A recent study conducted by Business Name Generator has looked into television shows suitable for under 14s and rated them according to s factor of ‘best vocabulary’ – indicating which ones help kids to learn quickly and pick up words.
Rather than focus on quantity, the study put an emphasis on quality. They determined from the results that “SpongeBob SquarePants” had the richest vocabulary of the TV shows they examined, with 213 unique words per 1000, or just over 21%.
The series, about the titular sea sponge and his aquatic friends in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom, has been an American pop culture icon since its debut in 1999. It has also won over 88 awards, 6 Emmys, 6 Annie Awards and 19 Kids’ Choice Awards.
‘SpongeBob’ topped the list by just one word, beating out the Jenna Ortega-starring “Stuck in The Middle”. According to the study, the show’s characters and plotlines “make for a lively narrative with a diverse use of words – a great choice for engaging children.” Others to rank highly included Netflix’s “The Dragon Prince,” and the famed 1990s/2000s family drama “7th Heaven”.
Half of the top ten shows were animated, while four of them started in the 1990s. “SpongeBob SquarePants” is in the midst of airing its 13th season which began in October, with new episodes premiering earlier this month. Spin-offs “Kamp Koral: Spongebob’s Under Years” and Nickelodeon’s “The Patrick Star Show” are also available.
