Reviews (405)

Baby Mozart has saved my sanity
I had picked up various Baby Einstein tapes while pregnant but didn't expect to use them until my son was closer to a year old. I also never intended to encourage TV watching. At around 5 months, however, and before his eyes even seemed to focus on the TV, I popped in the Baby Mozart tape in a moment of extreme fussiness and frustration. He was immediately mesmorized. He is 8 months old now and will not sit still for any TV show or video EXCEPT for Baby Mozart. He stops crying, whining, or whatever else he is doing and stares in awe throughout the entire video. He even gets mad if you walk in front of the screen while it's playing! There are times I rewind it and play it again and again until I get the dishes done and order restored. My son is captivated (and hopefully learning something) and the music is delightful enough not to have (yet) grated on my nerves. I highly recommend this video to any parent. Of the other tapes: Baby Beethoven is also a good choice for infants, but has an irritatingly long introduction that loses Baby's interest before the action begins. Baby Doolittle seems like the tape my son will love next.

Gladly recommended with only one caution "just in case."
My grandson was 6 months old when started watching Baby Mozart. He was fascinated from the start. I was glad I held him in my arms to move to the music and share the video with him, though, because the lizard hand-puppet that appears at one point and sticks his red tongue out in fun, and the barking dog puppet scared him. They startled him and he cried every time they appeared and made their abrupt gesture and/or noise, but, because I was holding him, he was quickly soothed. Subsequently, when I knew they were coming, I made a point of saying hi! and waving hi! to them and petting them after they made their sounds and we could get closer to the screen, so he got over that just fine. He is totally absorbed by the video, and the one time he watched it from his play seat rather than my arms, I found him craning his neck and leaning way over completely drawn in. I can't help but wonder a bit, however, why this couldn't have been done with the original musical instruments as opposed to the "baby-friendly" instruments employed here.

A must have for colicky babies!!!
I recently purchased the Baby Mozart video for my daughter who is 2.5 months old and has an extreme case of colic. NOTHING would calm her down - I mean nothing. However, she just LOVES this video. I put it in while she is in the middle of one of her screaming fits and within 3 minutes she is glued to the screen smiling and cooing. I don't know what it is but she truly adores this video. The only thing is I wish it was a little bit longer - it only runs about 30 minutes and that is barely enough time to do anything around the house. I would highly recommend this video to any parent who has tried it all with no success for a colicky baby. It just might save your sanity like it did for me!!!

Wondering what's next?
The series is very interesting and I'm wondering if more kids videos are on the way. My children are 6 and 3 and like watching these and other videos again and again.

It amzes me that this video gets so many rave reviews
I give three stars only because it does come in handy if you need to occupy your infant for thirty minutes, and the video is at least age appropriate for infants...I would much rather have a one year old watch this than a faster paced cartoon. We received this video, Baby Einstein and Baby Bach as a gift and I was not impressed with any of them, although, as I said, they did once in a while come in handy. I do highly recommend some of the newer BE series videos...we got Baby Van Gogh and Baby Doolittle Neighborhood Animals when my daughter was a baby and they are so much better because they use puppets and have a theme and some structure. I never understood the "video board book" concpet of watching the video as an activity with your child...I much preferred looking at picture books when my children were infants. ... Read more

Reviews (100)

My Daughter's New Favorite Baby Einstein Video
I love ALL the Baby Einstein videos. They have given me time to do things around my home while my daughter is entertained. I've also enjoyed watching with her. The older she gets the more certain scenes will delight her. This is our new favorite. It immediately catches her attention by showing stuffed animals at the beach, before the opening credits. It continues on in various water play and delights her when a game of peekaboo is played.....her favorite game to play with us. It is brighter and more entertaining than the rest. The series improves with each video. I'm only sorry I didn't get the DVD. The repeat play feature is a godsend. I have numerous videos from this series and her running fave was Van Gogh until we got this one. I'm definitely glad since I was tired of that one already. My daughter is 5 months old now. The age recommendations have never mattered since she enjoys even the ones labeled for 1 year olds. I would definitely recommend this one for mothers. If you've never tried any of these videos, Baby Mozart is a good starter. This one is a close second.

A great addition to my Babies world.
... From my little 14 month old girls perspective, this is one of the best Baby Einsteins yet. She stays totally enthralled with it from top to bottom. There are no scary scenes but I guess everyone is entitle to vent. >We got Neptune as a gift last weekend and were thrilled at some of the fresh changes. Frankly we were getting sick of the same old stuff, and felt Julie was pretty much over it. After all, her kids must be like 22 by now. Neptune was clearly put together with thought and love for kids. I expected to see dancing Goofy's or something, but there is none of the common Disney stuff here. It's got great scenes underwater, close up views of creatures most people might never see, and the puppets are as darling as ever. We even laughed at some of their humor.

