(ARA) - Figuring out how much and what television is right for your child isn't too different from looking at what to feed your child. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents think of managing their children's television watching as they would their diet, because the amount of television has an impact on children's health, just like how much and what they eat does.

Children who watched educational television improved in reading-related skills such as phonics, phonemic awareness and vocabulary acquisition, according to a study by the Annenberg School for Communication Children's Media Lab at the University of Pennsylvania.

Children love to learn and pick up new facts, ask questions and generally want to know how things work. When possible, they eagerly seek answers for themselves by making observations, gathering data, identifying patterns, and forming generalizations - much like professional scientists do. This is why the right television show has proven to be beneficial.

The AAP (www.aap.org) suggests parents take advantage of the high-quality television that is available to their children. Here are some things to do before letting your kids plop down on the couch in front of the television:

* Preview shows
Parenting magazines and Web sites, such as PBSKids.org, often have previews of upcoming children's television shows. Find these and you can find high-quality programming for children.

* Talk to teachers
Preschool teachers that see your child in educational settings during the week can give guidance on types of programming that can help your child learn better. Educational programming can help children learn history, phonetics, language, science and how to use their imaginations.

* Use shows to nurture interests
Capturing and holding the attention of younger children can be challenging in the best of times, so television shows can be great tools to help reinforce important educational and social skills. Finding a television show that matches children's interests can help them build upon their love of a particular activity or hobby.

One new show that will be attracting the attention of kids and parents alike is "Dinosaur Train," created by The Jim Henson Company and airing on PBS Kids starting on Labor Day. The show features Buddy, a preschool-age Tyrannosaurus Rex. Children can join Buddy and his adoptive Pteranodon family on a voyage through prehistoric jungles, swamps, volcanoes and oceans as they unearth basic concepts in natural science, natural history and paleontology. Paleontologist Dr. Scott Sampson will help bring the show's natural history and science elements to life in live-action segments. To learn more about the show, visit www.pbskids.org/dinosaurtrain, where you will also find online games, activities and resources to help build off the shows' themes.

Buddy and his friends encourage kids to be inquisitive by comparing and contrasting dinosaurs, making a hypothesis and searching for the possible answers to questions like "Why do some dinosaurs walk on two legs while others walk on four?," "Why do some dinosaurs have horns?" and "Why can some dinosaurs fly?"

In addition to finding the right shows to watch, the AAP suggests parents read reviews of the shows their children want to watch, as well as watching the shows and discussing them with their children - which can lead to long-lasting benefits.

Courtesy of ARAcontent