Dora the Explorer has 2.4 million likes on her Facebook page. And she’s not even a real person. I’m serious. She’s not.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (the new series) has 1.2 million likes, which isn’t bad considering the new breed of turtles only emerged from the sewers a few years ago.
On a local level, Giggle and Hoot has just 16,300 likes, but is very media savvy with its own Instagram and Twitter account. Fans can post pictures and have direct communication with their heroes. Sam Moran promotes his show, Play Along With Sam, and his live show on various social media platforms as well – Instagram being his favourite.
So why do popular kids TV shows engage so much with social media these days, when most of their target audience is not legally allowed to use these sites?
“Preschoolers are definitely too young for social media, but their parents are on it every day. It gives me a chance to post information, concert details and competitions and they don’t have to search. It comes up in their feed. It also gives me access to fans via their parents and they can keep in touch,” Sam says.
These days, parents and kids can upload photos of the Yo Gabba Gabba! cake they stayed up all night creating, their Dora The Explorer costume and really feel as though they are connected to their kid’s favourite characters.
It seems that parents are embracing new technology as quickly as their analogue, un-tech friendly brains will allow. We are trying to keep up with our hardwired offspring. Good on us!
Apart from enhancing their kid’s fave TV show experiences, parents are paving the way for open social media communication with their kids. Sitting on a computer with your young kids and talking them through different sites and working together has surely got to be the best way to keep up with new technology for us oldies, and learning about social media etiquette for the youngsters.
Perth cyber safety expert Robyn Rishani agrees: “A lot of parents don't understand the full extent of how social media and the internet works, and this naivety can get them and their children into trouble,” she said.
So go ahead and post a pic of your lopsided, green, blobby Michelangelo cake on the TMNT Facebook page with your kid. You can both have a laugh and learn a thing or two in the process.
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