Preschool Clues: Raising Smart, Inspired, and Engaged Kids in a Screen-Filled World

by Angela C. Santomero, Deborah Reber, Daniel R. Anderson (Foreword by)

Overview

The award-winning creator of Blue’s Clues, Super Why!, and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood shares the secret sauce behind her shows’ powerful, transformative results in the form of eleven research-based, foundational “clues” to ensure that preschoolers flourish academically, socially, and emotionally during this critical time.

The preschool years—when children are between the ages of two and five—are the most influential, important years in a child’s life. Studies show that pausing to interact, playing to solve problems, diffusing with humor, and using repetition are the hidden clues conscious parents use to raise successful kids and help them learn critical thinking skills, foster empathy, and nurture their sense of self-worth.

Angela C. Santomero, MA, the award-winning creator of children’s television phenomena knows this better than anyone and has spent decades working to instill confidence in her young viewers. In Preschool Clues, she breaks down the philosophy behind her shows—educating, inspiring, and empowering kids—into concrete strategies that parents and educators can incorporate into their family and classroom to set their preschoolers up for success, such as:

-Intentionally pausing to foster bonding, independence, and resilience
-Developing empathy and confidence through soliciting preschoolers’ help
-Becoming “fluent” in the language of preschoolers: Play
-Igniting your preschooler’s curiosity
-Being an involved co-player everyday
-Designing a healthy media diet

In Preschool Clues, Angela shares the latest research from top thinkers in child development and education. Through her practical, straightforward advice and inspiring, conversational approach, you will not only understand exactly what your children are learning from the shows they watch and why these shows are so effective, you’ll know exactly how to apply these same proven approaches in your daily life and with the same powerful results.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781501174339
Publisher:	Touchstone
Publication date:	04/03/2018
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Described by Joanne Rogers as “a modern day Fred Rogers,” Angela Santomero is the cocreator of Blue’s Clues and the creator of Super Why!, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Creative Galaxy, and Wishenproof. Her work has been cited in numerous publications including Malcolm Gladwell’s bestseller, The Tipping Point. She lives in New York with her husband, daughters, and their two dogs. Her first book is Preschool Clues.

Deborah Reber’s teen books include Doable, Language of Love, Chill, In Their Shoes, and Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: The Real Deal. She is also the founding editor-in-chief for Heart of Gold, an online destination for teen girls passionate about entrepreneurship, social activism, and volunteerism. She recently moved to Amsterdam with her family. Find out more at DebbieReber.com.

Table of Contents

Foreword ix

Note from the Author xiii

Guilt: Introduction xv

Watch, Learn, Know

Watch: The Big Question 3

Should preschoolers be watching television at all?

Learn: Building Your Healthy Media Diet 9

Watch TV, not too much, make it interactive and educational

Know: Laying the Groundwork 25

Inspire our preschollers to learn and grow

Play, Pause, Repeat

Clue #1 Play 39

Playing Opens the Door to a Preschooler's World

Clue #2 Pause 63

Pausing Helps Preschoolers Find Their Voice

Clue #3 Repeat 83

Repetition Leads to Learning and Mastery

Think, Resolve, Respect

Clue #4 Think 105

Unlocking the Genius Within

Clue #5 Resolve 121

Conflict Develops Grit, Coping Skills, and Strategies

Clue #6 Respect 142

Respectfully Communicating Builds a Preschooler's Self-Worth

Help, Model, Observe

Clue #7 Help 167

Asking Preschoolers "Will You Help Me?" Develops Empathy and Confidence

Clue #8 Model 187

Modeling Shapes Our Preschooler's Behaviors and Experience

Clue #9 Observe 205

Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary Can Spark Our Preschooler's Passion

Laugh, Sing, Celebrate

Clue #10 Enjoy 227

Singing and Laughing Makes Parenting Easier

Clue #11 Celebrate 246

Celebrating Small Things Grows Preschoolers' Sense of Optimism and Intrinsic Motivation

