I participated in a compensated campaign with the Fred Rogers Company and The Motherhood. All opinions expressed below are my own.
When I was growing up, Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood was one of the only programs on television that my parents allowed me to watch. Every time I hear the sound of a trolley, I think of the gentle demeanor of that fine man who spent his days teaching me – and countless children across the country -to be kind, respectful, and honest. Devoting your life to children takes a special person, and when Fred Rogers passed away, I wonder who would carry on his legacy to my son.
And then I discovered Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. Based on Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, the series premiered on September 3, 2012 and 40 half-hour episodes aired its first season. Each show teaches one of life’s lessons and the characters have lots of fun. Each character on the show is a relative of the characters from Mr. Roger’s own Land of Make Believe.
With several new episodes and even more to come, Christmas-themed episodes as well as episodes about Daniel’s “big feelings”, the program is among the highest rated programs by moms and preschoolers since its premiere. Special episodes that have recently aired or are to come:
- “Neighbor Day” – Premiered Labor Day 2013
- “Dress Up Day” – Oct. 28
- “Snowflake Day” – Nov. 25
- “Daniel Big Feelings” Week – Feb. 17
The Importance of Play
Children begin pretend play between the ages of 18 to 36 months. You probably noticed this with your own child; they imitate you talking on the phone, pretend to feed their dolls, and try to mop the floors! Pretending is one of the first steps in developing symbolic thinking, used in reading and writing skills.
It is common for children to form parasocial relationships (relationships with pretend characters) around this age; they feel a strong connection to the characters and trust them. Fred Rogers is credited with saying “In all things we do, we should think of the children first. How can we support growth and development?”
Inspired by that, a line of toys was born.
Every toy is made to inspire creativity and imagination and encourages open ended play. The toys don’t require batteries, just a child with an imagination. Watch this wonderful commercial and see for yourself how engaging the toys are.
Sold exclusively at Toys R Us, at at an affordable price point, these toys will entertain your children for hours.
To learn more, be sure to connect with Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood on their website, Twitter, and Facebook.
Were you a fan of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood? Do you watch Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood with your children?