Animated Preschool Content Shifts Toward More Diverse Casts, New Problem-Solving Methods
Karen Idelson It all started with shows such as “Blaze & the Monster Machines” and “Doc McStuffins.” Over the past decade, many preschool children’s animated shows have shifted toward showing a more diverse cast and including storytelling that features STEM themes — problem-solving that’s focused on subjects including basic understanding of math, engineering and the sciences.“I do think that there are far more STEM animated shows, especially for preschoolers,” says Amy Friedman, head of kids and family programming for Warner Bros. “If you’re doing preschool programming, you’ve got to have an educational foundation because you’re always teaching.