7 TV Shows That Teach Literacy Skills

There is constant debate about screen time for children.  Some say no screen time, some say a little is okay.  If you are allowing your children to watch television, why not let it be educational?
Here are seven television shows your children can watch while learning to read.


1. Wally Kazaam  

Wally Kazaam is a fairly new show in Nick Jr. that made its broadcast debut early 2014.   The program is centered around a young troll named Wally Trollman.  Wally uses his magic stick to turn words into physical objects or occurrences.  The show goes over phonics and letter recognition.  Visit the Nick Jr. website for full episodes. 

2. Super Why! 
Each of the four main characters in Super Why have a literacy “power” that helps them solve a problem in every episode.  Princess Presto has spelling power, Wonder Red has word power (rhyming), Pig has letter power and Whyatt has the power to read.  Whyatt usually does sentence completion activities and changes the outcome of popular folk tales and stories.  This show is excellent for beginning readers as it covers letter recognition, phonics and spelling in a fun and entertaining way.

 

3. Word World

This 3-D animated series turns each character and object into a word.  You can see the spelling of each character and object in their design.  This show also covers both spelling and phonics.  When characters in the show want to have something, for example a pie, they search for the letters to “build a word” and once they have all the letters, they put them together and the object appears.  Most of the words that are built are spelled out. However the show also emphasizes on phonics.  One episode for example, focused on the “sh” sound, and centered around a shark who had a hard time making friends.  

4. Electric Company 
I mentioned this show in my post about classic TV shows that are streaming on Hulu and Amazon.  However there is also a new modern version that is currently airing on television.  The current version of The Electric Company has the same focus and goals.  The entertainment is geared toward a crowd older than Sesame Street that needs a boost in phonics.  One of my favorite clips is the song about silent “e.”

5. Word Girl
Word Girl, as implied by it’s title focuses on words and vocabulary.  Word Girl, who is an alien with super word powers was born on the fictional planet Lexicon.  Each segment begins with instructions for the viewers to listen for key words that will be used through the episode.  Words such as “diversion,” “cumbersome,” and “idolize” are introduced, defined and applied throughout the episode.   Although this show is geared towards children ages 6-9 older and younger children can appreciate it as well.


   

6. Martha Speaks
Martha Speaks is based on a children's book about a talking dog named Martha. This show focuses on tacking children vocabulary, and each episode has a theme that illustrates key words. Check out this short clip where the vocabulary focus is on the "characteristics."
  

7. Sesame Street

No children's show list would be complete without this classic.  Parents who watched the show as children probably remember that each episode was “brought to you by the letter "E" and the number "3”  now in addition to letters and numbers, they also have a segment called the “Word on the Street” that helps children define more complicated vocabulary words.   Always current, fun and entertaining, Sesame Street continues to be the standard in educational television.  

Also do not forget, when you child is watching any TV show or movie, turn on closed captions, this aids in reading skills.  

Do your children watch any of these shows?  Are there other educational shows that you watch that are not listed here? Please share.

Ubongo Kids: A Kiswahili Cartoon That Teaches Math and Science

Last week I learned about a very cool web cartoon that teaches children math and science concepts.  The videos are in Kiswahili, however most of the videos enable English subtitles.  Last week my daughters watched three of the webisodes with English subtitles turned on.  Yesterday while we were driving, listening to a song about even and odd numbers, my oldest interjected, "Mommy 3 is an odd number and a prime number."  I asked her where she heard of prime numbers, since I haven't yet introduced this concept and she replied "Ubongo Kids." 



The short animations are very cute and I love that she likes them.  Kids can get exposure to math as well as a foreign language!

Check out this episode, make sure to turn on the subtitles.

8 Classic, Kid-Friendly Black Shows That are Streaming on Hulu and Amazon

The beauty of the internet and current technology is that once a TV show goes off the air, it does not mean it is gone forever. In addition to purchasing the DVD’s of entire seasons, individual episodes also stream through on demand services like Amazon's Prime Instant Video and Hulu. Amazon Prime members are able to stream videos for free and others are available for purchase. What I love about Amazon Prime Instant video, is that there are no commercials. Hulu has free video as well as videos available to paid members through Hulu Plus. However there are still commercials, except for the children's programming.
  
1. Little Bill, Prime Instant Video

   

Little Bill was based on Bill Cosby's Little Bill book series, set in Philadelphia[and featured Bill Jr. learning a lesson or moral in each episode. It was developed through research and in consultation with a panel of educational consultants. The show also aired on television from 2000-2007

 2. Gullah Gullah Island, Prime Instant Video

   

Gullah Gullah Island was a musical children's television series that on the Nickelodeon from 1994-1998. I honestly had not heard of the show, but as I was skimming thought shows via Amazon, I discovered this little jewel. The show was inspired by the Gullah culture from St. Helena Island, South Carolina, part of the Sea Islands.

3. Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, Prime Instant Video, Hulu

   

Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids was created, produced, and hosted by Bill Cosby, who also voiced a number of characters, including Fat Albert himself. The show premiered in 1972 and ran until 1985. The show features an educational lesson in each episode, emphasized by Cosby's live-action segments.

 4. Jackson 5ive, Prime Instant Video, Hulu

   

The Jackson 5ive was produced from 1971-1972. Brought to you by Motown, the cartoon was a fictionalized portrayal of the careers of The Jackson 5. Although I did not grow up watching this cartoon, it is worth a re-watch just to hear those classic songs.

5. Reading Rainbow, Prime Instant Video

   

Reading Rainbow aired on PBS from 1983- 2006. The show encouraged children to read and fostered a love of reading in children across the nation. Each episode centered on a theme from a book, which was explored through a number of segments or stories. The show also featured children giving book recommendations which was my favorite part. Although Levar Burton has recently been in the news for reviving Reading Rainbow on the web, classic throwback episodes can be viewed online.

6. The Electric Company (Classic 1970’s version), Prime Instant Video, Hulu

  

The Electric Company was a children's television show was intended for elementary aged kids who had moved on from Sesame Street. The original cast included stars like Bill Cosby, Morgan Freeman and Lee Chamberlin. The show aired on television from 1971-1977. The goal of the show was to address increasing reading failure among American schoolchildren by teaching second, third, and fourth graders basic phonetics and grammar concepts through the use of comedic skits, word play, songs, and cartoons The style of the show drew inspiration from Motown, Broadway, Vaudeville, and "Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In." There is currently an updated, more modern version of the show that is currently broadcasted on PBS as well as Amazon Instant Video and Hulu. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHWvcUjDbsg?rel=0]

7. The Cosby Show Hulu Plus

 

  I think I jumped for joy when I saw that Hulu Plus offered all 8 seasons of this classic family show. All 8 seasons! I love and grew up watching the Cosby Show, so it is a classic I will pass down to my children. All eight seasons are available through Hulu Plus 

  8. A Different World Hulu Plus

  

 A Different World aired for six seasons on NBC from 1987 – 1993. The spin-off from The Cosby Show would typically address issues that were avoided by The Cosby Show writers such as race and class relations, the Equal Rights Amendment, or even HIV/AIDS. Another classic to share with a teenage son or daughter. It may even encourage them to go to college. All six seasons are available through Hulu Plus  

Do you subscribe to any on demand streaming services? What shows do you watch? Do you watch any shows online with your kids? Please share.

Happy Birthday Sesame Street!

Today, November 10, 2014 marks the 45th anniversary of the very first episode of Sesame Street, a show that I grew up on and still is relevant today for my own children.  Sesame Street  has always been known for it’s celebrity appearances, which is one way they try to encourage parents to watch the show with their children.  Below are some of my favorite celebrity appearances.

Ray Charles delivers my favorite version of the alphabet, unique and original, you can bob your head and tap your foot to it.  

Tito Puente shows that even grouches can be moved by good music!

Usher get’s us moving with ABC vocabulary.

Stevie Wonder gives Grover a little musical lesson 

Coming This Fall-Two Family Friendly Films Starring Black Girls with Curly Hair

As if we were not anxious enough for the Christmas release of Annie starring Quvenzhané Wallis and Jamie Fox, Dreamworks has just announced a new film titled Home that is set to be released in November of this year.

The synopsis is as follows:

When Earth is taken over by the overly-confident Boov, an alien race in search of a new place to call home, all humans are promptly relocated, while the Boov get busy efficiently reorganizing the planet. But when one resourceful girl, Tip, (Rihanna) manages to avoid capture, she finds herself the accidental accomplice of a banished Boov by the name of Oh (Jim Parsons). Equally stubborn and set in their ways, these two fugitives realize there’s a lot more at stake than intergalactic relations as they embark on the road trip of a lifetime. Good thing they have a flying car.


I am very exited to see this in the theaters as well as the new Annie remake.  Add to that Doc Mc Stuffins is embarking upon a 3rd season and I would say little brown girls and their parents have a lot to smile about.

Vocabulicious - Sesame Street Podcast That Teaches Vocabulary to Toddlers and Pre-Schoolers

When I was young I remember Sesame Street teaching me the letter and number of the day.  Well as I have been watching children's programming along with my daughters, I have come to notice one thing: everyone has stepped their game up!  It seems that almost every show that children watch today attempts to infuse some aspects of early math or literacy.  One program that will always remain a classic is Sesame Street.  I love that they have short ten minute podcasts that highlight new and engaging ways to teach children vocabulary.

In each episode Murry interviews people in the city regarding a new vocabulary word.  Then another Muppet usually interacts with a celebrity as they explore what that word means to them.  Mixed in are some classic clips from past Sesame Street episodes that apply to the word of the day.

 

The episodes are always entertaining and they allow for further conversation with the child's parent regarding each word.  I love that they are FREE to download and can be added to your child's portable tablet, watched from your computer, or burned to a DVD.  For up to date videos, subscribe to the Sesame Street Podcast on iTunes.