KIDS FIRST! News

Exposing infants and toddlers to television does not improve their language and visual motor skills at age 3, but does not appear to harm them either. In the study, “Television Viewing in Infancy and Child Cognition at 3 Years of Age in a US Cohort,” researchers looked at the amount of time 872 children spent watching television or videos from birth to 2 years of age, then assessed their language and visual motor skills at age 3. When researchers adjusted for other factors that could influence these skills, such as maternal education and breastfeeding, the effect of television appeared neutral.Dr. Marie Evans Schmidt, one of the authors of this study, offers more insight on the study and its results:CP: What was your reasoning behind doing this study?MS: In our prospective longitudinal cohort, we tested whether TV viewing in the first two years of life had any measurable impact on children’s  vocabulary and visual motor skills test scores at age 3.CP: What surprised you the most as you did the study?MS: We were most surprised that we didn’t find any effects of TV viewing in infancy on cognition (once relevant socioeconomic/demographic variables were controlled). We had hypothesized that hours of TV viewed would have negative effects on childhood cognition scores. The cohort was large and statistically we had enough power to detect a relationship if one was present, so, again, I think we were mostly surprised that hours of TV viewed did not have a negative effect on cognitive test scores.CP: Surprisingly (to me), it seemed as if children viewing Sesame Streetwere at a bit of a disadvantage over those who watched programs likeArthur, which is actually for older children, and yet studies haveshown that children who watch Sesame Street have improved overallscores in longitudinal studies. What is your take on this?MS: We didn’t look at content in this study. I think you might be referring to another study, most likely Linebarger and Walker (2005) . They found the results you describe. Linebarger and Walker (2005) have speculated that the reason they found positive effects on language from Arthur but not from Sesame Street is because Arthur follows a linear narrative whereas at that time Sesame Street did not (they now incorporate more narrative content in Sesame Street). The longitudinal study you are referring to, I think, is one by Dan Anderson et al (2001), which showed that Sesame Street viewing in preschool (age 3 +) was related to higher high school grades; the Linebarger study was looking at Sesame Street viewing between ages 6 and 30 months, I believe, so different age groups are represented in the two studies. I suspect that is why you find the difference.CP: When parents go to show media to their babies, are there certaintypes and styles you can recommend (please feel free to pull inexperience other than this report).MS: I don’t recommend that parents show media to their babies, especially the little ones. No studies have found positive effects of baby videos, and some studies have found negative effects, so I see no benefit, to the child, of watching those videos. Once children reach the second half of infancy, say 15 months to 2 or so, I think parents can try some educational TV, such as Elmo’s World, or Barney (curriculum based shows designed for toddlers). However, I would keep TV to a minimum at this age, since research overall has yet to find clear benefits. Once children reach preschool age (3+), I recommend age appropriate educational, curriculum based programming, with no commercials, if possible. These days, there are a lot of great educational programs for children. And, of course, I always recommend books!In general, I recommend parents choose content very carefully, as most research suggests what children watch is more important than how much. For babies, I would limit TV as much as possible, as there are no clear benefits to TV viewing in infancy. For older children, I recommend limiting the amount to no more than 10-11 hours a week, as high levels of TV viewing have been associated with obesity and sleep disturbances. I also recommend keeping the TV off in the home when no one is watching and limiting children’s exposure to adult TV as much as possible. Other research I have done, with Dan Anderson, suggests that TV in the background may disrupt children’s focused attention during toy play.

Kids Streaming More than

One Million Video Clips Per Week on pbskidsgo.org

As a media leader exploiting new technology for educational enrichment, PBS KIDS GO! announced today the expansion of its video player capabilities to include new in-video gaming on pbskidsgo.org (www.pbskids.org/go/video).  Embedded in PBS KIDS GO! popular curriculum-based series, the new games foster greater learning comprehension and enhance the digital experience for early elementary school children. Currently, the PBS KIDS GO! video player offers hundreds of video clips and dozens of full-length episodes, and is streaming more than one million clips each week.

The first series adding the game overlay to online videos include ARTHUR, FETCH! WITH RUFF RUFFMAN, CYBERCHASE and WORDGIRL. THE ELECTRIC COMPANY and other series will feature this new gaming option in the coming months.

“PBS is committed to raising the bar when it comes to developing kids interactive experiences that are fun and educational,” said Jason Seiken, SVP of PBS Interactive. “Kids are accessing and using media in myriad ways. As pioneers of this new technology, PBS KIDS GO! is creating an even more immersive and enriching experience for children to further their learning alongside their favorite characters.”

