Preschool Clues: Raising Smart, Inspired, and Engaged Kids in a Screen-Filled World

by Angela C. Santomero, Rosemarie Truglio (Foreword)

The award-winning creator of Blue’s Clues , Super Why! , and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood shares the secret sauce behind her shows’ powerful, transformative results in the form of eleven research-based, foundational “clues” to ensure that preschoolers flourish academically, socially, and emotionally during this critical time.

The preschool years—when children are between the ages of two and five—are the most influential, important years in a child’s life. Studies show that pausing to interact, playing to solve problems, diffusing with humor, and using repetition are the hidden clues conscious parents use to raise successful kids and help them learn critical thinking skills, foster empathy, and nurture their sense of self-worth.

Angela C. Santomero, MA, the award-winning creator of children’s television phenomena knows this better than anyone and has spent decades working to instill confidence in her young viewers. In Preschool Clues , she breaks down the philosophy behind her shows—educating, inspiring, and empowering kids—into concrete strategies that parents and educators can incorporate into their family and classroom to set their preschoolers up for success, such

-Intentionally pausing to foster bonding, independence, and resilience
-Developing empathy and confidence through soliciting preschoolers’ help
-Becoming “fluent” in the language of Play
-Igniting your preschooler’s curiosity
-Being an involved co-player everyday
-Designing a healthy media diet

In Preschool Clues , Angela shares the latest research from top thinkers in child development and education. Through her practical, straightforward advice and inspiring, conversational approach, you will not only understand exactly what your children are learning from the shows they watch and why these shows are so effective, you’ll know exactly how to apply these same proven approaches in your daily life and with the same powerful results.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Education, Family, Psychology, Audiobook, Teaching

320 pages, Paperback

Published April 3, 2018

About the author

Angela Santomero is television producer and creator of such children's shows as Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Wishenpoof, Super Why!, and Blue's Clues. She is a graduate of Columbia University.

Reviews

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I must start off with a small confession…. I have a 2.5 year old (first child) and this is the first book I have read to help me raise my little guy into his best self. In that sense, I do not have anything to compare this book to. However, I don’t think that matters. This is a GREAT book for someone new to ‘self-help’ or for someone who has read one or more and is looking for additional information. What drew me to this book was ‘Daniel Tiger’ from ‘Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood’. My son LOVES Daniel Tiger and since the author helped create the show, I figured this would be easily relatable for me. And it was/is. So the cover is brilliant with some of the characters she helped create. I think if my son saw this book in the store he would point it out to me because of Daniel.
I actually learned several things from this book that I want to implement with my son. Several things I didn’t even think about on my own. I HIGHLY recommend this book!

[Hallie Faden · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best parenting books I have read! (Not that I have read that many.) So helpful in a nonjudgmental way.

[Marion · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great insight into how the author used her research background to create shows that help kids learn.

[KayKay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have background in children development and I can say "Preschool Clues" is a great book with good tips for parents if they want to rear happy, emotional healthy and responsible children. To me, not only the book helps to refresh knowledge I learned from school but it also reminds me how to apply the knowledges into my every day life as a stay home mom. A helpful and handy "handbook" which I highly recommend.

The book is divided into different chapters that focus on numerous crucial areas where parents/caregivers could improve their vital roles to assist their children to be independent, trusting and responsible. The concepts are easy to grasp with concise and direct language. There are enough examples to guide parents if they get into difficult situations and conflicts. What I love about the book is that the author does not use a lecturing tone but more a conversational voice which helps readers to digest the information quickly. Chapters aren't long; busy parents could easily go through a chapter or even two a day.

The author has a background in creating educational TV programs for young children, be prepared to feel the constant "solicitation" throughout the book. But as a parent, I have to admit the shows mentioned in the book are great ones. "Preschool Clues" helps parents to choose quality TV programs to feed the young minds healthily. Take the few shows mentioned in the book as starter points. Get the tips, engage watching the programs with kids then parents could determine what TV shows are appropriate to nurture the growing minds of the little ones.

I definitely think "Preschool Clues" is a good starter book for parenting preschoolers . Thanks Touchstone for the opportunity for me to review "Preschool Clues" via Netgallery.

[Marjorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It shouldn’t be surprising when a TV producer publishes a book justifying how educational shows can provide extraordinary benefits to childhood development.


However, Santomero holds a master’s degree in developmental psychology and instructional technology and media, so she does know what she is talking about. She is also the co-creator of a litany of popular shows: Wishenpoof, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Creative Galaxy, Super Why!, and—the only show I recognized--Blues Clues.

I approached the book with the skepticism of someone enduring a marketing ploy, but that all melted away when I read her opening author’s note on her meeting with Fred Rogers at a Children and Media Conference.

