Madison has officially found her favorite show of all time: The Upside Down Show on Noggin. It stars Shane and David, who explore different places and experiences in each episode, all with a big dose of imagination. One of the fun parts is that they encourage kids to “use” an imaginary remote to control the action on screen. As an adult, I’ll be honest… the show feels a little corny. But Bill? He sits there giggling right along with Madison. And afterward, she runs around the house pointing her pretend remote at everything, convinced she can change the world with a click. It’s adorable, and surprisingly, the show supports a ton of learning goals:
Imaginative Play
- boosts creativity by modeling pretend play
- fosters a humorous approach to problem-solving
- models a think-outside-the-box attitude
Language and Early Literacy Skills
- introduces new vocabulary in surprising and funny ways
- reinforces phonological awareness with use of alliteration, rhyming, and other kinds of language play
Cognitive Skills
- reinforces logical thinking skills such as making predictions and noticing connections
- models using abstract thinking and imagination to find new ways of looking at a problem
- demonstrates and explores relational concepts (high/low, inside/outside, light/dark)
Social and Emotional Development
- models cooperation and negotiation
- models accommodating and supporting the needs of other
Watching Madison dive headfirst into this imaginary world has made me appreciate the show a little more. Sure, it’s silly, but it sparks creativity, builds confidence, and keeps her laughing, and honestly, that’s what childhood should be about. If a goofy pretend remote can inspire her to explore, learn, and use her imagination in new ways, then The Upside Down Show gets a big thumbs-up from us. Sometimes the corniest things really do bring the biggest smiles.