No comments about Fisher Price: Rainforest Music: Nature's Lullabies.

5 comments about The Wiggles - Whoo Hoo Wiggly Gremlins.

1. Wiggly Gremlins was the 5th Wiggles DVD that we acquired and at first I was very disappointed. It seemd to me that the performance lacked heart; the Wiggles were running out of ideas. However, I should have consulted with my 23-month-old daughter before passing judgement: this DVD immediately became her favorite! It took me quite by surprise, as we had just purchased Wiggly Wiggly World the day before (ruling out the novelty factor), which I think is extrememly well produced. After having watched the Gremlins with my daughter for the umpteenth time, I have to say that I have grown to like it quite a bit: the songs are catchy, the plot is cute and sufficiently simple for a toddler to follow, and the performance of the Wiggles is good. I suppose the only thing that still bothers me is that Captain Feathersword blamed Wags for a decision he made himself. I hope my daughter won't catch it or our dog may become the designated scapegoat in our house :-)



2. This is a very good selection of songs that are brought together by a little story concerning gremlins, who attempt to prevent the Wiggles from getting to the studio to put on their show. My son is twenty-eight months old now and has really enjoyed this DVD over the past eight months or so. Okay, I admit it! I like singing along with the songs as well. Absent a few notable exceptions, these are some of the best songs they have recorded. I cannot think of very many other children's acts that are genuinely entertaining for both parents and children; Sesame Street is one, albeit to a lesser degree than the Wiggles. The DVD also features an episode of "Network Wiggles" and a couple extra music videos, including "Go To Sleep, Jeff" (sung to Brahms' Lullaby). Playing this has worked like a charm to put my son to bed after he had spent the better part of an hour dancing to "Woo Hoo! Wiggly Gremlins!" I picked it up for $7.50, so I consider it a fantastic deal.



3. We love the Wiggles at our house, but do not love this one. I have never been a fan of their Network Wiggles phase and this is that to the extreme. My toddler never got into the video.



4. This is a great DVD. Just because they made a TV series from this DVD doesn't mean it's a bad Wiggles collection of songs. In fact, this is one of my 3 childrens' favorite Wiggles DVDs and the fact that it inspired an entire season of their show on Disney Channel should tell people that the quality of the music. Some of the best tunes on the project includes the ever infectous:
   
   Lights, Camera, Action!
   Hats
   Testing 1 2 3
   Music Murray
   Where's Jeff
   Bit By Bit
   Anthony's Workshop
   Gulp Gulp
   Vegetable Soup
   
   I read a lot of adults moaning and griping about this DVD, but the kids still love it despite the whiney big people's grumping; that's where the true success of this project should be measured... in the hearts of the children.



5. If you're looking to expand the age limit for your Wiggles fan, this one is a definite keeper. Filled with songs from their Disney show, "Lights, Camera, Action!", this DVD has the added addition of the gremlins running around causing havoc on the show. I didn't find them annoying at all, but just rather cute. It's fun for older toddlers to pick out the gremlins, where they are, and what they're doing besides just sitting there and absorbing whatever is going on. I think the Wiggles are trying to reach an older audience as well, which this DVD does quite effectively. I don't think it was meant for the younger set, ages below 4, because it does involve more interaction than just music, and the kids are asked quite frequently by the Wiggles where the gremins are and what they're doing. They're first asked what is going on and if the kids actually see something. It's an on-screen game of hide-n-seek for the viewer which makes it much more interactive than regular videos.
   
   Captain Feathersword is back and takes over a good portion of the video in the beginning while we are all waiting for the Wiggles to come in. He's up to his usual antics, but they are magnified because of a gremlin causing problems with everything he tries to do. He's pretty funny but very engaging which makes the kids watch and try to figure out what he's doing.
   
   When the Wiggles finally do arrive, they sing many of the songs on their regular TV show, which are very good, in our opinion. In "Gulp, Gulp. Drink Some Water," the cinematography needs improving - Anthony's left side of his head is cut off in many places and when they're singing another song, the Wiggles' eyes are not on the camera but they are looking up at something. It just makes you think the camera was supposed to be upward or something. Plus, Greg's vocals were not plugged in at the final production properly on some songs, which makes his mouth move at the wrong time in some places. Not much to worry about unless you're in the music biz like we are, but it is there nonetheless.
   
