How to Choose Appropriate Cartoons for Your Children
Cartoons can provide hours of entertainment for children and adults alike, but it’s important to choose cartoons wisely. It’s not always easy to know which cartoons are age-appropriate or even beneficial for your child.
To make sure you pick the right cartoon for your little one, here are some helpful tips. Following these steps should help you choose appropriate cartoons that both entertain and educate your children!
Ensure Representation
Representation of all kinds of people should be paramount when selecting entertainment for children to view. If a kid sees cartoon characters with glasses they’ll be more likely to realize how normal it is to wear them.
It is essential that young viewers see people who look like themselves and their friends represented in the media, whether it’s in terms of race, gender, class, or other aspects of identity.
Many classics such as Peter Pan or Cinderella have been criticized for their lack of diversity – if we want to ensure that our kids are seeing themselves on screen in a positive light, then more thought has to go into choosing cartoons that reflect the diversity that exists in our world. Only by actively making an effort to include everyone can we hope to share the stories and experiences of all people with our kids.
Consider Their Age
When considering the age of children when deciding what cartoons to watch, it is important to find content that is suitable for their age group. Age-appropriate cartoons not only support positive values and language usage but help foster development with stories and characters reinforcing positive cognitive and social behavior.
Understanding age brackets and the sensitive topics that must be considered can guide adults to appropriate cartoon selections. Knowing which ones are best suited for each age bracket enables adults to make informed decisions about which cartoons can best facilitate healthy learning in kids.
Check Ratings and Reviews
Checking ratings and reviews can be a great way to ensure that the content is high-quality. With so many options available today, ranging from educational to purely entertainment-focused ones, these can give an indication of the overall quality of cartoons, as well as how appropriate they are for children.
Reading through different perspectives helps show what types of themes and topics may be covered in the cartoon, as well as any potential dangers or tricky situations children might encounter watching them. Ultimately, ratings and reviews should be used as just one tool when deciding on which cartoons children should watch – it’s important to also consider the child’s own preferences too.
Look For Positive Messages
It’s important to look beyond surface-level entertainment and consider the messages being taught. You should always strive for positivity when introducing children to cartoons, and think about how you can make sure that these stories are sending a positive message. Here are some essential ones that must be included:
- Honesty
- Kindness
- Respect
- Inclusivity
- Problem-solving
- Perseverance
- Teamwork
- Positive self-image
With careful selection and critical analysis, parents can ensure that their children are exposed to wholesome characters and inspiring storylines which will teach them valuable life lessons. It’s important to be mindful of the content, so take the time to thoroughly evaluate each cartoon before deciding if it would be an appropriate choice.
Avoid Violence
Watching cartoons is a time-honored pastime for children, but it is important to be mindful of the messages they are receiving while they enjoy these programs. Try to steer away from violence and instead emphasize positive values such as friendship, respect, and problem-solving.
Help them understand that there will always be difficult decisions in life but using aggression towards others should be avoided at all costs. Lead by example by choosing non-violent shows for children to watch, as well as engaging in conversation about why violence is never an appropriate answer or solution.
Check the Language and Tone
Checking the language and tone of cartoon content helps ensure that children are being exposed to the appropriate subject matter. Experts state that understanding this concept can help parents guide their child’s viewing choices.
This can involve paying attention to any dialogues exchanged between characters, as well as if a cartoon has an underlying moral or message. Of course, cartoons can still be enjoyable and entertaining while following the appropriate guidelines – you just have to take the time to check out its language and tone first!
Find Educational Content
Cartoons are a perfect chance for your kids to learn something while being entertained. Finding educational content can be daunting, especially when dealing with cartoons. However, by using the variety of resources available these days, it becomes quite easy to make sure that the content being used is age-appropriate and truly educational.
Do your research and make sure to consult reviews from other parents and trusted sources before deciding on the cartoon. With just a bit of effort, you can be confident that you’re choosing a good show that will not only keep the kids entertained but also provide them with valuable learning opportunities.
Watch the Cartoon First
When it comes to choosing cartoons suitable for children, there is no better way than to watch them first. Researching ratings and reviews of shows can be helpful but nothing beats actually viewing the cartoon yourself. This way, you can make sure that the content is age-appropriate and that everything conforms to your own family’s standards.
Watching a show before allowing children to view it can help create an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. So if you are looking for a safe and quality cartoon, take some time to actually watch the cartoon first!
For example, “Hey Arnold!” is a great show that teaches kids about important values such as friendship and respect. Other cartoons like “Gravity Falls” feature relatable characters who end up learning valuable lessons while embarking on thrilling adventures.
Choosing the right cartoons for your children is a big responsibility, especially when taking into consideration all of the above points. Parents want to keep their children safe and provide them with healthy mental stimulation, so it’s important to pick cartoons that align with these goals as best as possible.
Do your research by reading reviews and checking ratings, watching episodes before letting your children watch them, and looking for positive messages and representations that work for everyone in your family. With this approach and a bit of discretion, you’ll be able to find great options that can both entertain and educate your kids!
