More reason to read to your kids.

We all know how valuable story-telling sessions are. Reading to your young child is not just good for bonding and fun, it is also linked to better academic performance down the road. Now, researchers say reading is important for mastering language — particularly the English language.

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How much TV is too much?

The American Academy of Pediatrics has had a long-standing guideline on TV viewing for children. The AAP recommends no television for kids under age 2; and for kids 2 to 6 years old, television or computer time should be limited to no more than 2 hours per day.

In our house, we give our kids the two-hours per day media diet. Though admittedly, on weekends they get more screen time — since a movie is often one of our Saturday treats. My husband used to tell me the 2-hour a day rule was too stringent. To which I say, let’s take it from the experts.

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Watch it! Television food temptations are bound to be unhealthy.

Tune in on Nickelodeon and pay close attention to the food ads. In case you haven’t already noticed, most of these ads targeted to kids are promoting unhealthy food choices. About 80 percent of food ads on the Nick TV channel feature foods of poor nutritional quality, according to a survey by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) based in Washington.

It’s another challenge to hurdle, trying to get your kids to eat oatmeal for breakfast when those Froot Loops and other sugary cereals look so good on TV!

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Too much daytime/daycare TV?

A recent UPI report says children in home-based daycare centers watched television for an average 2.4 hours a day, while children in centers-based daycare watched for only 0.4 hours. That’s a big difference.

The study is worth looking into as majority of US preschoolers are typically in a day care situation. The findings are also worth considering if you are looking for quality daycare for your own child. And if your child already goes to daycare, do you know how much TV time she’s really getting?

Too much TV is not good for kids. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends no television for children below age 3. After age 3, they say children should only watch a maximum of two hours quality programming per day.

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Rocking out and rocking in school.

My kids, ages 5 and 3, share a battered boom box. It has blasted everything from Michael Jackson to Vampire Weekend and Putumayo Kids to They Might Be Giants. They enjoy singing and dancing along to all kinds of music. Apparently, there’s more to all this than a great workout and fun.

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Now Showing: Your Preschooler at the Movies!

Is your little one ready for that first movie date? If he’s past the age of 3, then maybe he’s ready for the cinema experience – complete with dark theatre, big screen and popcorn.

I say maybe because all kids are different. Some children this age can already focus more than an hour for a movie. Some cannot. Some will be bothered or fearful of odd-looking characters. Some may be fascinated. Age is a rough guide really, as much of this first foray into the theatre will also depend on your child’s temperament, interests and quirks.

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