   One highlight of this video is that the Wiggles are doing more dancing as in their previous years. Greg's adaptability as a musician comes out here as you see him cover up the others' mistakes at times in his dancing. Ever seen the video of "We're Dancing with Wags the Dog?" He covers up a huge mistake Anthony and Wags made in that one. I'm not sure why another reviewer didn't think Greg can dance - he is the best of all of them and covers up so many other mistakes all the time. When you know music, however, you see those things more than just if you watch it briefly. There's just more ability there than what we get to see on a normal basis with the Wiggles.
   
   All-in-all, I really recommend this one. It's just a different format and more engaging for the older ones. As musicians, these guys are really something and I wonder what they would be doing if they weren't doing this. We sincerely appreciate them in our house - my little one is glued to the TV when this one comes on. It's a great find and a neat keepsake too. We plan on keeping all of our Wiggles items. They've made such a huge difference in our little one's life education-wise.

3 comments about Doodlebops -Live in Concert.

1. I got this the day it went in stores. I have to say it isn't what I expected. The sing-along didn't show back-up vocals. I thought it would be a live concert and it isn't. It was alright. (Comments from my 9 year old daughter)



2. I bought this for my 3-year old granddaugher's birthday. She absolutely loved it! Good quality- they put the kazoo on her birthday cake. Adorable.



3. This is a concert DVD, but doesn't have the feel of the concert we went to a few months ago. It's like watching all the "concerts" on each episode,back to back, but it's a nice change. I'd recommend this. 25 songs one after the other, most I've heard, some I hadn't. I only wish this DVD was longer than 55 minutes. We got it last week and have watched it over and over. I would recommend the concerts, if you haven't been to one. They were really good.
   One less star because the USPS damaged the DVD box (DVD comes in a box w/ a kazoo above it) as well as the Kazoo that comes and the DVD was loose in the box. This should have gone out in a box and not a padded envelope.

2 comments about Play with Me Sesame: Playtime with Grover.

1. Too bad Sesame Street seems to have taken down all their online game content (August 2008) So much for their educational mission! I guess some of it is available on these DVD/CD-ROM releases, but it sucks that low income families have to buy them instead of getting the content online, as they've been able to for the last few years. (T-Mom)



2. My kids enjoy Sesame Street & this video they liked. Has some old songs but updated so it does not diminish quality. The dvd-rom disk my kids liked as well & held their interest for an hour. The links to more games on the internet helped. It helped me teach my youngest to use a mouse for the 1st time. I give this product a favorable review.

5 comments about Digimon.

1. My 9 year old son absolutely loves Digimon and just loves listening to the songs on this soundtrack. He does not listen to much music but listens to this all the time.



2. plain and simple, this is the best soundtrack i have ever seen, DON'T listen to the people who gave this a one or two, this CD just isn't there style, if u arn't a Digimon Fan, you still may like this, doesn't have many Digimon actualy songs



3. I absolutely love this CD. I have had it for about hmm, about 5 years now an I still love it. The music is great. Even if you don't love Digimon you will love it. I recommend this CD to anyone who loves different genres of music since it really can't be classified as one in my opinion. This is a must buy item for Digimon fans. Pick up the movie too if you haven't yet, you will not be dissapointed :)



4. I got this soundtrack for Christmas and I love it! It's so cool! I like the movie alot too!



5. Hey okay here is the deal I have long since grown past digimon and this CD still remains at the top of my lists i have had it for 3 to 4 yrs and and i still love it anyone looking for some great upbeat music should buy this Album. I would gladly buy it again without a thought.

5 comments about Circus Clown Calliope.

1. this tape was exactly what I needed for my Halloween Clown theme.. great calliope music.. set the circus theme perfectly.



