- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- babies today articles
- babies today q&a
- toddlers today articles
- toddlers today q&a
- breastfeed.com articles
- breastfeed.com q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Behind the Scenes at Blue's Clues
Meet Two Moms Who Make It Happen
By Belinda Clarke
And that, in fact, is one of the main features that help make this groundbreaking program so unique. In every episode, the host works both with Blue and with the audience members to help solve the riddle. "The goal from the outset was to create a problem-solving format that would incorporate and promote the kindergarten readiness skills, that is what kindergartners would need to know when they entered preschool," says Santomero. "In addition to those skills, which include matching, sorting, patterning and sequencing, we wanted to make sure that the viewers would have the opportunity to play an active role in the show with verbal participation."
"By incorporating silent pauses into the show after the questions are presented, we realized we could ask the audience what they thought and literally wait for them to answer out loud to the television," says Santomero. "Preschoolers are like sponges absorbing information, who can't wait to share what they know." The result is a one-of-a-kid program that not only involves the preschool viewers but also actually asks their opinions and waits for a response.
With degrees in child psychology and TV production and child development, respectively, both Santomero and Johnson have worked to incorporate as much cognitive learning as possible into each episode. By learning through play in the form of a fun riddle presented at the beginning of the show, viewers are taught to use deductive reasoning by putting three clues together to solve the problem. Through design and what Johnson describes as "yummy" colors and textures, the program aims to inspire viewers and help them learn in a creative way. "Each room has its own soothing color scheme and contains stuff you want to touch," says Johnson. "Our goal was to create an organic, textural experience that's reminiscent of a graphic picture book, both in a home setting and outside."
Through the course of the show, as the audience is gathering information necessary to solve the puzzle, they learn to incorporate daily activities and objects as the tools for learning. One example is an episode in which the viewers are asked to help plan a birthday party for Blue. From deciding how to pattern the sprinkles on the cake to determining how many guests to invite to the party, the viewers are honing their critical thinking skills and having fun at the same time. Another episode, "Backyard Ball Bonanza" illustrates the benefits of teamwork and an appreciation for family dynamics.
Want to see more?
Comments
There are no comments for this article yet.Be the first to 
|
Post As:
|
||
| Enter your comment below: | ||
| Title | ||
| Comment Text | ||
| CAPTCHA | ||
| Please note that any comments submitted become the property of Disney Family / iParenting and can be edited and posted at our discrection. | ||