Bilingual Baby Series Review -

Edutainingkids.com

This straightforward and captivating video series is designed to expose babies and toddlers to basic vocabulary in a foreign language. Each video is entirely dedicated to a single foreign language--be it Spanish, French, German, or others--which is refreshingly simple and focused. What's more, each video in the series features similar content and format, making it easy for parents to offer more than one language to their children without over-stimulating or confusing them.

Each video features live-action video of real-life objects and people. Plenty of friendly faces and familiar, everyday objects appear on the screen, helping to keep young children engaged. New vocabulary is introduced one word at a time before it is combined into a sentence. For example, in Section 1, the foreign language equivalent of boy, eat, and apple are introduced one by one, and then the sentence, The boy eats the apple, is spoken and illustrated. Each new vocabulary word is illustrated in two different ways--for example, two women in different settings illustrate the word for mother.

Section 2 introduces numbers in different ways--naming the numerals, counting objects (1,2,3,4,5,6...six apples), and asking young viewers how many objects are on the screen.

Section 3 introduces colors one by one, and then identifies the color of each item onscreen (for example, a brown horse). Children are asked, What color is the horse? After a pause, the narrator answers the question.

Sections 4 & 5 introduce familiar words, phrases, and sentences like I love you, and thank you.

The material introduced in the first 5 sections is sensibly reviewed in Section 6 of the video--the final segment--complete with traditional tunes.

Brainy Baby Art -

Edutainingkids.com

The concepts of colors and shapes are common curriculum found in products targeted at the very young, but this new video offering teaches them in a completely unique way. Brainy Baby Art explores colors (shades, warm and cool colors, primary and secondary colors, etc.), textures (slippery paint, rough sandpaper), shapes (squiggly lines, basic shapes, etc.), and a wonderful variety of other art concepts. Young viewers are even introduced to famous works of art. What do different objects, like a pineapple, feel like? How many warm colors are in the painting? What kinds of lines are found in a rainbow?

Kids look for sunshine and shadows in a famous painting, explore Renoir's Girl With Watering Can, look for different types of lines in Van Gogh's Starry Night, learn about different art mediums (like crayons, markers, chalk, clay, and so forth), and explore mosaics. Patterns and symmetry, lines, color mixing (blue and yellow make green), spirals...too complex for little ones? Perhaps some concepts, but this video wisely doesn't underestimate a young mind's ability to absorb concepts that we, as adults, might consider too complicated. Very clear and warm narration is featured, lively songs, and plenty of live-action video helps demonstrate the concepts taught. This video is extremely clever!

Brainy Baby Animals -

Edutainingkids.com

This exploration of animals--from animals with stripes to animals with wings--is not just for babies. In fact, many of the facts offered by the video/DVD will go over younger children's heads. However, for preschoolers, Brainy Baby Animals offers plenty of live-action footage of animals and some interesting information as well. Kids are introduced to llamas, urchins, tarantulas, and more. They enjoy a music video of Old MacDonald, learn that a cow has four stomachs, watch the hilarious antics of monkeys, learn the names of animal groups (pride, herd, pod, etc.), and watch the "animal alphabet".

Words appear on the screen as each new animal is introduced, and classical music runs along with the narration.

Brainy Baby ABCs -

Edutainingkids.com

This designed-for-babies (and toddlers) video begins with an engaging Alphabet Song. Letters are then presented onscreen, one by one, with enthusiastic children voicing their names. Attention to each letter of the alphabet is then given. Both uppercase and lowercase letters are shown and named. Phonics sounds associated with each letter are not only offered, they are supported with objects that begin with the letter. Live-action video of children at play, often holding large colorful letters, is found throughout the video, helping to keep interest levels up.

This video is unique for its inclusion of lowercase letters along with their uppercase counterparts, as well as phonics sounds. For example, the letter D is associated with the word "dress", and the narrator helps children make the connection by saying, "d-d-d-dress". After a group of mini-lessons about a few letters are given, children are asked, for example, "what does the letter A say?" and onscreen children provide answers. This provides kids with a nice recap. The question-and-answer format adds an interactive component that is invaluable.

Although the pace of the video quickly becomes predictable, many families will enjoy the gentle and sequential lessons Brainy Baby ABC's provides. It certainly feels organized.

