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Repetition provides opportunity for mastery. Young children love to experiment, testing their experience by doing things Viewing Teletubbies together can be a wonderful opportunity again and again. for you to share the joy of first discovery through your grandchild's eyes. Multiple stages of language are included in every episode, from normal adult speech to preschoolers describing Teletubbies is crafted with the knowledge that little children their world to the Teletubbies’ play-language. The Teletubbies watch television in a radically different way than older children emulate the stage of emerging speech that we hear as a and grown-ups. Rather than use direct instruction, which baby’s first attempts at forming words, while children in the would be appropriate for older children, Teletubbies video segments provide a model for the next step and the adult seamlessly integrates cognitive concepts like shapes, colors, voice encourages the kind of repetition of words that helps opposites, spatial awareness (e.g., near/far, next to, etc.), vocabulary development. sets, counting, size, and sequence. Everything about Teletubbies nurtures young viewers confidence and encour- Humor, especially the kind of silly sounds and gentle ages their curiosity. slapstick appropriate for toddlers, makes learning fun and serves as a way to demonstrate understanding. Children who A celebration of play and imagination, Teletubbies segments laugh when something is out of place know the way things are are designed as age-appropriate games for toddlers, supposed to be. Otherwise they wouldn't get the joke. presenting real people and fantasy adventures - just like a child encounters real people and stuffed animals. Short films about real children give young viewers a To understand how it’s done, look for these design chance to explore elements: parts of the world beyond their own Pauses leave time for prediction and participation. For homes and families. example, notice the time between hearing a familiar sound And children love and the appearance of the character associated with that watching other sound. The pauses leave time for young viewers to say the children. answer before it is given on screen, allowing a child to stay one step ahead of the Teletubbies and giving them a sense of accomplishment. Predict Which Teletubby will pop up last or who will try on Viewing Teletubbies is not a silent activity. When you watch the hat next? Correct predictions indicate knowledge. For with your grandchild and help them interact with the program, example, when a child knows which Teletubby comes next their learning is amplified and their bonds with you are because the Teletubbies are popping up in size order, it means strengthened. the child is seeing size relationships and patterns. When three Teletubbies have appeared and children know which one will Join the conversation Talk about what you are both pop up next, they understand that there are four in a full set of seeing and encourage comments. When the Teletubbies say Teletubbies and they know which one is missing. For grown- “hello”, wave and say “hello”. When the Voice Trumpet asks ups, this seems simple, but for toddlers, recognizing sets, size, a question, repeat it and invite your grandchild to answer. Ask sequence, and patterns are important cognitive concepts. your grandchild, “What do you see?” Role play Make a game of imitating the things that the Count Whenever the Teletubbies count, join in. As you go Teletubbies or the children in the video segment did. through your day, count other things together, like how many bites it takes to finish a cracker or how many scoops it takes to Make connections Wherever possible make connections fill a bucket with water. between the program and your grandchild’s own experiences both during the show and at other times of the day. For Point and name Help your grandchild instance point out if their pajamas are the same color as Dipsy to learn the names of the (green), or if you are doing some of the things that the children things they see in the program’s video segment did, or if you are cleaning up on screen (e.g., a spill like the Noo-noo. “Look, Po has a scooter! A scoot- Celebrate discoveries and accomplishments with a er.” Invite your BIG HUG Every Teletubbies segment ends with a big hug. grandchild to The hugs provide comfort that helps ease the disappointment repeat the word.) of transitions (the game is over and I don’t want it to be…Big Hug!), or celebrates a new discovery (look, I found what I was looking for…Big Hug!). Tinky Winky® Dipsy®
Laa-Laa® Po®
Meet the Teletubbies Noo-noo Voice Trumpet Bumping tummies, giggling, imitating, falling down, and joining in the games are all an essential part of the fun of Teletubbies. You and your grandchild can play along:
Predict To grown-ups, prediction is a thinking skill, but to young children, it is a game. So ask your grandchild what they think is going to happen next.
Dance Many episodes include the Teletubbies doing a dance. Getting up and moving with them helps children build muscles, coordination, and balance. Plus, it’s fun!
Follow the Voice Trumpet’s lead For young children, following instructions can be like playing follow-the-leader. So, for example, if the voice coming from the Voice Trumpet says “Going up,” raise your hands up above your head and if it says “Going down,” put them down.
Treasure Hunt Find something in your home that you saw in the program. Is there a ball like Laa-Laa’s? Something purple like Tinky-Winky?
Make up a story about the Teletubbies Where did they go when the program ended? What might they do tomorrow? What will they see next on their video screens? Make upyourownTeletubbies dance up balance. Theideaistohavefuntogether or your grandchilddoesn’ if ward, up/down,front/back,etc.).Don’t worry ment, nameeachstepasyougo(e.g.forward/back- To develop- helpwithspatialconceptandvocabulary dler candoandremember. you haveconstructedaTeletubbies dancethatatod- and soon.Bythetimeyouhavedone3-5squares, Follow thatbythemovementonsecondsquare, another card.Dothemovementonfirstsquare. pick one.Dothemovementtogether. Thenpick out thesquaresonthispage.Letyourgrandchild if theyneedyoutoholdtheirhandshelpthem the musicandboogie! Side Step © Ragdoll t do eachmoveexactlyright
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Hands Up & Down Toe Tap Turn Around Forward Step © © © © Ragdoll Ragdoll Ragdoll Ragdoll Be aware of the early signs of autism:
• No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by six months or thereafter • No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles, or other facial expressions by nine months or thereafter Autism Speaks is a nonprofit organization, founded by Suzanne and Bob Wright, who are grandparents just • No babbling by 12 months like you. We are proud to partner with Teletubbies to help • No back-and-forth gestures, such as pointing, promote awareness about autism. showing, reaching, or waving by 12 months
Watching Teletubbies with your • Failure to respond to name by 12 months grandchildren is one way you can stay connected with them • No words by 16 months while also helping to promote • No two-word meaningful phrases (without imitating healthy childhood development. or repeating) by 24 months
Unfortunately, not every child develops normally. One • Any loss of speech or babbling or social skills at out of 150 children today is diagnosed with autism, a any age developmental disorder that can affect, often severely, a person’s ability to communicate and socially interact For more information, available resources and questions with others. please visit www.AutismSpeaks.org.
If you have young grandchildren who aren’t reaching the appropriate developmental milestones, encourage their parents or guardians to consult with a pediatrician. Early intervention is critical. Still have questions about Teletubbies? Here is your video guide to Understanding Teletubbies: http://pbskids.org/teletubbies/parentsteachers/progphilo.html
Feel free to contact us with any quesitons or concerns. Send emails to: [email protected]
TELETUBBIES and Character Names: ®, TM & © 2007 Ragdoll Worldwide Ltd. PBS KIDS and the PBS KIDS logo are registered trademarks of the Public Broadcasting Service and are used with permission. 2007 Sprout and Sprout logo are service marks of the Children’s Network, LLC. © 2007 Autism Speaks Inc. Autism Speaks and Autism Speaks It's Time To Listen & Design are trademarks owned by Autism Speaks Inc. All rights reserved.