There are several speculations about the advantages and disadvantages of TV. Some believe that the TV is an asset to this generation and the features now offered through a TV are exceptional however, others pretty much see the TV as a time-wasting and robbing device that is way more hassle than it is worth. When it comes to children watching TV, there are theories that TV exposes kids to negative aspects of life, collects all of their attention, and increases weight gain. However, although these factors can be considered, TV also offers several advantages to young children that are often overshadowed by negative concepts. Stay tuned as we explain the benefits of TV to a child.
Keeps them entertained
So, what is the main purpose of TV for everyone? For the entertainment of course. Therefore, children can be kept entertained for hours watching this device. Not only does this benefit them as it allows them to develop and realise their interests, but it also frees up some time for parents while they are preoccupied. Parents are busy characters and quite often, after picking their child up from school or childcare after work, they do require a bit of excess time to themselves to prepare dinner for the family, clean the house, or run a few errands. The child, after learning all day at school also deserves some downtime with the opportunity to watch TV, which keeps them content for a few hours after the school day. As long as parents know their boundaries and know when too much TV has been watched, this can be a rewarding and amusing few hours for the child without an overload of intake.
Increased learning
Some of the best children’s content can be found on live TV. Free of charge Freeview services are one of the benefits of TV as they offer channels such as CBeebies and Citv which offer a wide range of educational content. To access these channels, you will require a TV aerial, click here for any TV aerial installation inquiries. With a wide range of maths, literacy, art, sport, and world culture programmes, these channels provide children with additional learning facilities as well as entertainment. This would have been especially beneficial for children engaging in home learning during the lockdown phases of Covid-19. It is also a proven fact that children learn better through interactive learning, meaning that communication through the TV can be extremely helpful, especially for those who have trouble reading and writing in school.
Culture is understood
There are several children’s shows that highlight and portray diversity by showing different races and cultures, especially within animated TV shows. Alongside this, children watching can gain an insight into other parts and places within the world, meaning that different cultures can be understood and explored without the need to travel. It is especially important to teach kids about cultural and racial differences when they are young as they grow up to understand that diversity exists and is normal in the world that we live in.
Introduction to sports
When children are young, they are more or less likely to develop an interest in a sport. This is also encouraged by parents as they strive to ensure that their child will take a particular interest in an activity that can develop into a hobby. Some children take the dancing route, others have more of an interest in football, and others swim. As kids grow, one of the main benefits of TV is that it allows them to delve into the world of sports by viewing it on several different sports channels, this should assist them in developing a hobby.
Brings the family closer together
A common misinterpretation of TV viewing is that it pushes people into becoming more anti-social, and although this can be true to a certain extent, with kids it can be the opposite. When you have young kids, you can quite often find yourself watching their favourite shows and movies alongside them. That creates further interaction with your child as you can communicate with them throughout the screening time and take an interest in what they enjoy watching.
Cheap source of entertainment
Entertaining kids can be an expensive process, and the procedure of taking them out for the day to soft plays areas, the cinema, zoos, aquariums, etc can be a difficult and expensive experience. Sometimes, kids become extremely unsettled in the home and are at a loss for what they can do next, which can be frustrating to both them and the child. Most often, parents believe that they need to get out of the house however, a child can be kept content engrossed in a TV with a few hours of entertainment provided free of charge.
