Turning Snow Days Into Educational Experiences With Satellite TV

With such ridiculous winter weather lately, it's no wonder that more and more students are finding themselves stuck at home while yet another storm bears down. And while it might be traditional for parents to plop their young ones in front of the television for at least part of the day, it is important to think carefully about what programs you choose to allow and not allow. After all, this is an opportunity for learning, just as much as it is a day when going to school is not possible. It's definitely possible to make television viewing a lot more fulfilling than you'd expect.

Parents should recognize that things are different now that satellite tv is such a large part of entertainment in many households. After all, there's more than just a couple of channels featuring cartoons in the daytime amid a sea of soaps and news shows. Nowadays, children themselves have multiple channels to choose from for educational viewing. Whether it's Discovery Kids or the latest Disney offshoot, there are more and more options for watching smart programming that is intellectually stimulating.

For younger children, consider the benefits of a day with Baby TV rather than just countless cartoons or Kidz Bop records. On Baby TV, you have quite a few different shows to choose from. Best of all, it's like having satellite tv that spans the entire world, because Baby TV programs are picked from the best different children's shows around the world--and then translated into your language. After all, the Dutch are known for raising intelligent and engaged children, so it's definitely worth it to show your son or daughter a translated program that has been their go-to entertainment for ages.

Older children can also benefit from the intellectual stimulation of satellite tv instead of just tuning in to countless gossip shows or violent cartoons. With so many different channels to choose from, it should be easy to find something that is interesting, informative, and ties into your child's current schoolwork. Studying different cultures in history class? Then get on board with Travel or Discovery and check out their latest offering, which could be anything from a look at life in Greenland today or the exciting adventures of Anthony Bourdain while he eats his way through Argentina. And of course, there's always something on The History Channel that is worth paying attention to.

Not finding anything on that immediately grabs anyone's interest? That's one of the other major benefits of satellite tv. There is always something on demand that can also be accessed. Whether it's a compelling documentary that is age appropriate for your teenagers on HBO or something exciting, like an entire season of your youngster's favorite, "Dora the Explorer," there is literally a back catalogue big enough that even the worst snowstorm won't have you depleted of educational programming.

So the next time that puzzles and board games have lost their appeal and you aren't ready to sit through another marathon of favorite teenybopper movies, consider handing over the remote--with directions, of course--and allowing a day at home to turn into a day of learning, thanks to satellite tv.

By John R. Harrison

Bookmarks:

Please provide us with your opinion on this article: Your name: Comment:  Please register or login
Read all comments: 0