“I couldn’t eat as I sat at his table and quickly learned he was as kind and empathetic as his on-camera persona. He smiled. I smiled. Then, I finally got up the courage to walk over to his side of the table, crouch down next to him, and say hello. But instead, I said, “I-just-wanted-you-to-know-the-whole-readon-I-went-into-children’s-television-was-because-of-you!” Smooth.
I paused to take a breath (or rather, gasp for air.) Fred Rogers smiled, put his hand on my shoulder, and said, as if we had all the time in the world, “What is your name?”
I laughed as I told him my name, and we started our conversation all over again…
Overjoyed, I told him that our “blue skidoo” was a transition device inspired by his Trolley. I told him Steve talking directly to camera was because of how much I felt he had talked directly to me as a preschooler. Fred’s smile broadened, and his eyes misted over. Then he said, looking right at me, “I’m so proud of you.” And this time it wasn’t through the television. It was my turn to get misty-eyed.”

She addresses the American Academy of Pediatrics and their strict standards when it comes to screen time use with children. Currently, the guideline is “to limit screen use to one hour a day of high-quality programming for preschoolers ages two to five.” She concurs that “solo media” should not be tolerated with toddlers, but that parents should be actively aware in the content they are allowing on the screen. She also takes it a step further and says parents should use it as a bonding and communication piece, such as using popular TV show characters as active agents in playtime.

A critical component of course to programming is the use of its educational curriculum spine and the intentional ways it exhibits that knowledge. She reveals a popular vehicle, such as the musical Hamilton, conveys Alexander Hamilton’s impact on early America in such a profound way by the opening lyrics alone. While its far from preschool appropriate, the lessons imparted from the show are representative of how she longs to immerse the audience and reveal the relevance of a story to modern day lives.
“To label something as truly educational, we want to ensure that kids master the concepts in the program—to internalized the learning, make connections to their own world, and take the learning from the show to another level. We’re not looking for them to parrot what they see on that specific episode or in that particular book. We’re looking for that spark…that light-switch moment.”

Fred Rogers was the “first person to break the fourth wall and talk directly to the kids as home.” It was a novel way to include the kids, to make them feel like they were a confidant or a friend and that they MATTERED.

She says that the four second pause, where Steve would ask the children where something was on the screen, was awkward at first. Producers were hesitant and worried that adults would be lost with it. But the kids adored it. In the screenings, children became invested like never before, shouting their answers and being delighted at how they were included in the show.

She doesn’t just talk about her shows, however. Her chapter on the concept of play alone was justification enough to read the whole book.

Both Fred Rogers and this author studied Erik Erikson and Piaget, psychoanalysts who invested in the idea that preschool children are in a “play age.” In this stage of development, “she is asserting herself, initiating play, and asking questions of her world as she grows and develops.” It’s a precious time where children are incredibly creative, and fostering their discovery through play is an valuable investment. Play, Piaget asserts, is “the work of the child.”

It was helpful to me to be reacquainted with all the different types of play: dramatic(playing house, superheroes or fairies), physical (climbing, tag, hide and seek), expressive (artistry through coloring or clay), manipulative (many of the Montessori toys), and intellectual (narration of a story, playing letter bingo.)

“When an adult joins a preschooler’s play, they are essentially saying, “I understand you.” We’re allowing preschoolers to be completely comfortable in being who they are. And what could be more powerful than that?”

Another important concept Santomero emphasizes is cultivating intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation—motivation that is driven by “internal rewards such as satisfaction, pride, or the boost of having successfully tackled and met a challenge.”

She shares how intrinsic motivation is ignored when we focus on external rewards to motivate a child. That it steals the level of pride a child feels when they figure something out. That putting a monetary value or toy to an accomplishment negatively impacts their sense of self.

Also, Santomero collates a striking story on the importance of promoting autonomy when kids are working through problems:

“Julia Ross wrote about the idea of letting kids learn from themselves in her fantastic book, Practical Parenting for the 21st Century. In her book, she presents the well-known story of a boy finding a butterfly cocoon. Fascinated, he examines it and notices that, in fact, a butterfly was struggling to come out. He watches and waits as the butterfly desperately pushes and pulls to try to get his wings outside of the cocoon. The process takes such a long time and the boy gets increasingly sad and wants to help. So instead of watching the butterfly continue to struggle, he very carefully opens up the cocoon wider and wider until the butterfly is able to break free. The butterfly flies right out of the cocoon high over the boy’s head and then comes crashing down and dies. The heartbreaking moral of the story, of course, is that the butterfly needed the struggle to ensure her wings were strong enough to fly. Without the lengthy struggle, the butterfly didn’t develop the tools it needed to fly on its own.
In her book The Gift of Failure, author Jessica Lahey has pointed out how we, as parents, are too often making the same mistake the boy made with the fledgling butterfly. She describes loving, well-meaning, yet helicopter-life parenting practiced by so many moms and dads and calls us out on it. As she reminds us, when parents constantly rush in to help our children—when they fall down but are fine; when we bring them their forgotten gym clothes; when we swoop in and fix a friendship fiasco—they will never learn how to help themselves. By barreling ahead without leaving breathing room for Pauses, observations, reflections, and yes, mistakes, we’re taking away opportunities for personal growth and mastery. “

