Do Baby Videos Work?

Every parent wants their child to get a leg up and prepare early for their education. It is no surprise that the early childhood video market has exploded. But should you be showing your baby videos, and will this make them smarter? In a nutshell, the answer is no. While showing videos are not going to damage your child, do not expect it to be the panacea to make your child a genius. Certainly, showing videos at times are great to entertain your child, especially if it helps you grab a quick shower. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics actually suggests no television until age two, and even at that time to keep it to one to two shows a day and be really thoughtful about what they’re seeing.

Not surprising, the key for babies is interaction. Singing, dancing, playing, reading books, building blocks, anything you can think of. All of those things with a caregiver or sibling are priceless to their development, and television really isn’t. Again, it’s certainly not harmful in small bits here and there, but they’ve actually done tons of studies and have shown that that interaction is key to their development, simply something television doesn’t offer.

It is important to stress that you shouldn’t feel guilty here and there, but keep in mind that anything you can do to interact with your baby and be face-to-face with eye-to-eye contact is a lot more beneficial.