Watching too many cartoons can distort children's perceptions.

Many parents mistakenly believe that movies and cartoons are incredibly beneficial for their children's learning. But in reality, they are not.

Animated films seem to be becoming a "threat" to young children's perceptions of the real world.

Psychologists from the Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development at the University of Toronto argue that cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Winnie the Pooh negatively influence children's perceptions because, outside of the screen, these animals are nothing like that.

It is known that the effects begin to affect young children from the age of 5 and up. Simultaneously, these children will gradually lose their sense of reality in their own lives. They will begin to think that the animals around them can dress, walk, and even speak like humans.

Researchers conducted an experiment with children aged 3-5, having them read cartoon books and then complete a short test on their knowledge of wildlife. Most of the children concluded that all animals possess human-like characteristics, such as the ability to speak and converse.

Psychologist and professor Patricia Ganea advises that it's impossible to force parents to stop letting their children watch too many movies and cartoons; instead, they should cultivate a habit of reading science books alongside their children's movies.

The factual information and images in science books will provide students with practical knowledge for real life.

Professor Ganea said: “Picture books not only limit children’s learning but also affect their abstract thinking and their ability to define concepts about animals and the world around them.”

According to Vietnamnet