This Tiger Helps Kids with all the Feels

My daughter loves to sing. She is quite the performer at age 3 and there is only so much “Old McDonald” I can take these days. So when I came across a show that incorporates thoughtful music into its educational messages, I was thrilled.

Lately we have been watching PBS’s Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. Here is the scoop on the show and why it’s one of our top picks.

The Show:

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, for preschool-aged children

Where We Watch:

TV (local PBS channel), online or download the free PBS KIDS Video App

The Gist:

Daniel is a 4-year old tiger who lives with his parents and little sister, Margaret. Each animated episode features a new situation or challenge that Daniel faces in his school, home or community. The show incorporates catchy songs and phrases that help support preschoolers’ social and emotional development. Most episodes end with clips of real kids, which helps link the animation’s messages to real-life situations.

Why My Kids Like It: 

My three-year old is obsessed with Daniel’s baby sister and loves to sing the program’s songs. My five-year old really connects with the show’s humor and laughs a lot while watching.

Why I Like It:

I really like the pace of the show which holds the attention of my three-year old while also entertaining my five-year old. Thanks to the catchy songs, my kids actually remember an episode’s lessons days after viewing it. Our whole family ends up humming the melodies throughout the day. Having kids’ songs stuck in my head usually drives me bananas, but these songs are very sweet and thoughtful. Most importantly, many of the program’s themes have helped my children deal with real life kid struggles like getting a shot at the doctor, learning to use the potty, or trying new foods.

Oh…and did I mention that the show is produced by Fred Rogers Productions? It was inspired by Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, which brings back some pretty sweet memories from my own childhood!  ---Marcie