Brain and TV

U of Virginia studies: psychologists tested 4-year-old children immediately after they had watched nine minutes of SpongeBob SquarePants and found that their executive function (pay attention, solve problems and moderate behavior) had been severely compromised when compared to 4-year-olds who had either watched nine minutes of Caillou, (a slower-paced, realistic public television show) or had spent nine minutes drawing. Lead investigator, Angeline Lillard, suggests that parents consider these findings when making decisions about what to allow their young children to watch on TV – if they watch television at all. Since executive function is extremely important to children's success in school and in everyday life, she recommends that parents use creative learning activities, such as drawing, using building blocks and board games, and playing outdoors to help their children develop sound behaviors and learning skills.