Tv for toddlers

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My little boy needs an operation and we've been told that afterwards he needs to keep still. The only thing I can think of is tv, but he's not interested so far in teletubbies or in the night garden... Any suggestions for good tv programmes for 12 -18 month olds?

Thanks for your help

Vicky

The first TV programme my two ever showed any interest in was Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and the second was Handy Manny!

It doesn't have to be TV. My dd never watches TV but she loves the songs from the Sound of Music so we put those on for her at weekends.

TBH, if your DS is recovering from an op then he probably won't feel much like haring about anyway.

Mr Tumble in Something special was the only programme dd1 would watch when she was 2.

She's now 3.9 and watches Come outside (pippin the dog and Auntie Mabel) Show me Show me, Driver Dan (which is beautiful) and I can cook.

I think Thomas the tank engine is a big hit with little boys

my 18 month old dd is currently obsessed with a michaela strachan 'wild about baby animals' dvd i got from amazon, and ds1 and ds2 loved the 'big machines' dvds which are just lots of footage of rubbish trucks, fire engines etc.

My DS (17 m) loves the Trumpton DVD we bought.

DS4 is 9 1/2 months and loves the Mr Tumble/Justin programs (Something Special and other shows Justin is in), and is picking up simple sign language from it - great programs for watching together with your DC as practicing signs together would be an entertaining game. Also full of visual gags which very young children will laugh at."come out side" with Pippin the dog and Balamory are 2 others with a lot of interesting, educational content which are good for watching with/talking with DC.

Also, crayons/paper on a tray on his lap (if he is able to sit up after the op), and books will all fill in time - rotating several activities will keep them "interesting".

DD is 2.3 and loves Mr Tumble. She often asks for ITNG, but won't sit through a whole episode. Will, however, sit for HOURS watching Something Special. She also likes Postman Pat, Show Me Show Me and Baby Jake (Yuk, yuk and thrice yuk!)

Without a doubt Something Special (aka Mr Tumble) and Peppa Pig. Good luck with the operation!

DS's limited TV input age 2 basically consisted of DVDs that I could bear to watch!
Pingu, Peppa Pig, Rainbow, bits of Sesame Street and Tom and Jerry.

Now age 3 he is developing some TV autonomy and would also like to watch Fireman Sam (whoch I can't stand), Ben and Holly and Humf.

Hope all goes well

My 20 month old has never watched much TV - maybe 30 minutes every week or so - not because I'm really funny about it, just cos he's never shown any interest. I do however put it on from time to time when I'm knackered to try and occupy him while I tidy/make tea but he usually loses interest after 2 minutes.

However, from when he was about 1 for a while he would go completely bonkers whenever Waybalu was on. Giggling like mad. I used to think that there must be some kind of weird subliminal drug in it or something. So perhaps give that a try. He's also quite a fan of Chuggington. I suspect he'd think Disney DVDs were heaven, but I'm not ready to start handing my life over to watching the Lion King again and again and again....

A big pile of picture books (particularly picture books without many/any words - for e.g. the Alison Jay books) can keep my DS engrossed for ages.

Hope the ops goes well and that your DS recovers really quickly.

Good luck keeping him still, DS had an operation 2 weeks ago (he is 21 months) and he wouldn't be kept still for anything as much as we tried.

Mr Tumble, Chuggington and Waybuloo provided the longest periods of stillness though!

At 18m DD2 loved ITNG

My friend just lent us a couple of DVDs of "The Fimbles". DD1 (20 mnths) loves them! It's the only thing she will sit through a whole episode of.

reading books?

Thanks for all your suggestions everyone.. I will try them all!

Sorry to hear that your son had an operation Sirzy, hope he's recovering well and you're not too stressed, it's horrible isn't it?

Take care everyone & thanks again

Vicky

You can buy DVDs specially meant for babies. I've got a few called Baby Bright. They are extremely simple but my DD (12 mos) watches them intently much more so than anything on cbeebies. They are meant to encourage active rather than passive tv watching. It keeps DD fixated for 20 mins straight. I got mine on ebay/amazon.

Pingu, Peppa Pig are good: each episode is only 5 minutes long.

I've been buying (from amazon) the kids programmes of my youth, which I now find very appealing and much slower paced and thoughtful than many 21st century pre-schooler TV.

Bagpuss, original Postman Pats (before they revamped it with a loud pop music backing), Bertha ('lovely Bertha, sometimes I think you're a dream...'), Sooty, Trumpton, The Wombles.

Bagpuss especially is very very calming (it never fails to relax me after a difficult day), but still quite entrancing to toddlers.

Hope these give you some ideas and all the best to your son for his operation.

My dgs has loved Tractor Ted and Dancing Diggers from a very early age and is quite entranced by them for long periods of time.