Parents are deluding themselves if they think television programmes such as Peppa Pig and Thomas the Tank Engine are educational, a UK academic claims.
'According to some, these shows are great for learning numbers, words, even new languages,' said Dr Trina Hinkley in an article for the teachers' journal TES.'Unfortunately none of this is true.'
Studies among children from birth to four find that TV viewing can be 'harmful to children's physical and mental health', said Dr Hinkley after reviewing international research.
She added: 'Children who watch more TV tend to have a higher risk of being overweight or obese and to have poorer cognitive development for their age, including language development and the ability to pay attention, both of which are key to school readiness.'
'Many find that their children are spending about twice as much time using electronic media as they thought.'
She said parents may need to endure a 'few unpleasant tantrums' as their children's viewing is reduced, but that schools also have a role to play in educating parents about the possible damaging effects of too much television.
