Play and Learn With Off-Screen Activities from PBS KIDS

Watching our favorite shows can help my family ease into our morning routine or provide an afternoon break. With my kids returning to school this fall, we have new daily routines to adjust to. So I’m hoping to take this opportunity to retool our screen time and activity schedule.

The American Association of Pediatrics recommends one hour or less of screen time per day for children ages 2 to 5. They also suggest placing consistent limits on screen time for children over 6. The World Health Organization agrees.

But not all screen time is the same. Studies have shown that:

• “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” increases empathy and social skills in toddlers,
• “Sesame Street” improves pre-literacy skills,
• And co-viewing shows with your child encourages interaction and discussion.

I love that our favorite PBS KIDS shows are not only fun for my children, but also have these proven benefits. This screen time can help promote a love of learning through the shows and characters away from screens as well.

Here are four ideas to extend the learning and fun of your family’s favorite PBS KIDS shows and characters to off-screen activities.

PBS KIDS shows can be a fresh approach to thinking of off-screen activities to do. After watching a favorite show, try transitioning to an activity inspired by it:

• For “Nature Cat,” create this natural toolbox
• For “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.” whip up this banana swirl recipe
• For “Elinor Wonders Why,” make a butterfly costume like Elinor
• For “Wild Kratts,” go outside and play creature power adventure games

These activities are an exciting way for kids to connect what they watched with their own interests. And having this huge list of easy activities makes it easier for me to make it happen!

In the afternoons, our routine has been “quiet rest time” while my youngest is sleeping and I try to catch up on emails. My 4-year-old used to watch his shows during that time, but recently we started listening to podcasts. Now, he plays with blocks or playdough as he listens to the “Molly of Denali” podcast. The voices and sounds of his favorite characters — Molly, Trini, Tooey, and Suki — can still be heard as they go on adventures by dog sled, plane, and train in Alaska. We all get the quiet time we need but still reduce screen time and break the daily habit of watching shows in the afternoons. Meanwhile, his imagination benefits from listening to the storytelling.

On our weekly trip to the library, my kids are allowed to pick out at least two books of whatever they’d like. My 2-year-old almost always grabs a book with Daniel Tiger or Elmo on the cover, and my son is currently enthralled with all of Brad Meltzer’s “Ordinary People Change the World” series, which inspired the show “Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum.” These books, and the show, express the positive message of, ”Every single boy and girl has the chance to change the world!” For both of my children, their chosen books feel like a continuation of their favorite shows. They still get to enjoy stories from their favorite characters, but on the page instead of on-screen. They like to look through the pictures on their own, and then we read them together at bedtime.

By the end of the week, we’re all ready to relax. Having a set time to look forward to on the weekend is a fun way to bond and rest together as a family. Screen time and watching shows doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. Our daily allotment of screen time is going down, but PBS KIDS Family Night is a great time to connect through co-viewing. By watching together, you can ask questions about what’s happening and reinforce the show’s themes and skills. Make it a movie event with printable tickets and coloring pages to go along with your snacks and snuggles as a family. Each week, there are also show-related activities included so you can build anticipation and excitement beforehand.

All of these ideas are simple ways to bring learning and fun from the screen to your daily activities. And they create more time to connect with your kids in an easy and enjoyable way.