She provides multiple ways to promote a growth mindset in preschoolers. She shares how indulging in the world of questions, another basic part of the pre-K crowd, is essential to that growth mindset. She shares the difference between a labeling question: “What do you see? A yellow car” is vastly different than a contextual question; “Have you ever been in a yellow car?” or even a probing question, “how do you think a yellow car is different from the other cars?”

Another huge takeaway from the book is how we should use rich language when interacting with preschoolers. That there is no need to dumb it down and that “dumbing it down,” can create harm. Kids are porous sponges, and giving them new words to weave into their everyday vernacular, helps them feel smart and gives them tangible benefits.
“Preschoolers feel big emotions, yet they often have a limited vocabulary to express exactly how they’re feeling. In fact, preschoolers’ feelings are often slotted into the three primary colors of emotions: happy, sad, or mad. Chances are there are many different words that could more accurately represent what they’re actually experiencing—ecstsatic, frustrated, or, possibly, disappointed…
At home, we can plus-up our language in similar situations. Instead of jumping to help your child and find out if they are “scared” of something, ask them if they’re “feeling cautious” or “concerned.” Or if something potentially upsetting happens, why not remark that it’s a bit “disconcerting?” For example, when my friend’s three-year-old son heard the roar of the aerobatic flying team the Blue Angels during a flight show, the look on his face was pure terror. But instead of simply asking him if he was scared, she calmly said, “That was startling, wasn’t it? I wasn’t expecting that sound to be as loud as it was. I can tell by the look on your face that you’re feeling a little concerned.” This way we are plussing-up their vocabulary and more accurately describing the feeling versus generalizing emotions in a way that might lead to their experiencing a situation more intensely than they may have otherwise.”

I recommend this book if you have a preschooler in your life and are looking for ways to interact and ultimately promote a growth mindset in the child…To be perfectly honest, one does not need to be a follower of any of her TV shows to glean helpful advice, although it will put you on the path of curiosity to indulge in some screen time to see how she implements her beliefs.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the middle of the 20th century, a number of innovations made cooking easier for the average (usually) woman. Jello was the archetypical one that took the time-consuming and expensive dish of gelatin and made it accessible. Perhaps too accessible. Then Jello had to get dressed up with ever-more elaborate additives and molds. So where I am I going with this?

When Santomero, creator of a slew of educational children's television series, states in the introduction of the book that there is such quality television available for preschoolers that you don't have to feel too guilty about letting your kid watch for an hour or so while you get other stuff done, I could feel the collective sigh of relief. All you need to do, she says, is go to the website, read the creators' statements, investigate the educational backing, watch several episodes for yourself, and compare the shows against a checklist she had provided for every dimension discussed in her book. Suddenly, there's carrots and pineapple, tuna and mayo in our 3-storie jello mold.

The advice sometimes borders on the saccharine, especially for the post-Bluey viewer: does children television always have to be about the "right" things?

Santomero relates how her team of writers, writing an episode about being patient at a restaurant, debated on what Daniel Tiger would order. They decided that to send a good message about healthy eating, he would order grilled chicken and broccoli. That anecdote might explain why sometimes I feel educational children's shows' protagonists are sitting alone at lunch. What the heck? Grilled chicken? Is Daniel Tiger on Weight Watchers? He's going to to eat out. It's a special occasion. Let him get chicken fingers. Even apples instead of broccoli would make him less of a d0-gooding Nigel.

If the worst part of the book is featuring endlessly patient caretakers and their endlessly helpful offspring, the best part is about how educational television can teach parents useful tips. I have frequently used the "four-second pause" to great effect with my two-year-old (and my college students) and I've built more transition music and mood music into our days. I've engaged with the shows she likes more, getting her excited about getting her hair done by promising her Milli hair (Umizoomi) or chasing her around with tickle crabs (Bluey) when it's time to go somewhere. I give her more repetition, explaining to her several times in a row where we're going in the car, and reading the same story to her several times in a row (especially if it's a good one).

Look, I'm not saying you can plop your kid down in front of any show, not even any children's show (ugh, Mickey Mouse Playhouse is just going through the motions and I would be happy if the girls learned about Paw Patrol around the same time, and in the same tenor, that they will learn about the wage gap). But there is a wide range of engaging, interesting and thoughtful TV out there. Find stuff you like and they like, It doesn't have to be green smoothies (as the author puts it) or jello salads every day.

