Noisy isn't a word associated with Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, but ours certainly is a Neighborhood rich in sounds. Many of the sounds are musical -- soothing songs with helpful messages for children, rich jazz background music, and a variety of instruments played by world-class musicians or young students.

Typically, the sounds are calming, especially the warm, conversational tone of Mister Rogers' voice and those of his neighbors. But the Neighborhood also deals with noises that may be scary for young children, like thunder, the vacuum cleaner, and ambulance sirens...and deals with them in reassuring ways. Even when the Neighborhood sounds are noisy, they're controlled.

The Sounds of Silence

While the Neighborhood series offers lots of different kinds of sounds, its quiet is what most caregivers and parents appreciate. In fact, the most valuable "sound" in the Neighborhood programs may well be the "silence."

Have you noticed how often on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood there are no words or music? Then children have time and space to take in and reflect on what Mister Rogers has said or shown. It's the silence that helps children absorb and digest the Neighborhood messages. By offering silence, Fred Rogers is also saying to the viewer, "I respect what you bring to this. Your thoughts and feelings are important."

In Child Care

Sometimes child care settings can be especially noisy places! When children are playing and learning, it's natural for them to be noisy -- that's how they express themselves. Their "volume controls" aren't yet finely tuned. With your caring help, they can begin to be more aware of their own sounds and their own growing ability to control their level of noise. Little by little, they learn there's a time to be noisy and a time to be quiet -- a lesson that's important for school, for family, and for life.

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