Children's shows that entertain and educate

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15: For parents who want to ensure their preschoolers get the most from their television viewing time, there are a number of shows designed to both entertain and educate this young audience. Here are a few of the options:

• Team Umizoomi, weekdays at 10am on Nickelodeon:

In this engaging animated series, bursting with colour, music and fascinating graphics, preschool viewers gain an early understanding of math concepts like counting, measuring and comparisons. In each episode, the tiny animated characters Milli, Geo and their pal Bot, use their impressive math skills to help real-life children solve problems. Milli wears a dress that can transform to match any pattern and often uses her pigtails as measuring tapes. Geo zips around on his super skates and wears a special shape belt that he uses to create needed objects and other items by breaking into song. Their sidekick, Bot, has a TV screen/computer in his belly via which the trio interacts with the child looking to solve a particular problem or situation. Kids can extend the learning experience online at the “Team Umizoomi” website www.nickjr.com/team-umizoomi.

• Between the Lions, weekdays at 2pm on PBS:

Little ones enjoy learning to read in this award-winning show built around a family of lions who run a library full of magical books.

Here, the characters come alive and words and letters sing and dance. Each episode addresses all the key areas of reading instruction, including phonics, fluency, vocabulary and text comprehension.  The show’s website is also loaded with games and activities. Visit: www.pbskids.org/lions.

• Dora the Explorer”, weekdays at 11am on Nickelodeon:

This landmark educational series has been a hit with children for more than a decade. The diminutive Dora, who is a seven-year-old Latina, embarks on a new trip or adventure with each episode, always in a quest to help someone in need, or to find something vital that has gone missing. Kind, tolerant and patient, Dora has a positive attitude toward everyone she meets, including the Grumpy Old Troll and the mischievous Swiper the Fox, who is constantly attempting to steal things from her. She is usually accompanied by her best friend, Boots, a monkey who wears nothing but his beloved red boots, which Dora helped him recover from Swiper one day. In their travels, they interact with their viewers, seeking their help to solve problems and teaching positive values along the way. Visit www.nickjr.com/dora-the-explorer.

• The Little Einsteins”, Saturdays, 6am and 6:30am on Disney Channel:

This educational series was designed to help children develop an early appreciation for art and music.

It achieves this by integrating famous works of art and classical compositions into the plots and adventures of the show’s lovable foursome of characters, Leo, June, Quincy and Annie. They all adore music and dance and they move around in Rocket, who is both their means of transportation and their friend. Rocket carries a collection of tools and other items the team uses to help them in their various missions.  The Little Einsteins also engage their viewers in an array of activities – singing, gesturing and inviting their help in solving problems and achieving their goals. The interactive website invites children to “engage their brains!”