Epilogue 265

Notes 269

Acknowledgments 277

Index 283

Editorial Reviews

12/18/2017
In this practical and research-based guide, Santomero, Blue’s Clues cocreator and creator of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and other children’s TV shows, helps parents of preschoolers understand how to use media effectively and age appropriately. The book is divided into five parts, with an introductory section focusing on the importance of learning in the preschool years. Santomero addresses the “elephant in the room” immediately and head-on, namely, should preschoolers watch any TV at all? Her answer is yes, as long as it is interactive, educational, and “not too much.” In subsequent chapters Santomero presents 11 “clues” to help maximize preschoolers’ learning potential. For example, in a section entitled “Play, Pause, Repeat,” she explains how playing is the preschooler’s work, how pausing “helps preschoolers find their voice,” and how repetition enhances learning and enables skill acquisition. Although Santomero is an “educational media advocate,” she clearly values time spent away from screens, and the book is jam-packed with activities parents can share with their children—some inspired by Blue’s Clues or Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, others based on Santomero’s knowledge of preschool education. Parents will find plenty of fresh ideas for raising “smart, inspired, and engaged” preschoolers in this wise and enthusiastic text. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"Angela is carrying on Fred's legacy with her work in children's media — like a modern day Fred Rogers." – Joanne Rogers

“Angela Santomero is a bigger showrunner than Vince Gilligan, David Milch, and Judd Apatow combined — to a kid. The creator of Blue Clues, Super Why!, Creative Galaxy — and yes, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood — is the driving force behind the best educational programming for children.” –Fatherly.com

“In this practical and research-based guide, Santomero, Blue’s Clues cocreator and creator of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and other children’s TV shows, helps parents of preschoolers understand how to use media effectively and age appropriately... Parents will find plenty of fresh ideas for raising “smart, inspired, and engaged” preschoolers in this wise and enthusiastic text.”—Publishers Weekly

"Leave it to the genius behind Blue’s Clues and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Angela Santomero to translate her knowledge of child development research into the ultimate parenting book. It includes guiding principles and hundreds of easy and fun everyday activities parents and teachers can use to raise children to be thoughtful, caring and truly engaged learners!”—Ellen Galinsky, author of Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs

“Angela Santomero reveals the elements that make her shows both entertaining and educational, and clues parents to do the same in their everyday moments with young children.”–Joanna Faber and Julie King, authors of How To Talk So Little Kids Will Listen

“Children are active and children are curious. Angela Santomero, who has harnessed their curiosity with brilliant children’s television, has brought her creative instincts and solid developmental science to bear on how we can join and parent children in their world which so seamlessly spans the physical and the digital. With this active verb-driven, warm and humorous guide, she offers clues to understanding and enjoying our young children while directing their endless energy toward their best selves."—Michael Rich, MD, The Mediatrician Director, Center on Media and Child Health (CMCH), Boston Children's Hospital Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School

“Fans of Blue’s Clues and Santomero’s other popular children’s shows will enjoy her practical advice and conversational tone. Educators and parents will likely find a takeaway or two in this breezy, informative read.”—Library Journal

“[Santomero] incorporates numerous examples of day-to-day interactions with toddlers as well as handy charts and bulleted lists that get to the heart of each chapter, condensing the important information into bite-size bits for the busy parent... An entertaining and educational analysis of how toddlers learn."—Kirkus

From the Publisher

2018-02-05
A children's TV programming creator shares her insights into how toddlers learn.The co-creator of Blue's Clues, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, and other educational programs, Santomero explains the methods and approaches behind the shows that she and her colleagues have created. Early on, she acknowledges the significant influence of Fred Rogers of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and how that show prompted her to create her own engaging, entertaining, and educational storylines for children. She breaks down episodes of Blue's Clues so parents can understand the dynamics of the show and how toddlers learn from it. "The single most important factor in ensuring children become successful, productive, happy adults isn't the quality of their education or how high they score on an IQ or achievement test—it's what happens during a child's preschool years…hands down. This is a high-stakes game. Luckily, preschoolers are also the cutest and funniest human beings on the planet." Researchers believe that 90 percent of a child's brain development occurs by age 5, so Santomero explains why play, repetition, and pausing long enough for a child to formulate answers are so important. She incorporates numerous examples of day-to-day interactions with toddlers as well as handy charts and bulleted lists that get to the heart of each chapter, condensing the important information into bite-size bits for the busy parent. Resolving conflicts, showing respect for others, convincing toddlers to help around the house, and modeling good behavior are just a few of the topics Santomero and her team cover through the creative use of a puppy named Blue and a tiger named Daniel. The author alleviates the fear of oversaturation by helping parents understand that these specific shows are actually beneficial to the child, not just mindless fluff that suck up time.An entertaining and educational analysis of how toddlers learn and why specific TV shows are actually useful for preschoolers.

Kirkus Reviews