“We’ve combined two of the things that kids love most – great TV shows and cool games – and are thrilled to bring such incredible interactivity to kids whenever they want it,” added Sara DeWitt, Senior Director of PBS KIDS Interactive. “As the leader in educational media, PBS KIDS GO! will continue to reach out to this audience with content that will bring learning with media to a new level.”  

With full screen, closed captioning, Spanish audio, and sharing and voting features, the PBS KIDS GO! video player showcases full episodes, sneak previews and clip highlights from PBS KIDS GO! broadcast properties primarily serving children ages 6 to 8, an audience with limited age-appropriate media choices. With fresh content added weekly, properties include ANIMALIA, ARTHUR, CYBERCHASE, DESIGN SQUAD, DRAGONFLYTV, THE ELECTRIC COMPANY, FETCH! WITH RUFF RUFFMAN, MARTHA SPEAKS, MAYA & MIGUEL, POSTCARDS FROM BUSTER, WISHBONE, WORDGIRL and ZOOM.  Additionally, kids can browse by themes, such as “robots” and “Earth Day,” and enjoy Web-exclusive content from pbskidsgo.org series including THE GREENS, KRATTS’ CREATURES and KIDS WORLD SPORTS.

Available on both Macs and PCs, the PBS KIDS GO! video player is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and is available at www.pbskids.org/go/video. The video player is also available via Web sites of participating local PBS member stations.

PBS KIDS GO! is an educational multimedia destination specifically designed for early elementary school kids which debuted online at pbskidsgo.org and as an afternoon program block on PBS member stations in October 2004. PBS KIDS worked closely with early elementary school kids and industry experts to create this destination for an audience with limited choices for media content that is both fun and educational. With engaging, smart, age-appropriate content and a fun, quirky setting, PBS KIDS GO! empowers kids to discover themselves, define the diverse world around them, explore new relationships and embrace a love of learning.  Pbskidsgo.org hosts sites from all PBS KIDS GO! series alongside unique destinations such as “EekoWorld” – an environment where kids create their own creatures and monitor them in the wild, and “It’s My Life” – a forum for kids to delve into the daily issues of school, family and friends. The PBS KIDS GO! Web site is also home to several PBS primetime companion sites, such as HISTORY DETECTIVES FOR KIDS, JAZZ, and AMERICAN EXPERIENCE’S WAYBACK.

PBS KIDS, for preschoolers, and PBS KIDS GO!, for early elementary school kids, offer all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, online and outreach programs. With positive character role models and content designed to nurture a child’s total well-being, PBS’s online and community resources – including PBS KIDS online (pbskids.org), PBS KIDS GO! online (pbskidsgo.org), PBS Parents (pbsparents.org), PBS Teachers (pbsteachers.org), PBS KIDS Raising Readers and literacy events across the country – leverage the full spectrum of media, technology and community to build knowledge, critical thinking, imagination and curiosity. Empowering children for success in school and in life, only PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! have earned the unanimous endorsement of parents, children, industry leaders and teachers. PBS is a nonprofit media enterprise owned and operated by the nation’s 356 public television stations, serving more than 115 million people on-air and online each month and reaching 99% of American homes. 

The Young Writers Program is a fun, free writing adventure for both teacher-led student groups and young solo scribes. On the YWP site at http://ywp.scriptfrenzy.org, these brave young writers will find all the resources they need for an unforgettable month of scriptwriting and creative exploration.The Young Writers Program website is completely separate from the Script Frenzy main site. YWP participants get to set their own page-count goals for April’s festival of scripts, and have the opportunity to make friends with other young writers around the world through our safe, private online message boards.The Script Frenzy Young Writers Program is broken into two phases. In March, they impart the basics of screenwriting and playwriting through weekly online lessons and exercises. It’s like an online scriptwriting boot camp (without the screaming drill sergeants): After only four weeks, participants will have written a three-minute play, movie, or TV show, learned about conflict and story arc, and become familiar with the arcane art of script formatting.Then on April 1, the Frenzy begins. Young writers will put their imaginations to the test by writing a script of their choosing in just 30 days. They can write with a partner or tackle the challenge by themselves. Either way, they’ll be encouraged throughout the month by the Young Writers Program staff and the group of scriptwriting experts who will stop by the site to offer their insights and advice in our Cameo section.At the end of the event, all participants will get a certificate for giving it a go. And those who reach their word-count goals will receive a special winner’s certificate and web icon. Not to mention the satisfaction of having spent an exhilarating month tackling an imagination-expanding, literacy-building creative challenge.Adult leaders will have access to a private Teachers Lounge on the site, where they can swap lesson plans and writing ideas. And all schools and libraries taking part will receive a free progress chart, and “Lights, Camera, Frenzy!” buttons.If you’re a kid or teen and would like to sign up, head on over to the Young Writers Program site!If you’re a parent, librarian, or teacher looking for something to get kids excited about reading and writing this spring, you’ve found it! In 2008, over 600 classrooms took part in the NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program for our sister event, National Novel Writing Month. Kids and teens who had once seen writing as a detestable chore came away from the event with a newfound love of books and writing. They invite you to explore our Script Frenzy Young Writers Program site, and feel free to drop them a line with any questions!

