A new TV show from Akron Children’s wants to help kids make the most of their younger years.
In “More childhood, please,” hosts Lily Goodwin, 10, and Rhys Thomas, 13, devote each episode to a different topic affecting kids. The first episode, which premiered Jan. 25 on WKYC, discussed screen time.
In the episode, Goodwin and Thomas interview two doctors at Akron Children’s about the effects of screen time. The episode also includes two “challenges.” In one, a family of six must spend a weekend without their phones and must instead all share a flip phone and two digital cameras. The second challenge aims to share some of the benefits of screens, such as being a tool for creative endeavors. In it, four teenage friends create a short film on their devices.
The show is educational and entertaining for families. Robin Clark, director of marketing at Akron Children’s, said the show aims to focus on the traditional aspects of childhood such as creativity, ingenuity, play and fun. With Goodwin and Thomas at the helm, tricky topics are broken down into kid-friendly explainers — with lots of laughs, jokes and dance breaks thrown in.
“I’m not sure this is a phone. I think it’s an ancient relic,” Thomas said in the first episode, when presented with a flip phone.
Goodwin and Thomas aren’t just the hosts. They also represent the targeted audience of “More childhood, please.” They have firsthand experience with the topics the show is addressing, including screen time.
“My parents meant to set rules when they set up my phone, but then they forgot,” Thomas said. “They’ll just go, ‘Give me your phone.’ They just take it away if they want me to be off it.”
Goodwin chimed in. “My mom did set screen time on my phone, but I know the password because it’s the password that we use for everything.”
The two hosts are vastly different but play well off of each other onscreen.
“It seems like both of them can talk to anyone,” Clark said. “They sure didn’t seem scared to be in front of the camera.”
Thomas, a seventh grader from Hudson who performs with the Canton Ballet, is quieter and tends to mull over his responses before answering. Goodwin, a part-time radio host on Cleveland’s WOVU 95.9 and a full-time fifth grader from South Euclid, is bubbly and chatty.
“She was fun and energetic,” Thomas said of his cohost, “and I think we got along really well.”
“It was like we were meant to be,” Goodwin added.
Goodwin and Thomas auditioned for the show last year. The first episode was filmed in December. So far, four episodes are planned. Clark said the second episode will premiere April 12. It will focus on feelings and helping kids regulate their emotions. Other future topics include the benefits of being in nature and overscheduling in extracurriculars.
New episodes of “More childhood, please” will premiere on WKYC. They will be available for streaming at a later date via WKYC+ and the Akron Children’s YouTube channel.