New World of Words

Millions of children under the age of 2 watch TV and videos. A scary fact, especially for a bookstore owner whose purpose is to encourage children to read. However, believe it or not, this is not all bad news! What are these preschoolers watching? I’m sure if you are a parent or grandparent or if you have ever been a child yourself, you have some idea.

The first program that comes to mind is Sesame Street, of course, which was created 36 years ago as a positive learning tool for preschoolers. What book lover would not love a program which teaches letters and letter sounds, exposes children to new words, and brings books to life?

Last month Word World LLC, under a cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Education, brought a new world to PBS KIDS. WordWorld is a new concept in educational programming that makes getting ready to read enjoyable for preschoolers and their parents. This program brings a whole new group of friends, from hard working Ant to shy Sheep, to life. These characters may soon be as recognizable as the Muppets. What’s more, WordFriends, as they are known, are truly all about words. In fact, they are animals whose bodies are made up of the letters that spell the word they are. WordWorld may have been created as an educational program, but parents and preschoolers will be watching together for the adventure, humor, and to hear the “Build a Word” song at the end.