2. I cant wait to listen to this cd while driving around with the windows down this summer. Awesome tunes



3. my daughter loved calliope music at the fair so i got this, she likes it and it's nice gentle happy background music for our daily playtime or whatever...some nice recognizable tunes too...



4. The sound is authentic, the recording has fidelity, and the cadence is perky.
   
   But this album is not the match for some of my older calliope collections on vinyl (I know: I'm a dinosaur, but I'm trying to evaluate the music, not the recording technology).
   
   While trying to collect some newer calliope CDs, I purchased this. But all the tunes seem to be played in a single octave, with a few notes below that.
   
   Alternate recommendations are welcome. Most reviewers seem to like this CD, recorded 1973+, so don't take me too seriously. It's just food for thought.



5. Good CD, has most of the best stuff on it.

2 comments about Barney: Imagination Island.

1. item arrived as expected; was working as expected; was well packed and shipped. Good vendor.



2. As the professor would say... "enchanting"... my two year old loves it- as did my -now ten year old son when he was two...

5 comments about Bless My Little Boy.

1. This precious collection is by Rita Baloche, Christian songwriter-worship leader-musician Paul Baloche's wife, and the music is all original, sweet, memorable, and anointed. Our first son loved it and was soothed by it like no other music; our second son has loved it just as much. I've given it as part of a shower gift for every baby boy shower I've been to since, and each mom has told me later that this CD is a special part of their home life and memories. One mom even created an infant scrapbook with each heading being one of the songs in this collection! Highly recommended.



2. This was a gift for our son when he was born. Beautiful words and music sung by a wonderful singer. Her voice is soothing and pure, and while the words may not mean much to him now, they are very encouraging to his parents, especially during the difficult nights! Favorites include Peek-a-boo baby, lullaby baby-o, Good night to today, and sons are a heritage. Give it a try.



3. I love this cd. I bougth it when I was pregnant of my second daughter and I play it since the day she born, it calm her down when it is time to go to sleep. Every mom should have one, this is a must have cd. My older daughter loves it as well, she calls it the relaxing music cd. The songs are so beautiful. Over all a wonderful lullaby cd.



4. I had the Bless My Little Girl album for my little girl when she was an infant, and whenever she was fussy at home or in the car on trips all we had to do was start the album and she was immediately soothed. That being said, I knew I had to have it for our little boy when he came, so it was here waiting for him before he was ever born. Our little boy has had the same response to the album. Both my kids love the soothing songs and singer. I sing the songs to my 8 month old little boy now and have done so since he was born and my little girl still asks for the songs to be sung to her each night at bed time. We love, love, love this album!



5. I got this for my son at the Christian Book Store when he was about 6 months old. I have to recommend this CD!! While your watching your little one sleep at night and listening to the music it will just melt your heart, all the while your mind is processing, " I never knew I could LOVE someone so much as I do my child; Words just can't explain it. Also the blessings he will get from listening to it! WOW!!! I found out I was pregnant again (this time a girl) while my son was only 8 months old. We rushed back and got the Bless My Baby Girl CD. Now my son is 3yrs old and my Daughter is 2yrs old, they still listen to it, I will lay in bed with my son at night and he will sing the songs with me now... It's just too sweet! I have even brought it with me on trips and to the grandparents house. No fuss, they just go right to sleep. I have never had any trouble with the kids, even as tiny babies, sleeping through the night. Once I forgot to turn my son's CD on, and as I was walking towards the door he yelled "MOM, you forgot to turn on my CD!"

5 comments about Baby Einstein Gift Pack Volume 3 (Baby Galileo/Baby Neptune/Baby Beethoven/Numbers Nursery).

1. I got the 18-pack for my latest kid, Floyd, and no matter how long I kept him tied to his TV chair, he still was as dumb as a rock after watching these things.



2. The name "Baby Einstein" can lull you into thinking it's okay or even good for babies to watch t.v., but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no television at all to children under 2 because so many studies have proven its harmful effects on children. Studies have shown that:
   
   - for every hour of television a baby watches a day, their chances of acquiring an attention deficit disorder increases by 10%.
   - among babies ages 8 months to 16 months, every hour spent daily watching programs such as 'Brainy Baby' or 'Baby Einstein' translated into six to eight fewer words in their vocabularies as compared with other children their age."
   - brain wave activity in babies is slower when watching television than when sleeping.
   
