Spoonful of TV (CBeebies)

Member Name: JohnCleese

Product:	CBeebies
Date:	11/07/08 (131 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Your children can watch it all day long

Disadvantages: Your children can watch it all day long

Cbeebies is a great channel if you take it in moderation (as with everything in life - wise man deep down in me says). I see it is becoming an issue for many families as they use it as a mild tranquilizer for their children. We are all against it (on the paper) but in reality many of us cannot bear the pressure of bringing up children without help of remote control.

If you have resorted to the TV to help you calm down the children than Cbeebies is the best possible option. Not because it has calming effects to children but because quality of programmes is really high. Especially if you compare it with other (commercial) channels for children.

I like the fact that there is always a lot of music, colours, action. All the things children of that age (0 - 5, I would say) enjoy watching. I cannot rate programmes very much from my own experience as I am far from that age group. I'll tell you what my son likes/liked during his first few years of TV watching.

The favourite ones, up to my sons second year, were Fimbles, Tikkabilla, Tweenies, Big Cook Little Cook. I think Big Cook , Little Cook is done very cleverly and teaches children some important things through music, dance and cooking!

Later on, In the Night Garden was the hit. It seemed nonsensical to me that plot, dialogues, music were almost the same in every episode. I was amazed how children like repetitive things. They enjoy watching something they saw before and can predict what will happen.

Now, as a 4 year old he is more into Charlie and Lola (great storylines with a healthy dose of humour), Nina and the Neurons (science for children, very well done, exciting experiments), 64 Zoo Lane (Lucy lives next to the Zoo and every night animals from the Zoo join her to tell a story).

If I have to single out one programme as the best one I would vote for Something Special. Actor Justin Fletcher as Mr Tumble covers various topics (weather, food, clothes, colours...) in interactive and visual way using signing language called Makaton. It helps children with communication problems in early stages of their life. The best thing is that it is as well engaging and fun for any child. Very simple format and all children like it. I have heard that many children learned signing language watching this programme although it was not necessary for them to use it.

Cbeebies - It seems that nobody remembers how was life before it was invented. That's all about Cbeebies from me.
... and now something completely different ...

Summary: Take it in moderation whatever the age you are