TotSmart®

Every child needs to learn how to read to be successful. But watching hours of entertainment television doesn’t contribute to school success. Score the questions below to measure your preschool child’s television viewing and reading readiness.

For each question, click on the button that applies:
Y = Yes         S = Sometimes         N = No

Next, click on the "Send" button to get the results. Look at your answers for each category.

	GREEN = GO. Green answers: your preschool child is practicing positive television and reading readiness habits.
	YELLOW = CAUTION. Yellow answers: take some time to review your preschool child’s television and reading readiness habits in these areas.
	RED = STOP. Red answers: think about changing your preschool child’s television and reading readiness habits in these areas.

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Every child needs to learn how to read to be successful. The groundwork for reading success is laid in the preschool years. Watching hours of entertainment TV does not contribute to school success, it hinders it. The time your preschool child spends watching TV could be used for reading or participating in other learning activities. Children learn media habits starting in their preschool years and need adult guidance to learn good habits. Educational TV programs (produced for their age group) are the best choice for preschoolers when they do see television.

Did You Know?

• Children as young as 14 months of age will imitate what they see on TV.
• Children spend more time watching TV than any other activity in their day except sleeping.
• A child’s preschool years are critical in forming their future TV viewing habits.
• The types of TV programs a preschool child watches make a lot of difference. For example, research shows that watching moderate amounts of educational TV can help build vocabulary, number and letter skills.
• For children where English is a second language, watching television can help them learn English.

Tips For A Smart Start

As your child starts school - kindergarten, first, and second grade - it’s important to keep up these good TV and reading readiness habits. Your child needs reading practice time to become a good reader.

1. Restrict the amount of TV your child watches to one or two hours per day.
2. Be careful of the content. Preschoolers should watch mostly educational TV programming.
3. Make sure an adult is reading to your child.
4. Have books in your home.
5. Visit the library with your child.
6. Start your child on the road to reading by helping him/her learn letter names and sounds.
7. Talk with your child, have conversations.