What are the best TV Shows for a 2 year old?
When I was a kid we had the choice of watching cartoons about a coyote trying to capture a road runner, a cat trying to eat a canary, or a rabbit outsmarting a hunter. As a new parent I've recently become aware that there are some pretty great kid's shows on TV. We've found Jojo's Circus, Dora the Explorer and Angelina Ballerina. I know there's more. Which shows do other parents recomment?
Teletube. Is it still on? It is best suited for a toddler.
I watched half of one episode with my daughter and I have to say it really freaked me out. I'm not sure why, but I just couldn't watch it for more than a few minutes. Same thing with Barney. It must have something to do with people in oversized outfits filled with foam. Or maybe it's that the expression on their faces never changes. ;-)
Oh, their expressions may never change, but when it comes to the Teletubbies, they are each very different. For example, Dipsy is darker and has a widow's peak, and he's very gruff...just like me! Ha ha. Pretty psychedelic, actually. My first daughter loved them, but my second daughter didn't care for them. It's too juvenile for a 2 year old anyway. Besides Dora the Explorer, I recommend Avatar, which may be a little too mature, but the storyline is great, even for adults. To a lesser degree, my kids also like Spongebob Squarepants, Arthur, Clifford, Dragon Tales, Sagwa, and I Spy. The New Zoo Review was on once, and my kids were FASCINATED. And ever since we went to Disneyland, my 2 year old can't get enough Mickey Mouse. Looks like even some of the old shows can stand the test of time. The one show that freaks me out is Jay Jay the Jet Plane. It's the creepy faces on vehicles that disturbs me.
We are very particular about what our children watch, avoiding the violent shows altogether. My children love the entire Nick Jr. line of shows. JoJo, Zaboomafoo and caillou are good too. Though my kids love it, I too have trouble with Jay Jay the Jet Plane. Blues Clues are still a favorite even with my older children.
Animal Planet is a good show for kids. Stay away from the Planets Scariest Animals Series and stick with Funniest Animals, Muircat Manor, etc. Other good shows are: Baby Einstien, Wiggles, Old Mickey Mouse movies, Sesame Street. Not to much TV-let them listen to music!
My daughter is now old enough to communicate what she likes, and here is her current list of favorites in order of preference: - Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (I like it because the theme song is written and performed by They Might Be Giants) - Little Einsteins (This choice surprises me) - JoJo's Circus - Lola and Charlie
I am replying with the utmost of sincerity. There is no good television for a two year old, especially boys who learn best by moving around and physical and verbal interaction. There are numerous recent studies that even the educational programs are harmful for the young mind.
I saw this discussion and thought it might a good one to ressurect! I have mixed feelings on this, for my 3- and 5-year old daughters actually participate in dialogue with me when I ask them about the shows they are watching (the "lessons" they are perceiving from the show). Alot of the time they are "getting the good message." And they love The Wiggles and The Backyardigans, lol. I'm a big advocate, however, of kinesthetic learning, and I would rather see kids of all ages at the park, in the bookstore (many of them have children's storytime), building blocks, etc. and of course anything musical or artistic. I also have a few interactive DVDs on hand, where as my girls have to go on a treaure hunt and mimick the characters to move to the next level/scene. They are on their feet moving for a good 20 - 30 minutes! TV doesn't have to be the pinnacle of evil, but as with everthing, small doses for small frys. : )
San Mateo Public Library - Main Library
Central Park
Hiking and Biking on the Crystal Springs Watershed
Hello, Well there is alway Sesame Street. You can never go wrong with that. you didn't mention Sponge Bob. Thats not bad. The best thing I would do since they don't show our classic Bugs Bunny and Road Runner, would be to rent cartoons from blockbuster. Good luck!! hope this helps!
I agree with many of the suggestions... our kids love Dora, Diego, Caillou (we do point out that he is a litle too whiny, though!), Little Einsteins, Word World, Super Why and Dragon Tales. My personal favorite is The Backyardigans, but sadly the kids have moved on. I have to disagree with the Sponge Bob reccomendation. I find it obnoxious and not at all suited for 2 year olds. I don't think it has anything of value to offer kids of any age.
East Palo Alto
Hillsborough
Mountain View
Foster City
San Bruno
San Carlos
Millbrae
Redwood Shores
Half Moon Bay
Menlo Park
Burlingame
Belmont
Redwood City
South San Francisco
Palo Alto
Please install Flash.
Smalltown is building the Local Web where neighbors and businesses post, search and share everything about their town.
We provide an innovative and compelling user experience that requires the Flash Player Plugin version 8 or above. Please visit Adobe to get it. It's quick and easy to download and install.
We strongly recommend installing the Flash Player to fully benefit from the complete set of functionality our site offers.
System Requirements
Smalltown works best on a PC running Windows 2000 and XP, and on a Mac running OSX. We support Firefox, Internet Explorer 6.0+ (PC only), and Safari (Mac only).
Be sure JavaScript is turned on. To do so, select Options (Firefox) or Internet Options (Internet Explorer) under the Tools menu of your browser. In Firefox, click the Content tab, select "enable JavaScript," and click OK. In Internet Explorer, click the Security tab, select "Enable" under "Active Scripting," and click OK.
Please contact us if you have any questions or recommendations.

