The American Academy of Pediatrics says that kids under 2 shouldn’t watch TV. That’s a shame: Not because I think toddlers would do better with more screen time, but because some of the most inventive television in the past decade has been designed for children their age, or just a little older. There are shows that encourage cognitive thinking skills (such as Blue’s Clues), shows that help kids recognize and handle feelings (like Ni Hao Kai-Lan), and just plain brilliant shows, including one with an original opera score (Wonder Pets). Flip through PBS’s Sprout or Nick Jr. if you haven’t lately, and you’ll see what I mean; each show is more creative, enriching, and, to borrow a phrase from The New Yorker TV critic and mom Emily Nussbaum, more gem-like than the next.
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But what happens when children outgrow talking animals and Kewpie-doll-eyed protagonists? They—and we—are faced with two major categories: battle-centric cartoons or sassy, snarky sitcoms. I’m not sure which is worse. While the animated action is largely bloodless, it’s still unabashedly violent, which is why I welcomed it when my 8-year-old asked if he could tune into Jessie rather than Ninjago one night a few weeks ago. Big mistake. After a couple of episodes, the know-it-all-‘tween banter had obviously struck a chord, and soon he was trying phrases like “that is soo depressing” on for size.
I took my dilemma to Sierra Filucci, executive editor of parenting content for Common Sense Media, a website devoted to reviewing and recommending screen choices for children. Turns out I’m not alone in thinking most big-kid TV stinks. “It is really hard to find quality, age-appropriate TV for older children,” she says. “This isn’t necessarily a new thing, but it can be very frustrating for parents who aren’t happy with what Disney and Nickelodeon have to offer this age group. Lots of ‘tween-targeted TV is funny to kids, but relies on stereotypes or sassy behavior that parents don’t always appreciate.” In other words, ‘tweens and pre-‘tweens are at an envelope-pushing stage in which fighting sequences and put-downs are appealing, edgy even. But left to their own devices, kids might also choose to wear flip-flops in February and eat candy for breakfast. It’s our job to guide them to better choices (as high-maintenance and helicopter-ish as that may sound).
The good news, says Filucci, TV shows that satisfy older kids and parents both exist: “You just have to look harder and rely on a variety of tools to find the good stuff.” That means it’s time to think outside the cable box. This may be hard for us, the last generation of parents who deign to channel surf. But our kids could be getting much more out of their TV experience for it. Here are some of Filucci’s top tips finding great programs, and her current picks for ages 5 and up.
1. Consider subscriptions to Netflix, Hulu and Amazon. “They offer some of the best and most original kids programs out there,” Filucci says. If you don’t have a streaming TV, you can view shows from these sites on a computer, tablet or smart phone.
2. Mine PBS, CBS and cable channels for quality reality shows. Many reality shows are appropriate for older kids, and are a great opportunity for parents and children to enjoy TV together. “I watch lots of cooking and animal shows with my kids—from Food Network, Cooking Channel, HGTV, and Animal Planet,” Filucci says.
3. Spring for DVR. The DVR (a digital video recording device, available via your cable or satellite service, TV or computer operating system) is a great tool for parents because you can essentially set up a lineup of shows for your children to choose from. It can also allow you to record more obscure stuff and watch it when you want it, and skip over the commercials—which can be a worse influence on our kids than many of the programs themselves.
Great Shows for Big Kids
| Show | Network/Streaming Service | What It's About | Best for Ages.. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annedroids | Amazon | Follows misadventures of kid-genius scientist Anne and her amazingly real-life android creations. | 5 and up |
| Haunted Hathaways | Nickelodeon | A single mom and her kids move into a house "haunted" by friendly and funny ghosts. | 5 and up |
| Design Squad Nation | PBS | Kids perform games and experiments that explore STEM principles. | 6 and up |
| Curiosity Quest | PBS | Host Joel Green travels the globe to answer kid-friendly conundrums (who started karate?) | 6 and up |
| SciGirls | PBS | Real 'tween girls tackle technology and engineering activities. | 6 and up |
| All in with Laila Ali | CBS | Ali follows real people who've overcome obstacles to do amazing things. | 6 and up |
| How It's Made | Science | Shows how real-life objects (hockey skates, sparklers) are made. | 7 and up |
| H2O: Just Add Water | Hulu/Amazon (spinoff Mako Mermaids is on Netflix) | Three girls hide the fact they're mermaids while coping with everyday teen challenges. | 7 and up |
| Brain Games | National Geographic | Kids learn the science of the brain through interactive games and optical illusions. | 8 and up |
| Amazing Race | CBS | Reality show of two teams racing each other across the world explores teamwork and problem solving. | 10 and up |
| Doctor Who | BBC America | Classic sci-fi series portrays a human-like alien who resolves to protect the galaxy from evil. | 10 and up |
Kelley, thanks for the show recommendations – we haven’t seen most of these, so we’ll definitely be checking a few of them out. I’ve used the Common Sense Media site in the past but had completely forgotten about it for some reason, so thanks for the reminder! It’s definitely a great resource for not only TV and movies, but books, music and apps as well.