It's always tempting to grab a few precious minutes of peace when your child gets absorbed in a favorite program, and that's fine. But don't miss out - watching Teletubbies together and seeing how your child reacts is not just great fun, it's also a shared imaginative experience which can enrich the rest of your time together.
Teletubbies is a two-way dialogue. A child enters their world, talks to and plays with them, almost as if they were toys or other children. Bumping bottoms, waving arms like the magic windmill and giggling along with the Teletubbies are all an essential part of the fun.
You may not immediately understand what's going on, or why your child is so enthralled. Adults often wonder how helpful the constant repetition, slow pace, baby talk and silly noises can be to a young child's development. But to a toddler, Teletubbyland is a world which they feel comfortable to enter and enjoy. The absence of adults - apart from the invisible narrator - is quite deliberate.
Everything about Teletubbies is geared to nurturing early childhood development by building children's confidence and encouraging their curiosity. The Teletubbies' play-language has been carefully crafted to tie in to a particular stage of emerging speech while the repetition of words encourages the development of vocabulary.
Adults can enhance this process by picking up on words which have featured in the program later, in an everyday context. Rich conversations often develop when adult or child points out something that is 'just like on Teletubbies'. And on a practical note, watching together will help you to be much faster in interpreting a child's first attempts to reproduce new words, whether it's 'Tubby Custard', 'Flag' or 'Scooter' - much less frustrating for all concerned.
All parents and caregivers need inspiration for new things to talk about and for new games to play. Each program provides plenty of both - from role playing and making Tubby Toast to dancing and singing. The short films about real children - which never fail to grab the audience's attention - are another source of inspiration.
Tips for watching Teletubbies with your tinies and toddlers
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Watching Teletubbies with your young child should be a shared experience, like reading a book together.
Prepare for it, make sure you and your child are comfortable and there for the start of the program. Anticipation is important.
You will have more fun if you watch your child watching. See how they react to certain sounds and visual effects... but still keep one eye on the program.
Viewing is not necessarily a silent activity. Talk with your child about what you are both seeing and encourage their comments as well.
Encourage your child to interact with the screen, wave, clap, join in with familiar songs, rhymes and catchphrases. Revisit rhymes and catchphrases at other times during the day.
When they are very young, children's concentration span is short. Teletubbies has moments built in which are designed to sustain a child's attention. A pause for a beat or the gurgle of the Baby Sun gives time for children to catch up, have their predictions confirmed and offer reassurance.
Encourage your child to guess what will happen next. Which Teletubby will pop down first at the end, or who will make the toast or find the ball? Celebrate their success!
Wherever possible make connections between the program and your child's own experiences both during the show and at other times of the day. For instance their tee shirt may be the same color as Laa-Laa.
But most of all ENJOY the shared time together!
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