5 comments about Brainy Baby : ABC's : Introducing the Alphabet (Ages 2 to 5 Years).

1. After reading a few negative reviews of this product, I had concerns about purchasing it. However, I couldn't find any alternatives that I thought would help reinforce my 3-yr-old twins' interest in letters so I took a chance. I am so glad I did!
   
   The video introduces capital and lower case letters along with the sounds and somehow manages to capture my boys' attention whenever I turn it on. It is interesting to both of them, despite their very different abilities (one has known the alphabet since he was 18 months and the other still doesn't know all the letters).
   
   My opinion is that the concerns of the reviewer(s) who complained about the pronunciations like, "d-uh" are overstated. It is a great tool for learning the alphabet and sounds!



2. I am so thankful to these reviews. They help so much in determining if a product is right for us. After reading all the reviews, I decided to purchase this DVD for our 20 month old son. He had been watching The Letter Factory (which is great) and I wanted to offer him something new. At first, I was worried, as he wanted to watch The Letter Factory, but after sitting through the DVD with him ONCE, from then on, he has been very interested in watching the video. I like it because it's not all hyper. It's taught in a relaxed calm method. No regrets. I LOVE the way they repeat over and over the sounds of the letters. It's an excellent video for learnig the alphabet and letter sounds. A++++ We bought ours directly from Brainy Baby. We didn't want to wait. We received our order within a week.



3. If your gonna let your kids watch TV atleast let it be educational. It's a great video. I'm sure it reinforced my son in learning his ABC's.



4. My 2 1/2 y.o. loves this video and asks for it often. He now knows all his letters and I believe this video has really helped.



5. I agree with most of the other reviewers regarding MOM OF MANY MUNCHKINS review. She was way too critical! For hating the dvd so much, she has it memorized. She is correct about the "uh" sound, but my son has started talking so much since we got this dvd from our local library. He has even started saying complete sentances! Brainy Baby may not be perfect, but they are obviously doing something right. He also watches it from beginning to end without getting bored, and even giggles when the babies giggle. It is very cute! I think they did a great job. We have to remember that this video was made for babies and toddlers, not grown up adults.

5 comments about Baby Einstein - Baby Shakespeare - World of Poetry.

1. While I hate to admit it, my 8 month old is hooked on Baby Einstein. His favorites are Baby Shakespeare, Baby McDonald, Numbers Nursery, and Baby VanGogh--i.e., all the classical puppet format types. Baby Shakespeare has beautiful imagery and poetry, but also the fun puppets my little guy loves to see. I've researched the BE series thoroughly, and highly recommend these. While I am not crazy enough to think the videos will make my baby smarter, I do like that I know what he's seeing, I get a few minutes to shower, cook, etc, and most importantly, he loves them!



2. Great DVD, my 6 month old loves it. One problem was that the DVD didnt work on our DVD player in Australia, and so had to get a hack to unlock the DVD player.



3. Baby Einstein is a wonderful line of videos to help aid in your child's development. Get them off to a very good start with these videos, and this special one, Baby Einstein - Baby Shakespeare - World of Poetry, Just the Cat's Pajamas,. Get them well on the way to a successful future now! Don't wait!



4. We absolutely love this video. I love that it combines actual speaking along with music. My boys, now 2, both can recite some of the poems. It has always captured their attention and kept them occupied. While I am not a huge fan of videos for babies, I make an exception for this one. It is mildly education but loads of fun. I definitely recommend this video!!!



5. Wonderful DVD with lots of information for my 14 month old. He absolutely loves these movies and actually will repeat what they are saying. I don't feel guilty having him watch these over and over because he learns while being entertained.

5 comments about Baby Einstein - On the Go - Riding, Sailing and Soaring.

1. Your child would love watching this video, but she'd also love eating cotton candy and drinking grape soda. Many pediatric and psychological studies have shown that young children know FEWER words for every hour they spend watching videos like this one. Why? Because they aren't spending time with YOU, practicing their language and social skills. There's also evidence that young children who watch TV have a greater risk of developing ADHD. Last, toddlers who grow up in homes with the TV always on in the background literally seem to have more trouble hearing themselves think. This hurts their developing linguistic abilities and consequently their abilities to engage silent reasoning.
   
   Please protect your child -- don't let her watch any TV during her early, crucial, developmental years. We only watch TV when our little girl is asleep.