Brainy Baby Art -

Discoveryschool.com

Rating:

Designed especially for very young children, Brainy Baby Art is a delightful exploration of art through live-action video and song. What sets it apart from other videos that teach children about colors and shapes is its brave and refreshing depth as it explores concepts like form, color mixing, famous paintings, textures, and more.

This unique video begins with an introduction to primary colors, moves on to color mixing, which then perfectly sets up a discussion of secondary colors. Cool and warm colors are explored, as well as different shades of colors. Children are shown some paintings from famous artists and asked to observe the different uses of colors in the artwork. Lines (straight, broken, wavy, thin, and thick) are defined and demonstrated (for example, wavy lines reminding us of water). Basic shapes are introduced along with children forming the shapes with their bodies for extra reinforcement.

The video moves forward with explorations of texture, mediums (clay, paint, etc.), and patterns. Children are encouraged to discern patterns in different objects, such as a criss-cross pattern on a fence and a zig-zag pattern on a chimney, and more famous paintings are introduced. For example, children are shown the painting, "Mardi Gras" by Paul Cezanne and asked, "Which clown has a pattern on his costume?"

Suggestions of art activities are offered, such as the simple but fun process of painting on one side of a paper and folding it to create a beautiful symmetrical design. Plenty of information is offered in this video, all delivered by a warm, clear voice and supported by the voices of children.

Brainy Baby: Art is a refreshing video that is both enjoyable and educational. The concepts introduced are more abstract and complex than are found in most videos designed for the very young, and parents might be pleasantly surprised to discover how much their children will learn as they watch.

The Bottom Line
This video never underestimates a young child's ability to learn as it introduces kids to art concepts beyond basic colors and shapes. Very recommended!

Brainy Baby Right Brain & Left Brain -

Review Corner.com

Brainy Baby videos are new developmental videos from the makers of the excellent series Baby's First Impressions (see our review). There are two Brainy Baby videos - Volume 1: Right Brain, and Volume 2: Left Brain. These videos are based on research in infant development and incorporate findings about the tendency for one side of the brain to be more dominant than the other. The Brainy Baby series strives to develop both sides of the brain, and to help infants to be "whole brain" thinkers.

Each video runs for 45 minutes. The audio component of the Brainy Baby videos consists of classical music tracks (including Mozart) that are soothing and gentle, as well as very clear narration. The intellectual and emotional benefits of exposure to classical music have, in recent years, been brought to light through many different research findings, and are often termed the "Mozart Effect". Listening to classical music is said to increase cognitive development and spatial reasoning.

Volume 1: Right Brain introduces babies to "right brain" - or creative - concepts. The theme of this video is creativity, art, geometry, imagination, and perception. Young children are treated to the demonstration of art in a number of forms including the drawing of simple objects, painting, and tracing. Volume 1 features lots of babies playing with colorful toys, demonstration of nesting shape toys, colorful patterns galore, and imaginative transformations - clouds and inkblots turn into everyday objects such as teddy bears, cars, and baby chicks. The music and scenes are decidedly more whimsical than those of Volume 2, designed to appeal to the more imaginative side of the brain. There is a bear playing peek-a-boo, spinning colorful objects, and lots of toy trains and trucks. Completed puzzles are displayed, followed by the puzzle pieces. Rhyming words, such as "car/star" are even explored.

Volume 2: Left Brain introduces babies to "left brain" - or analytical - concepts. Volume 2 explores math, language, and logic. This video features lots of babies in colorful outfits playing with stimulating toys, as well as carefully chosen feature objects. Black and white balloons appear, as well as visuals including a black star on a white background (high contrast objects said to be highly stimulating to the youngest of infants), various shapes of blocks that are stacked in graduated sizes, colorful shapes, and more. Volume 2 contains a number of puzzle sequences. For example, simple animal puzzles that have interchangeable heads are placed incorrectly, at which point the narrator says "oops! that's not right" and then places the pieces correctly. Plenty of educational toys are shown, including the classic ring stacker, a marble drop toy, gears, etc. Letters of the alphabet are featured on this video as well, and various alphabet puzzles are demonstrated. Some simple words are even spelled out for babies. Foreign languages are touched upon, as some objects, such as apple, water, fish, balloon, etc., are named in English, Spanish, and French. The math section includes counting bears, numerals, and even simple adding and subtracting ("there are 2 tomatoes, now add 2 more, and let's count the tomatoes.").

We have found these videos to be highly stimulating for young children, and pleasing to the eyes and ears.

