Television can be both a blessing and a curse. Pros and cons exist. Everyone has an opinion on the effect TV has on toddlers. In this article, we take an evidence-based approach to understanding the impact television has on the short-term and long-term behaviour and development of toddlers.

A subject that has been heavily studied, here are the positive effects of TV on toddlers:

1. Counting

One of the most positive effects of TV on toddlers is that they’ll learn how to count. TV isn’t a passive activity if you don’t make it one. A toddler struggling with counting can learn a lot from what’s offered on toddler-specific educational TV programs.

The ability to count and understand numbers is an underrated yet highly valuable aspect of toddler learning.

2. Morality

A major effect of TV on toddlers is that it teaches them important values and life lessons. As a toddler’s trying to understand the world around them, they don’t inherently have an understanding of morality or what’s important to them.

TV can be instructive in revealing the expectation of conduct and decision-making in certain situations.

3. Enhances Memory

Toddlers understand more than what most parents give them credit for. The truth is that they struggle to remember a lot of what they learn because the repetition isn’t there.

TV is great for repeating things or introducing concepts in different ways. This has been shown to enhance learning, memory-making, and transfer of information to real-world situations.

If your toddler watches television for an extended time, just make sure their sitting arrangement is optimal for their health. Consider buying flat screen TV stands to make sure the toddler is sitting relaxed and comfortable.

4. Builds Personality

A toddler gets to explore certain feelings and thoughts as they go through the paces of their favourite cartoons and movies. Without necessarily knowing it, a toddler is building their personality.

In a sense, they’re having experiences in the safest, most controlled environment, seeing events and situations depicted in content, and discovering their own feelings on it.

5. Builds Interests

A toddler may not have a passion, hobby, or interest. If they don’t, TV has endless hours of programming based around every interest imaginable. Explore this with your toddler.

If they already have an interest, even better! TV is a way for them to learn more and pass the time engaged with something that resonates with them.

6. Emotional Learning

A toddler doesn’t know how to process a lot of emotions. They may panic or be stressed when feeling sad, scared, angry, or lonely. There’s more to kids’ entertainment on TV than just the entertainment and time-passing component.

A toddler gets a lot of emotional learning from programs like Dora the Explorer, Arthur, and Sesame Street.

7. Teaches Empathy

The right television programs for toddlers teach a lot about critical skills, like empathy. It shows others’ perspectives and challenges a toddler to expand the way they see a situation. This translates later in life with the development of social skills.

8. Corrects Behaviour

A toddler naturally doesn’t know how to behave. They haven’t been in most situations before. They’re either scared, angry, or uncomfortable, and can express this in negative behaviour patterns.

Educational TV content has been shown to correct behaviour. It allows a toddler to see the impact their behaviour has on others and how to correct it.

9. Sharing of Culture

Television programs showcase different personalities, cultures, geographies, and lifestyles. A toddler, with no prior exposure to anything outside of their parent’s control, have a real opportunity to learn about others and to find themselves exposed to cultures they’ve never witnessed before.

10. Catalyst for Reading

It’s important for kids to start reading at an early age. TV programs based off books or that encourage reading on a specific subject or author can be very valuable to getting a toddler interested in reading.

11. Encourages Physical Activity

At any age, we watch TV in comfortable positions. It’s not always active learning. Watching a sport however, from a toddler’s perspective, can get them interested in being active, and engaging in physical behaviours.

Even though no parent will want to push their child towards this, a healthy interest in physical activity often starts from a young age.

12. Encourages Learning

TV on toddlers can empower them to take control of their own learning. A lot of educational programs inspire, motivate action, and encourage off-screen learning. Introducing a topic can blend into a lifelong passion.

13. Encourages Creativity

TV has so many shows on everything from music and theatre to arts and crafts, cooking, and baking, and plenty more. A toddler that enjoys any of these activities can find lots to stimulate their creativity.

14. Critical Thinking Skills

TV can expose a toddler to a lot of different content, from entertainment to education, sports, culture, and more. In this consumption of content, most toddlers start to model some critical thinking patterns.

Especially under the guidance of a parent, a toddler’s brain grows more engaged and active in comprehending the visual information in front of them.

15. Helps With Socialization

Watching TV is a solitary activity but for toddlers, it can also help teach them social skills. Remember, toddlers haven’t had a lot of practice. They don’t know what to say or do in most situations.

TV is an introduction to what’s expected and how they can participate in a conversation or social situation without making a wreck of it.