2. My 20 month old son LOVES this DVD. He begs to watch it. He's really into planes, trains and cars right now so this is the perfect DVD!



3. 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 best way to make babies smarter and calmer is to carry them a lot. Slings, pouches and carriers help make this more manageable.
   
   - Carrying babies an extra 3 hours a day resulted in 40% less crying!
   
   Babies who are frequently carried 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 for OCCASIONAL viewing instead of other baby videos because at least baby can learn sign language. Communicating in 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.



4. I am a grandmother who bought this one for my daughter's baby. He seems to really enjoy it! Especially the motorcycle!



5. Baby Einstein is a wonderful line of videos to help aid in your child's development. Get them off to a very good start with these videos, and this special one, On the Go - Riding, Sailing and Soaring. Get them well on the way to a successful future now! Don't wait!

5 comments about God Bless the U.S.A.: Kids Sing Songs for America.

1. Purchased this product for my grandchildren to listen to and hopefully learn the words to our nations songs.



2. I think this disc was adorable... well worth the money.....my son who is 6 loves it!!
   
   Thank you..
   jojo



3. This CD is fabulous, and it's so great to hear my young kids learning the patriotic songs that helped build this country and make it great. Many schools don't teach these songs anymore, which is a darned shame. But the kids love it and will learn to love their country for it. Thank you, St. John's Children's Choir!



4. My 3 year old daughter absolutly LOVES this CD. She has memorized all the songs and just has a great time listening to it in her room. It puts a good feeling in our home with this music on. My 5 month old daughter loves it, too!



5. If you are even browsing for a childrens/adult friendly CD with traditional songs about America, buy this CD. Almost every song brought back memories of myself in elementary school during the bicentennial. My 2, 4 and 6 years old all love it and ask to play it all the time. Be warned, however, after listening to it for 2 hours straight in the car, parents may tire of even the best songs.

5 comments about African Playground.

1. I bought this to teach students more about music in different African countries and found the music very addictive and upbeat. One thing that would have made this (and many other Putumayo CDs) better would be if Putumayo provided full translation of the lyrics. Some songs (e.g. Jambo Bwana, Battu, etc.) only had translations for one paragraph of the lyrics while other songs did not have any translations at all (e.g. Mbube, Hello Hello).



2. My daughter has loved this CD since she was 3 months old. Now she is 7 months and she dances to the music. I often use it to put her in a good mood. All of the songs are fun and wonderful.



3. After seeing "The Last King of Scotland" (decidedly NOT for the kiddies!!!), I desperately wanted some African music, so I went online and found "African Playground". I listened to the samples, ordered the CD, and upon receiving it, was surprised (and somewhat embarassed) to see that its intended audience was children.
   
   "Oh well," I said to my dog, "what the heck. I'm pretty immature anyway..." So I tried it out, and became completely addicted.
   
   There is such a wide variety of styles, instruments, and languages throughout the disc, one could never become bored listening to it, and there's not a bad song in the bunch. What unites all of them is their unquestionable beauty and contagious happiness. One of the songs (Track 3, by the Mahotella Queens) is so beautiful it actually made me cry the first time I heard it!
   
   While I have no doubt that kids would enjoy it, adults shouldn't be afraid of falling in love with with this gorgeous, cheerful, utterly charming CD.
   
   P.S. My dog likes it too :)



4. My daughter and niece love this CD. They want to hear it all the time.



5. I found this in a grocery store of all places and bought it on a whim. My 13 month old likes it, but even if he didn't, I love it! I "car danced" all the way home! It is so up tempo, it's the perfect driving CD and I've got it in the house now to clean to. It's a little traditional African, a little dance club, a little disco but it totally works. Can't wait to check out the other CDs in this collection.

No comments about Goosebumps: One Day at Horrorland.

5 comments about The Wiggles: Pop Go the Wiggles.

1. We purchased this because it seemed to be the "latest" release of the Wiggles. It is all nursery rhymes, which is cute, but tends to be less energetic than "Wiggly Dancing" or some of the other popular DVDs/CDs. I enjoyed hearing nursery rhymes that I hadn't heard since I was a child. My daughter's interest wasn't held as well as some of the other DVDs since it was less interactive. The characters looked more like they were posing/acting out pages in a nursery rhyme book than performing or dancing. The dancing just wasn't as energetic as DVDs in the past.