Brainy Baby Spanish -

Reviewcorner.com

This 45-minute video aims to teach very young children basic Spanish vocabulary through live-action video. The format is quite simple and straightforward--each word or phrase is introduced through a series of scenes illustrating the word or action in different ways.

Children are introduced to color vocabulary through screens that fill with a color as the color is named. The transitions between each color are creative--for example, a bouncing ball appears and then fills the screen with the next color. Once a number of individual colors are introduced in this manner, they are further illustrated through sequences of objects (such as circles, shoes, and a snowman). The narrator uses the new color vocabulary in short phrases. Then, viewers are asked such questions as, "What color is the apple?" in Spanish, and, after a brief pause, the answer is given.

More vocabulary words are taught and include basic familiar words like apple, dog, ball, and hat. For the purposes of clarity and reinforcement, most words are illustrated through three different scenes depicting the same object in different forms. Numerals are introduced and named, and then used in phrases, such as "dos gatitos" ("two cats"). Parts of the body and common expressions (such as thank you, yes, no, and hello) are also included in the foreign language curriculum. The video ends with a helpful recap of words and phrases learned, in a more random fashion.

Brainy Baby Spanish uses an immersion approach to learning a foreign language. Young viewers only hear Spanish words, not their English translations. Parents can follow along, however, with on-screen text of each word and phrase as well as translations printed in a smaller font.

The video is quite low-key and gentle. Classical music, from such composers as Mozart and Beethoven, makes up most of the musical soundtrack. At one point, a lively Spanish song provides the musical backdrop for a sequence showing children at play.

Used as a supplemental educational tool, this video can be very helpful for both reinforcing and teaching simple Spanish vocabulary. There is currently a French edition, entitled Brainy Baby: French, that is deliberately similar in format to the Spanish edition.

Baby's First Impressions -

Edutainingkids.com

Baby's First Impressions is a video series aimed at babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Designed to teach youngsters basic concepts like the alphabet, colors, shapes, and more, each video is devoted to a specific early learning subject. We took a look at 4 of the videos in the series, and were very pleased with what we saw.

The videos are available individually and also in the form of a video encyclopedia. Each video is 32 minutes long and employs "reality-based learning" - real children, real objects, and no cartoons or puppets. The philosophy behind this program format is simple - the producers of these videos wanted to present important learning concepts without the distractions and glamour that is characteristic of many character-based entertainment videos. The truth of the matter is that babies and toddlers are thrilled to watch real kids and to see familiar objects on the screen. With research on early brain development in mind, this video series was conceived by an early childhood development expert.

In Opposites, kids learn all sorts of early vocabulary through the important concept of opposites, such as come/go, boy/girl, right/left, fast/slow, etc. Many of the scenes are whimsical, such as a boy walking in over-sized boots forward, then back. A number of objects are used to illustrate each concept. For example, to illustrate right side up/upside down, they use a teddy bear, a couple of children, and more. The narrators speak much as parents would speak to their babies and toddlers. For example, they say "straight.....straight train track".

In Colors, kids are introduced to colors one by one. Be sure to adjust your set to match the colors given at the outset of the video or you might have a rather confused baby or toddler (purple can look like blue, orange like red, etc.). For the color yellow, there is an image of a spilled paint can of yellow paint, a duck, etc. At the end of the "yellow" video, there's a close up of a wall being painted yellow until yellow fills the screen. After the "lessons" kids are asked things like "can you find the yellow?". Scenes are of kids playing and after a short time an arrow appears on screen to point out the yellow shirt of a child, etc.

In Shapes, kids learn all about simple shapes by identifying them in everyday objects. The narrator may ask "do you see the circle?" and, after an appropriate pause, the circle of a flower center, for example, is outlined. Other things to illustrate a circle include a ball, and a circle made out of play dough.

In Letters, kids hold foam letters of the alphabet in their hands. They hold up each letter of the alphabet, and show various objects that start with that letter. Children really respond to the kids on the screen, and more easily learn to identify the letters of the alphabet.

The accompanying pamphlets point out the importance of using these tapes as a starting point for learning. The music, although not hugely interesting, is quite mild and not difficult to listen to

This video series is very well done and succeeds well at what it set out to do. The narration is clear and straightforward, the concepts are presented wonderfully, and the content is engaging. Its emphasis on children interacting with the video is important and responsible.

Other titles available are Numbers, Animals, Sounds, Seasons, Head to Toe, Food Fun.