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When you have a toddler, sometimes you need a break. One of the easiest ways is to turn on the television, but there’s so much junk on that you need to be choosy.

PBS has a new show, called Super Why! which is a homerun for my 2.5-year-old daughter. Each episode starts with a problem in the “real world,” where the main characters encounter someone who needs help. The problem is always a life skill that a preschooler might encounter. For instance, one storyline was about a girl who kept knocking down a little boy’s block towers.

The Super Readers then use popular fairy tale stories to investigate a solution to the problem. In the storyline above, the answer was to make friends with the girl, something a preschool-aged child might have to do in real life. Along the way the TV viewer helps point out Super Letters that will eventually spell out the answer.

My daughter already loves letters and words, but this show really piques her interest. I can hear her trying to answer the questions, sounding out letters with the Super Readers (who use phonics when discussing words and letters), and having a lot of fun with the show. I love how the show encourages her to interact. The characters ask the viewer, Super You, what letters are on the screen, or what word might help change a situation.

Super Why! also teaches the reading of sentences using context. A word is “zapped” out of a sentence in each episode, and the viewer is asked which word might work in its place. Even better, they help the viewer figure out each word using phonetics or certain letters in the word. For example, “I think the word ‘good’ begins with the letter ‘g’.”

Besides teaching the alphabet with a cute new alphabet tune, the show teaches life skills. Toddlers and preschoolers learn valuable lessons like sharing, making friends, communicating with their peers, and more. The show is aimed at 3 to 5 year old children. So for now, my 2.5 year old loves to mimic the songs, dances, and letter sounds she hears.

I highly recommend it as a great way to pass the time while you’re at home with your little one. I even tape it each day, because my daughter often asks me if she can watch it again. This is one show I have no problem letting her view over and over again.

Tags: television, toddler