   I believe television should be used SPARINGLY and with caution, and without any delusions of it increasing baby's intelligence. As for making them more intelligent, Dr. William Sears says, "relationships, not things, make babies smarter." The easiest way to make babies smarter and calmer is to carry them a lot. Slings, pouches and carriers help make this more manageable. Studies have shown that:
   
   - carrying babies an extra 3 hours a day resulted in 40% less crying.
   
   Babies who are frequently carried are proven to pick up verbal skills faster, and develop better core muscle strength and balance. My Listmania list "Natural Parenting for Baby's First Year" has more information on babywearing, or you can google "babywearing" or "television and baby studies" for your own research.
   
   Crown Crafts The Original NoJo BabySling by Dr. Sears - Black Chambray is a great starter sling.
   
   Finally, I'd suggest "SIGNING TIME" videos - not to be confused with "Baby Signing Time" - as a last resort instead of other baby videos because at least baby can learn sign language. Sign language is proven to:
   
   - reduce frustration and tantrums
   - accelerate language development
   - promote parent-child bonding
   
   I found the entire series at my local library. I especially liked Signing Time! Volume 4: Family, Feelings & Fun DVD and 'naming' feelings also increases emotional intelligence in babies.



3. My son has been watching the Baby Einstein video series since birth and at the age of two and a half, he is speech delayed and is actively in speech therapy. I think there is a correlation between the Baby Einstein videos and speech delay and sensory development. My son is intelligent, but is not expressive in speech. He understands but cannot express himself with words. The speech therapy is working but we will be in therapy until he is at the level he should be for his age. I also think there is a issue with sensory development. He is my second son and I never had issues with my first son who is now nine and back then Baby Einstein videos were not around. He watched Barney, Sesame Street, and other cartoons that used actual words and communicate dialog between two or more people and not so much sensory fluff. Take caution because I read one review that talked about autism and speech delay being an epidemic in the last five years. I think research needs to be conducted about the effects of Baby Einstein videos on baby and toddler development. If anyone else recognizes this problem or would like to write back, please email me directly at falina@sbcglobal.net



4. I have a 14 month old daughter who loves all the Baby Einstein DVDs. She watches them while she's playing with her toys and it seems to calm her down. Babies just love these DVDs, for whatever reason!



5. we (me, my husband and my daughter) all love them. She is 7 mos. old now, has been watching about 1 per day for 3 mos. It gives me time to make myself some toast and a cup of tea in the morning or me and my husband 20 min. to eat our dinner together and discuss our day. I know the instructions say to interact with your little one while they're watching so occasionally I'll verbalize the object, the color or describe what the children on the video are doing. I find that she is enthralled with the puppet shows on the bonus feature on the main menu...also like the multi-lingual option as they say its good for little ears to hear different languages, sounds etc. One suggestion I have is to first preview them from the local library. There are a few that I've gotten from there that she's just not that into! Now I know and it saved me a few bucks too! Overall, I would recommend these but would hesitate in giving them to someone who may use the "Repeat Play" option-if you catch my drift!

4 comments about The Wiggles: Space Dancing.

1. My 2 1/2 year old nephew loves this video and learned the title instantly, so the first thing he says when he visits me is "watch Spacing Dancing?".



2. I bought the DVD for my son Dustin who is 2 1/2 years old. He absolutely LOVES The Wiggles and this DVD was no exception. He watched it constantly until we bought him another Wiggles DVD from the store. I really enjoyed this DVD and all of The Wiggles DVD's.



3. This video is definitely Different from the other Wiggles videos. The animation is a little wierd with the Really Big Heads. My 4-yr-old did not really like it.



4. I bought this for my grandchildren, they love it. They ask for the Wiggles eveytime they come to my house. They are 4 and 2. Space Dancing is the latest Wiggles video we have added to our Library.