(Shelby) my girl dances to this like none other. She points at the fish, and even says "Beach" now! Thanks!!! That's my kind of teaching. She's probably watched this one 4 times in the last day and still can't get enough. I'm sorry that some sour grapes on line don't like it because it's different, but as an average mom, I think its great and so does my girl.

Eeeww.. hated it
My baby does like this video, but I can't stand it. I first purchased Baby Mozart and Baby Beethoven and liked them a lot, but when my daughter got older (6 months) I decided to try something new. So I bought her some of the Fisher Price videos. She loves them, and I do too. Then I decided to try this video because unlike Mozart and Beethoven they actually have nature scenes and stuff in this video. My daughter is entertained, but the way they try to make the kids in this video all "cutesy" is annoying. The kids in the Fisher Price videos are very cute. They're filmed doing many different activities, playing with moms and dads, sleeping, eating. Very cute. But the kids in this video are always mugging for the camera - a complete turn-off for me. So, I gave this video two stars because it definitely entertains my daughter. But only two stars because I can't stomach it myself.

My child hated this one!
My child cries when I put this one in. He hates the animated dancing crayons. Let me just say that these movies have such an appeal to babies because, in the exact words of Julie Clark, "they capture the sights and sounds of baby's real world." I don't know about you, but there are no computer animated, singing and dancing crayons in my child's real world. I think Disney forgot that the simplicity of these movies is what makes them so loveable. Pass on this one and stick with the earlier versions (before Disney took over)My child adores Bach, Mozart and both the Dolittles.

My baby has loved since birth!
My 7 month old loves this DVD. It says it is for 9 month olds. She has watched it since birth. She has others, but this one really gets her excited! I do not advocate children watching television. However, this will give you a chance to eat dinner every now and then. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The beauty of this entry in the Baby Einstein catalog is its integration of puppets, toys, and live farm footage to help babies and toddlers make the connection between their plastic play sets and stuffed animals with images of a real farm. As always, the spoken language is minimal, omitting the pesky verbs and adjectives that would confuse the very young. The 30-minute main program is divided into sections: barns and equipment, animals, planting crops, and harvesting. Background music ranges from "Old MacDonald" to Schumann, and DVD extras include a 6-minute puppet show and visual "discovery cards" identifying animals and farm paraphernalia with a single word. (Ages 6 months to 3 years) --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Great Addition to the Baby Einstein collection
I bought Baby Mcdonald for my 21 mo old daughter. She absolutely loves it and asks to watch it . It seems to be her favorite one of the Baby Einstein collection so far, although she does like many of the others too. It is a great video with children and animals. It also has many scenes from a farm too. Great video well worth the money.

FANTASTIC TOOL FOR YOUR CHILD
I have a 12 month old daughter and she absolutely loves not only this video, but all of the Baby Einstien collection. I can pop in any one of these DVD's and she is instantly enthralled. This particular DVD gives you an up close look at the farm. It breaks down the farm into groups such as planting the field, harvest, barnyard animals etc....each one of these sections is filled with high color images, interesting and unique toys, and some pretty amusing puppet shows. I am a huge believer in the Baby Einstein products and will reccommend them to anyone who will listen. If you haven't tried out these products yet then give it a chance, I promise the $14.00 is well worth the enjoyment your child will get from it.

Baby Einstein-Baby MacDonald
My 23 month old daughter absolutely loves watching this show as well as Neighborhood Animals. It has really encouraged her to make animal sounds, point and name each one and sing a cute version of e-i-e-i-o with hers being "e-o"
This is definitely one of her faves as well as ours.

Can't get enough of it!!
My 15 month old has been watching Baby MacDonald since his 1st birthday and can't get enough of it. He can tell mommy what sound a cow, horse, and rooster make. He even points to the cows and horses he sees as we drive in the car. We have most of the Baby Einstein collection and he loves them all. Highly recommend getting the collection.

very adorable
We let our 14 month old watch this video now it is requested everyday, multiple times. He is exposed to TV on occasion, but has never really paid much attention to it. He loves singing and dancing and likes this alot. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Baby Galileo, a young kangaroo puppet, looks toward the sky in an exploration of the awesome wonders above to discover the sun, moon, clouds, stars, and galaxies, and each of the nine planets,.This 30-minute presentation features rapidly shifting images that include real-life photography of the celestial wonders and children playing with space-themed toys, animated segments, and puppetry.A variety of excerpts from classical masterpieces like Mozart's "A Little Night Music" and Debussy's "Clair de Lune," specially arranged in primarily synthesized "music box" arrangements, as well as several popular nursery songs like "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," accompany the imagery and ensure a stimulating, multi-sensory experience.DVD extras include a repeat-play function, discovery cards with 14 real-life photographs of celestial wonders with spoken and written titles, puppetry excerpts from the presentation, toy chest with details about pictured toys, and a DVD-ROM coloring book. (Ages 9 months to 4 years) --Tami Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (88)

