I’m not surprised that the Brainy Baby company is cranking up its PR machine to make sure we all know about a new study in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Children and Media. Researchers have found that eighteen to twenty four-month-olds can learn to identify a shape from the popular DVDs. After all, the Brainy Baby executives want to keep their sales numbers up in the face of growing skepticism about the benefits of baby videos. I wasn’t surprised by the study’s results either. Why wouldn’t a video lesson teach toddlers to recognize a shape?
The question is not whether baby DVDs can teach. Of course, they can. The more important questions are, “What else are they teaching?” and, “Aren’t there better ways for children to learn without unintended negative consequences?“ My objection to baby media has never been about content. Who can quarrel with shapes, colors, and music? My problem is that these products are wiring babies’ brains to orient to electronic screens before they can even walk or utter their first words. Moreover they are wiring the tiny brains to expect a steady diet of electronic entertainment.
Which is a richer experience? A baby watching a DVD about shapes or a baby handling, mouthing, building and matching real shapes while talking laughing and snuggling with a caring adult? No contest as far as I’m concerned.
Kids will be mesmerized by screens soon enough. Let’s pay more attention to giving them as much real world learning as possible.