2. We love the Wiggles--me, my 3 year old son, and my 12 month old son too. Both my sons groove and dance to the Wiggles every time I put their music on. This video, however, was disappointing. It is a collection of nursery rhymes, which I knew before I bought the video, but I expected the songs to be Wiggle-ified, meaning, I thought these classic songs would be jazzed up and choreographed in their unique Wiggly way. However, these songs put us to sleep! Most are so slow! I don't know why they chose to slow down the tempo so much. My kids sit through the video but their eyes glaze over. I get bored too. There are lots of interesting costume changes, but costumes aren't what my kids care for. They like the upbeat get-up-and-dance music with simple, understandable themes and easy motions they can follow. This video does not provide that.
   
   The only times my 3 year old grins and laughs is when Captain Feathersword pops out of the jack-in-the-box.
   
   And I agree with a previous poster that Sam's voice is more musical theater. A great voice but not very Wiggly...I think his almost operatic voice was less approachable for my kids and harder for them to connect with. This video made us miss Greg!
   
   Aside from the music, the video is well made. And I was glad to see that the other 3 Wiggles still have their energy and enthusiasm.
   
   Update 8/5: We just went to the Pop Goes the Wiggles Live concert and it was FANTASTIC. If anyone is reading reviews here because they are anticipating going to the concert, then you should know that although this video isn't that upbeat and danceable, the concert IS. My 3 year old son wore himself out jumping up and down and dancing like crazy. Sam has an awesome voice and I was able to appreciate it more live than on video. I was very impressed with him and the whole concert. Sam is now my son's favorite Wiggle!



3. I will unashamedly say I love this DVD. My son is just now at the age where he really enjoys singing, and the fact that he can watch the Wiggles performing fun and gently catchy versions of the songs he's learning at daycare have made this his new favorite as well. He loves trying out the actions and singing along with the characters on the TV, and it's a joy to watch him enjoying himself so much.
   
   I've read a complaint about the greenscreen backgrounds, but I don't have a problem with them, and neither does my son, which is far more important. The one sad thing is that Greg is not longer part of the Wiggles, but I have to say that Sam was an excellent choice to take his place. Sam's voice is lovely, and he's just as sweet and lively as the other, original Wiggles. And even better is that Dorothy, Wags, Henry and (my favorite) Captain Feathersword are there as well, all taking part in the action. The costumes are great, and it was a treat seeing all the Wiggles performing on instruments.
   
   This DVD is, in short, a fantastic way to help your child learn the canon rhymes and songs of childhood. I can't recommend it highly enough.



4. It's nice to see Sam in a video now (my son has been waiting for some videos with Sam in them!). These nursery rhymes are catchy songs I must say...maybe a little too catchy (we hear them all day after watching it once!), but my boys love it.



5. Bought the CD. Bought the DVD. It's on in the car and at home on TV (respectively). My son is entertained...now if only I didn't have to listen to it 5 times a day, I'd actually say this is my favorite out of all the Greg/Sam Wiggles....now we just have to see them perform this live to complete the delivery of this title.

5 comments about Disney Silly Songs: 20 Simply Super Singable Silly Songs.

1. I got this on tape once and I thought it was good. I don't listen to it anymore but I still have it.



2. Some of these songs i think are very old and not for today's market. Not catchy. Sorry disney its a bust from me.



3. Lots of silly songs, many are the kind kids used to sing at camp way back when. Good fun for the family. Great for playing in the car on trips.



4. I remember listening to those songs on a tape when I was in elementary school. I loved it. I played the tape on our tape player in our living room when I was in middle school and my mom says those were stupid. My dad told me that time it was for little kids.



5. My sister and I had this record growing up and we would listen to it on road trips with our parents all the time. I remember most of the words and I love being able to share these timeless songs with my 16-month-old son. He's already singing along even though he can't say the words yet! I definitely recommend this CD for all children!

5 comments about Sesame Street - Fiesta!.

1. This really keeps my 18 month's interest- the songs are catchy and entertaining. It has Linda Rondstat and Celia Cruz! It is a fun video he wants to watch over and over- it lasts about 30 minutes. It is not an educational video per se, although he is repeating the words in spanish (like the numbers)..it is pure entertainment and fun.



2. My kids who are just beginning to learn Spanish have learned a lot of vocabulary from this DVD, highly recommended for second language learners!



3. We love this video - who doesn't love Sesame Street? - it is fun, upbeat and the songs are great. I don't know if my kids are really learning much spanish with it, but it is a great way to put the music and culture in front of them in an entertaining way!



