CMA Connect: From the TV Cart to the Classroom: How Kids’ Media Shapes Learning

Remember when the TV cart rolled into the classroom and suddenly everyone was paying attention? From Sesame Street to educational series that became part of our childhoods, kids’ media has long been more than entertainment—it has been a tool for learning, curiosity, and connection.

For this CMA Connect, we’ll explore the intersection of kids’ media and curriculum: how educators and creators use storytelling, characters, and television to support learning, how those approaches have evolved, and what today’s generation of children is learning from the media they watch.

We’ll also look back at the shows that shaped us—and ask what today’s “TV cart moment” looks like in a world of streaming, YouTube, interactive media, and digital classrooms.

Join us for a conversation about the media we remember, the lessons we learned, and the role kids’ media can play in the classroom of tomorrow.