training and was on constant rotation at the beginning of our potty-training journey! Recently he connected his building toys (linked here) to the show and was so proud of himself, as was I! He came running to me with the animal pieces yelling their names and pointing at the show!

Motown Magic- I love that this show has a variety of races in the characters! I feel that it is important for Moose to see all different races and cultures at a young age! This show encourages children to use their imagination and uses Motown songs to hook kids! Moose’ love for music has grown even more since watching this show and we will be getting him this microphone (linked here) for Christmas. Motown Magic includes a lot about problem-solving and how to go about realistically solving your small problems!

PBS KIDS-

Dinosaur Train- I used to watch this one with my after-school kids waiting for the bus when I taught! And I would love to take credit for getting Moose interested in this one, but it was my parents! I love how Dinosaur Train incorporates learning into their program, and I find myself learning things when I watch it with him, specifically science-related information! He has started to ask for this one by name and knows he watches it before lunchtime as part of our routine!

Molly of Denali- This one is my favorite! It is based in Alaska and anyone who has been here for a while knows I LOVE ALASKA! I was pregnant with Moose while living in Alaska, so when he watches this one it makes me happy that he is gaining knowledge of this beautiful state! Molly and her friends explore nature and the culture of natives in Alaska. If you watch it on PBS they also show snippets of real kids in Alaska answering questions about the state!

Elmo- I am sure most have you have seen this show at some point in your life! Moose has had a small stuffed animal Elmo since he was born and discovered it in his toy box. I decided to show him an episode and he was hooked! This is another show that is very inclusive and engaging! I love that they often introduce words in different languages and have a number and letter in each episode! I enjoy watching it with him and often get ideas for activities to do with Moose! We recently did the glitter jar activity and it was a lot of fun for the whole family, even if it made a significant mess! 🤣

Educational TV Shows for the win

My hopes for this post is that you found at least one new show that you feel comfortable letting your children watch! And that you understand it is ok for your child to watch a little bit of TV… especially if it is educational tv shows. Our children can learn a lot from these programs and it gives us a little break! Moose doesn’t watch a lot of TV, but the amount you watch should be what you are comfortable with. And if you still don’t want your young toddler watching TV, keep these shows in mind for when you do let them as they are some great ones!

Check out my mommy morning routine here and evening routine here. My morning routine shares how Moose and I spend our day!