I was watching PBS Kids Sprout with my daughter yesterday when I saw an ad for PBSParents.org. Of course, I had to check it out. It has all kinds of advice for parents, and it contains activities, games, and even recipes that relate to your children’s favorite shows.
There are nine parents guides, as well as six tabs across the top of the page to help you navigate the site. Each section relates to parents and their children. There are tips on child development, how to talk to your children, and even a place where you can pose questions to psychologist Dr. Michael Bradley.
You can check out the television programs and schedule for PBS Kids and viewing tips to help keep your kids from watching too much television. There are suggestions on how to choose proper programming for your children. You can click the link to PBS Shop where you can purchase DVDs, books, toys, and other merchandise from your children’s favorite programs. There is a place under Issues and Advice where you can get ideas for books to share with your children depending on their ages.
Each category has a plethora of information for parents and their children. Under Fun and Games, you and your children can choose fun things to do that feature their favorite program characters. Play connect the dots with the Berenstain Bears or paint and color pages with Sagwa. Make lemur snacks from “Zoboomafoo” or Mexican popcorn featured on “Reading Rainbow.” Reading and Language helps parents relate reading to their children depending on age. Explanations of development, as well as suggestions for getting your children to enjoy reading, are available.
Sign up for a PBS Parents account and personalize your sign-in page. Choose your local PBS station, make a list of your kids’ favorite shows, and even sign up for the PBS Parents newsletter that is specific to your location.
PBSParents.org is a valuable source of information for parents. Whether your child watches PBS Kids programming or not, you as a parent can use the information on this site to help you communicate better with your children and give them the support they need to help them develop.
For more information, please visit PBSParents.org.