4. My kids enjoy watching this video, it is a lot of fun, very entertaining and it is rewarding to see that they learned to count with it...



5. Bought this for my 17 month old (teaching her Spanish). There is hardly any spanish. And when there is SPanish, the person speaking was an English accent. It's SO horrible. Don't buy this. If you want a good Spanish DVD, get "Me gusta ser yo" and "bienvenida la primavera".

5 comments about Little People: Storytime Collection.

1. My son absolutely adores Little People and watches them constantly. The dvds promote good values and friendship which with todays other shows is refreshing. The Dvd is a total of 10 stories which are broken into two 5 min menus so if want you dont have to play all of them. If you want a product your child will love get this and other Little People movies. It is just unfourtunate that they do not sell in stores. At least none I have been to.



2. I bought this DVD after getting "Discovering Animals" free with a Little People toy. The free DVD has 5 episodes which my 19 month old daughter loves. I got this one to give her (and me!) a little variety. It is split into two sections, the first 5 are re-tellings of fairy tales which are okay, but the second 5 are not-very-good summaries of past episodes. It is a lot like those recap episodes that sitcoms do - all the characters get together and "remember" stuff.
   
   Here are the episode summaries from the back of the box:
   
   DISCOVERING STORYTIME
   Eddie & the Cornstalk - Sarah Lynn tells the story of how an impatient Eddie discovers that too much of a good thing is not always good, when he overdoes it with Farmer Jed's special plant food.
   
   The Frogly Duckling - Sonya Lee tells the story of a little frog who tries to be a duck, but discovers how much easier it is to fit in when you're just being yourself.
   
   Hansel-Eddie and Sarah-Gretel - Michael tells the story of a brother and sister who discover a kindly baker building a yummy gingerbread house in the woods. They offer to help - and help themselves to way too many treats.
   
   The Monkey Who Cried Elephant - Eddie tells the story of a monkey who played an elephant-sized joke on his friends one too many times. In the end, the joke - and the elephant - is on him. Monkey discovers that if you want people to believe you, never tell lies.
   
   Sonya Had a Little Lamb - Actually, Sonya Lee had a little dog named Lucky. But Maggie tells the story of how Lucky added "fleece" so he could follow Sonya Lee to school. Lucky discovers that being a lamb isn't half as much fun as being yourself.
   
   MOVIE NIGHT AT FARMER JED'S
   Friends Helping Friends - Maggie discovers that she's the star of the first movie. As all of Discovery City watches Maggie delivering the mail and helping the animals remember who they are, we all rediscover how helpful Maggie is.
   
   The Fast and the Froggy - It's a fast-paced adventure story starring who else? Eddie and his faithful green sidekick. One minute they're racing, then hopping and bopping at the garage the next - always looking to discover new adventures.
   
   Feathered and Furry Friends - Big animals or small, Sonya Lee loved them all. And whether it's baking a cake for Zookeeper Zack's birthday or coaxing chickens off the roof, everyone including Sonya Lee discovers that all animals love her too.
   
   Sarah Lynn's Sing-Along - It's a musical tribute to Sarah Lynn. She discovers how much everyone appreciates her musical talents, especially when she uses them to help the Captain save his boat or when she shares her music with friends.
   
   Before Your Very Eyes - Everyone at Movie Night discovers once again how handy Michael's creativity can be when the movie projector breaks down. Then they all get to watch Michael in action on screen - making it rain or snow, you just never know.



3. I wish Little People were this fun when I was a kid. Back then, they were wooden and didn't have extremities. Now they're high falootin' with they're own cartoons. My son loves the Little People DVDs, especially Aaron Neville's opening song--we sing it all the time. He likes that the cartoons show friendship and kinship among the Little People, and their friendly interactions with animals as well. These wholesome cartoons are a real treat for my little guy.



4. It's just nice to know your little ones are having fun with something useful and peaceful as the stories in the little people's episodes. Each DVD has 10 different stories that keep them entertained...especially if you're cooking and can't play with them at the time......you know what I mean!



5. I like that this CD is divided into two 20 minute chunks and each chunk is divided into five 4 min parts. This is perfect for when my 20 month old really wants to watch a movie. She can watch just a little and I can still limit her TV/movie time for the day. It also is great when I need 5 minutes to finish getting dinner ready and she is starved and impatient.