TV & Movies: Preschoolers

Television may be an inevitable part of young children's lives. Though some media researchers and pediatricians recommend that parents minimize their children's exposure to it — no TV for children under two, they suggest — it may be more useful to think about how TV does or does not fit into your child's overall development.

Let your child know that watching TV can be an active experience rather than a passive one. You can do this by repeating words or phrases you hear during a show, encouraging your child to sing and dance along with characters, or talking to him about what he sees and hears.