A new study just released by the UCLA Center For Scholars & Storytellers shows the impact of the PBS Kids series Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood on their personal and emotional development.
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood stars 4-year-old Daniel Tiger, his family, and friends as they learn key skills for navigating school and life. This show for preschoolers ages 2 to 4 is inspired by Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and includes catchy strategy songs about learning social and emotional skills.
This study - which was commissioned by the show's producers Fred Rogers Productions - was a mixed methods study, surveying 150 teenagers ages 13-16 who were toddlers when the show premiered. The study participants represented diverse gender and racial/ethnic backgrounds, with demographics matching U.S. census data proportions.
The responses revealed that nearly 12 years since its debut, teens remember Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood as a show that taught them social-emotional and life skills:
The study revealed that teenagers who watched Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood as young children retained significant memories of the show's lessons about social-emotional and life skills. Nearly three quarters of the participants remembered learning how to understand others' emotions, maintain friendships, manage their emotions, and develop problem-solving skills.
Even after many years, participants could remember specific ways to handle tough emotions and situations as modeled in the show. For example, teens recalled using strategies like using deep breathing when they were upset, with 21% specifically mentioning that that they still use these calming techniques they learned from the show today. The show's songs made a lasting impression too, and they could still sing and use the helpful messages years later.
Importantly, 57% of teens said their most memorable lessons from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood were about understanding and managing emotions. This skill is related to better mental health, academic success, and behavioral regulation. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood taught kids emotional skills that stuck with them as they grew up. It wasn't just entertainment — it gave them tools they could use well into their teenage years.
Respondents also said they wanted to see storylines around important topics such as bullying, kindness, and friendship in the shows they currently watch as teens, but don’t feel that content is available to them in entertainment choices aimed at teen audiences today.
This chart in particular addresses those complaints:
Which suggests that there is a need for teen-focused programming that highlights many of the emotional challenges facing 10 to 14-year-olds in 2025. Maybe it's time to bring back those iconic After School Specials?
