When media is selected with purpose and intention, it becomes a powerful learning tool rather than merely a form of entertainment. With this in mind, I have strategically selected and organized media into fun monthly learning themes that align with current community festivities and world events, follow the natural rhythms of the seasons and incorporate academic topics and child-led interests.

Every month, the selections of books, tv shows, podcast, audio books, music, toys and learning activities are all tied in by the same topics. For example, during the month of January, all media selections involve the topics of winter, winter play, snow, ice, polar animals and regions, and The Northern Lights. This approach deepens learning, creates more meaningful connections, boosts retention and promotes growth across all areas of development.

The media selections are age-specific. Selections for a 2 year old will be different than those of a 3 year old since every single age has different developmental needs and abilities. You will also see many recommendations based on age groups.

Most important, my media selections are developmentally appropriate, meaning that it both meets kids where they are in their development and at the same time challenges them to learn new skills. This is key for children to fully take advantage of all the benefits that quality media offers.

The recommendations you will find here are best suited for young kids ages 2 to 7, as these foundational years are my area of expertise. However, older children can also benefit from these recommendations.

The types of media we focus on are print (books and magazines), digital (tv shows from popular streaming services), audio (music, audio books and podcasts) and educational (toys and activities).

As a fellow parent of young kids, I felt at a loss when I first started introducing children’s media in my own home. I wasn’t happy with the endless, developmentally inappropriate media options that were out there. I was also tired of looking in too many places for good books, appropriate screen time options and resources to support my kids’ development at home. I wanted to find a central source I could trust that met all my media needs. So, because I couldn’t find one, I decided to take matters into my own hands. A few years later, Better Kids Media was born.

In today’s world, inappropriate media habits are inhibiting children’s natural intuitions. Play is being replaced by screens. Innate love for learning and connection is being damaged by dopamine-led virtual experiences. As parents, the media we expose our kids to matters. The media habits that our kids develop matter. With all the overwhelming children media options and opinions out there it can be difficult to make the best choices for our homes. However, I believe that with the right tools, parents can be empowered to learn how to appropriately utilize media in the home and help their children develop healthy media habits that will serve them for a lifetime.

As parents tap into the power of appropriate use of media in the home, there will be more play, there will be more intrinsic love for learning, there will be more real life experiences and connections, there will be more confidence, there will be more joy. Join me in raising the next generation of confident, kind, creative and resilient kids as we experience the power of choosing better children’s media in our homes.