Script Frenzy is an international writing event in which participants take on the challenge of writing 100 pages of scripted material in the month of April. As part of a donation-funded nonprofit, Script Frenzy charges no fee to participate; there are also no valuable prizes awarded or “best” scripts singled out. Every writer who completes the goal of 100 pages is victorious and awe-inspiring and will receive a handsome Script Frenzy Winner’s Certificate and web icon proclaiming this fact.Even those who fall short of the word goal will be applauded for making a heroic attempt. Really, you have nothing to lose—except that nagging feeling that there’s a script inside you that may never get out.Who: You and everyone you know. No experience required.What: 100 pages of original scripted material in 30 days. (Screenplays, stage plays, TV shows, short films, and graphic novels are all welcome.)When: April 1 – 30. Every year. Mark your calendars.Where: Online and in person (if you want!). Hang out in the forums, join your fellow participants at write-ins, and make friends by adding writing buddies online.Why: Because you have a story to tell. Because you want a creative challenge. Because you’ll be disappointed if you missed out on the adventure. Because you need to make time for you.How: Sign up. Tell everyone that you are in the Frenzy. Clear your calendar. (US participants: Get your taxes done now!) Start some wrist exercises. Have fun!The 5 Basic Rules of Script Frenzy

1) To be crowned an official Script Frenzy winner, you must write a script (or multiple scripts) of at least 100 total pages and verify this tally on ScriptFrenzy.org.

2) You may write individually or with a partner. Writing teams will have a 100-page total goal for their co-written script or scripts.

3) Script writing may begin no earlier than 12:00:01 AM on April 1 and must cease no later than 11:59:59 PM on April 30, local time.

4) You may write screenplays, stage plays, TV shows, short films, comic book and graphic novel scripts, adaptations of novels, or any other type of script your heart desires.

5) You must, at some point, have ridiculous amounts of fun.

This fall, Arthur and his friends are back for a 12th season premiering Monday, October 6, 2008 on PBS KIDS GO! (check local listings). In all-new episodes, Arthur, D.W., Buster, and the whole gang learn the importance of getting out, getting active, and getting involved in their community. New episodes will air Mondays throughout the fall, with five additional episodes premiering in spring 2009.In “Room to Ride” (October 13), Lance Armstrong makes a special trip to Elwood City during an episode about the importance of bike safety and good citizenship. Worried that there aren’t enough safe roads to ride their bikes, Binky and his friends take to the streets to convince residents to vote for new bike lanes. When all hope seems lost, Lance gives Binky support and encouragement to never give up his cause. Boston’s Bike Czar, former Olympic Cyclist Nicole Freedman, lent her expertise developing this episode. Freedman was hired by Boston’s Mayor Thomas Menino in 2007 to help make the city more hospitable to bikes.“This fall is an especially crucial time for kids to learn the importance of voting and community involvement,” said Executive Producer Pierre Valette. “We’re so happy that Arthur and his friends–with the help of familiar faces like Lance Armstrong–continue to help bring awareness and understanding to kids about what’s going on in their world.”Additional episodes premiering this fall include “The Chronicles of Buster,” where Buster’s obsession with an epic film series on DVD starts to take a toll on his friendship with Arthur; “D.W.’s Stray Netikin,” where D.W. panics after a scary clown virus ruins the Read family computer; and “On this Spot,” where Arthur is thrilled to learn that the legendary Sitting Bull once passed through Elwood City–but wonders how he can get his friends to care more about local history than celebrity sightings.ARTHUR, based on Marc Brown’s best-selling books, is the highest rated weekday children’s series on PBS among children 6-11 (Source: For PBS, NTI Pocketpiece, October 2007-June 2008). ARTHUR has won numerous awards, including the George Foster Peabody Award, a BAFTA and six Daytime Emmys–four for Outstanding Children’s Animated Program. ARTHUR is produced by WGBH Boston and Cookie Jar Entertainment Inc. Executive producers are Pierre Valette (WGBH) and Toper Taylor (Cookie Jar), and Marc Brown (Marc Brown Studios). Directed by Greg Bailey.