[E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good refresher and/or introduction to some ideas and strategies that are covered in more detail in other books (The Power of Showing Up: How Parental Presence Shapes Who Our Kids Become and How Their Brains Get Wired, How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7, Playful Parenting, Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids). I knocked a star off for the times it felt too self-promotional or a commercial for her shows.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book has some great tips for raising more empathetic children. It also called to my attention to look more closely into ideas and media that my young daughter might not be able to handle yet, or is not age appropriate at the moment, even if a certain product is being marketed for her age group. The author sprinkled some lovely family stories/anecdotes throughout the book, both personal and from friends. It gives some ideas on how to broach difficult topics with very young children and how to encourage them how to figure out how to deal with their big preschool emotions. I enjoyed the audiobook, and learned a few interesting things as well as techniques I plan on using with my daughter. (Maybe singing about getting into the car seat will help her freak out about getting into it less, thanks for the tip!)

[Denise Morse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angela C. Santomero is the creator of extremely popular and quality preschool shows like Blues Clues and Daniel Tigers Neighborhood; and in this book she imparts her knowledge on how to nurture your childs growth.

Daniel Tiger is absolute magic and if you want to know how and why, this book will tell you. She does a great job of nicely laying out her Clues - her concepts for preschool learning and development, and then practical ways of implementing.

As a tired working parent, I am not always going to follow them and I think she knows that also. But we can strive to be better, to treat our children with kindness and participate in their development.

I highly recommend the book and its philosophies.

[Themountainbookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a pleasant surprise. While I thought it would be centered on screen time, the book had a lot more to offer. The author Angela Santomero gave the reader a glimpse into her world as a screen writer. There’s a lot more science that goes into making Daniel Tiger or Blue Clues than I ever realized. I also found she gave me some incredible parenting advice. I found myself getting out my notebook and writing down takeaways. The book is also gentle. I never felt guilty. Instead I feel empowered with how to talk with my child and engage with them in positive ways. I’d highly recommend this book.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think it's all that hard to figure out which shows are good for preschoolers, but the author created several of my son's favorite shows (Daniel Tiger, Super Why, Creative Galaxy and Blue's Clues), so I was intrigued. It was fascinating to learn why she structures her shows the way she does, and I like that everything she says is grounded in research. I found some good tips for interacting with my kids, even the one who is 6 and so not technically a preschooler anymore. My only problem was that my toddler kept seeing the book with Daniel Tiger on the cover and stealing it! 😆

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, what an amazing insight into the goodness jam-packed into Santomero's children's media! Not only knowing now how much research and theory goes into good quality media, but also tangible ways of how to keep it going when the screen is turned off is seriously great stuff. I care about the quality of everything else related to the little ones in my life, why should media be any different. An awesome read.

[Mat Boyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great for Parents, teachers or even marketers. The time and process that Angela puts into creating media - books or shows is simply amazing. She truly makes sure that she is speaking to her audience. Mr. Rogers is smiling down on you for sure. I hope she continues to do the same for kids of all ages. Parents can learn so much about understanding and investing in your childs time regardless of its screen time or play time. Thank you Angela.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I don't yet have children of my own, Santomero's research-based text has given me countless tips and tricks for interacting with my nephew who just entered preschool age. Honestly I would recommend this book to anyone who lives, works, or interacts with children of this age group on a regular basis. Santomero plugs her shows quite a bit, but in my opinion it comes from a sense of pride in her work more than unnecessary solicitation/marketing.

[Fondantsurprise · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little basic/common sense in parts (and it probably helps if you’ve seen the programmes the author has made — none are shown in the U.K. as far as I know) but nevertheless worth a read even if only as a ‘refresher’.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF.

Good stuff, but definitely always have the whole 'is she selling her product to me' in the back of my mind. Will probably revisit later. You know, when my kids are too old for it to matter that I'm reading this. :D

[Brooke McReynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who has ever been in our home knows we function on Daniel Tiger songs… this book made me feel really great about that. 10/10; borrowed from the library but will definitely be purchasing to reference frequently as we continue figuring out toddler/preschoolhood (the scariest of hoods????)

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of grrrific ideas and things to think about.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books to help parents understand good video choices and good parenting skills.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic research-based parenting book with excellent tips, strategies, techniques & examples.

[Kelly Preston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think my favorite parenting book I’ve read. Helped me feel less guilty about screen time and know what shows to show her and learned so much about preschoolers and how their brains work!

[Wintermote · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of it felt like pushing the shows the author has worked on, but there was a LOT of really solid information and ideas!

[Rachel Florida · Rating 5 out of 5]

So insightful and so helpful during the little years to know how they process their world.