There is apparently a danger in exposing preschoolers to too much "Peppa Pig," the cartoon series that's popular among little kids in 180 countries. According to one child expert, the show that's meant to be educational, is actually influencing children to become less empathetic and less creative.
"Peppa Pig" is not just accessible to kids via television. It's also in games and apps, as well as videos on YouTube. Thus, preschoolers are exposed to "Peppa Pig" constantly using different media and because of this, the show apparently lets children to be in front of the screen at all times.
Dr. Karen Phillip said that this has stripped some children who love "Peppa Pig" of their ability to come up with their own ideas and games. "They're so used to being entertained by an external source," said the doctor referring to the cartoon character, via Courier Mail.
The expert also pointed out that "Peppa Pig has lessened the kids' ability to socialize with other kids because, instead of the children playing with each other, many turn to "Peppa Pig" on their iPads or TV screens. "Kids are losing the capability of developing skills in empathy and reading other people's body language because they're so not in tune with it anymore," the doctor added.
"Peppa Pig's" success is great for networks and studios who continue to run the animated show. But another expert, media analyst Steve Allen, said that some parents make the mistake of treating the program as a "childminder."
They leave their kids to watch or devour "Peppa Pig" content on devices on their own, since the character and the show are generally believed to have safe content and themes for kids. Allen suggests that the effect might be different if parents interacted with their children even as they are watching "Peppa Pig."
Kids left traumatised after watching distorted knife attack videos of Peppa Pig https://t.co/dZxhrg4HQT pic.twitter.com/vEyT27x6fk
— Independent LIFE (@Indo_LIFE) July 10, 2016
Meanwhile, "Peppa Pig" was embroiled in a controversy with parents this week when it unwittingly showed clips on YouTube about gangster characters. The Sun reports that parents were furious when the app presented animated characters wielding guns and knives, and smoking cigarettes. One parent described the videos as "vile."
The Sun further reports that the videos have been already taken down. However, it had more than three million viewers before it was removed. YouTube clips of "Peppa Pig" usually have something new every weekend, when the kids are supposedly free to watch this.
Is your toddler into "Peppa Pig"? How much of screen time do you allow your kids with this series and do you agree with the experts? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
