Television plays a dominant role in our society; however, television on its own is neither bad nor good. It offers children benefits such as education and entertainment, but television can impact negatively on young lives by detracting children from other activities such as physical and dramatic play. The effect of television on children's behavior is further accentuated when one considers that very young children have difficulty separating fact from fantasy. There is increasing evidence that suggests children's health is affected by television. With television intruding into the lives of preschoolers, it is essential that parents and educators teach children "television literacy" and provide them with the skills and language to think and talk about television. A number of strategies can be used by parents and early childhood educators to take control of television viewing and its effects, especially the effect of viewing violence on television. Appendices include various materials, such as a list of effects TV has on young children, child development facts, "A Developmental Framework for Assessing Television," guidelines for using TV in the home, and strategies for using videotapes. (Contains 12 references.) (Author/BGC)