Too Glossy
I recently purchased this DVD for my 8 month old. He loves the other Baby Einstein titles, even those a little over his age level, so I thought I would get this one. As soon as I put it in, it was apparent that BE had gone commercial. Whereas the other titles have almost a "homemade" video feel to them, this one is obviously filmed like a studio movie. The pictures of cityscapes and sky look too professional and to me seem beautiful but boring. There are some pluses, the kangaroo puppets are delightful, and the classical music joined by a few children's favorites is still there, although the addition of a beloved Disney song is very noticable and out of place. This one is our least favorite of the bunch, with my son only turning to watch the puppetry. I hope the next one is better.

my little ones favorite
Unlike the other people who had negative feelings about this DVD, I think it is wonderful. I purchased this in the Volume 3 four pack, and it quickly became my daughter's favorite. She squeals with glee at the Kangaroo puppets, and is mesmerized throughout the video. She is only 4 months old, and now I dream of the day my little scientist grows up. I enjoy watching it with her also, the pictures are beautiful, and I can bounce her on my knee with the familiar tunes and she just giggles. It has definitely created a bonding time for us to savor every day.

Excellent DVD
My 22 month old thoroughly enjoys this DVD. I was hesitant to buy it due to the poor reviews it had received, but she can't get enough of it. Highly recommend it to all parents.

the unfortunate future of Baby Einstein
I was very worried when Disney bought out Baby Einstein. This DVD has a completely different feel than then the others and is the first one my son didn't really respond to. It's funny, the number of people and production companies listed in the credits is many times greater than on the 'real' Baby Einstein's but the quality is much worse. Too bad Pixar didn't buy them! A sad turn of events.

Too boring for very little ones
I know this one is supposed to be for nine months and up, but we tried it for our 6 month old son. Hated it! He liked when the puppet would come on the screen, but that was a total of like 10 seconds the whole time. It's mostly footage of the sun, clouds, etc. I can't imagine a 9 month old would like it any better, but we'll see. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Disney's 1977 The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh may be the last word on (animated) Pooh because it so faithfully honors the first word on Pooh, penned in the 1920s by British storyteller A.A. Milne. Gently paced, subtly humorous, and blessedly understated, this adaptation reflects Walt Disney's original vision to develop the beloved British bear for a wider audience. The film is essentially a collection of the original Pooh shorts, "The Honey Tree," "The Blustery Day," and "Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too." These storybooks are presented in seamless "chapters," narrated by the timeless Sebastian Cabot. The familiar musical score and original voices of Sterling Holloway as Pooh, and Paul Winchell as Tigger, cap this enchanting keepsake. (Ages 2 and up). --Lynn Gibson ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Nothing Like Pooh Bear turning a Blustery Day into Sunshine
Winnie the Pooh has always been my favorite playmate and all his friends at enchanted Pooh Corner-Christopher Robin, Eeyore, Piglet, Kanga and Roo, Owl, Rabbit and Tigger, too. This is Walt Disney's 22nd full-length animated movie masterpiece. Winnie the Pooh was created in the 1920s out of British author A.A. Milne's whimisical stories he told to his son Christopher Robin. The character Pooh was created from Christopher's toy bear Edward Bear, and from his favorite London zoo friend "Winnie," a black bear. The name "Pooh" came from a swan residing also at the zoo. The film is a gathering of these wonderful moments and Disney's magic weaves them into this joyful feature-length movie.

This edition includes footage of behind the scenes interviews and how the story of Pooh all started. The original stories are "The Honey Tree," "The Blustery Day" and "Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too." "Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day" was nominated and won Best Cartoon Short Subject in 1968. If you're a lover of enchanted days take a journey to the Hundred Acre Wood with the most huggable, lovable bear of very little brain for a wonderful adventure and lots of honey pots! Complete with the magical music score theme song and the Tigger song, too. It's the best fun you'll have in your entire childhood with none other than that willy nilly silly old bear. Guaranteed!

Disney Has The Magic And The Charm!
The Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh is a very good movie for the whole family. It is so wholesome and filled with basic messages and foot tapping music that all ages will enjoy.

It has great character actors doing all the voices and who could every forget Tigger! Or Eyor or Piglet or Rabbit or Roo! Such a fun more even as I watch it as an adult today. The story of Pooh is a classic and it wasn't until Walt Disney created these three mini features and married them till the US populous catch on to Whinnie's adventures. And they are fun.

Winnie is lovable and adorable and has the biggest of all hearts of all the characters in the Disney line of magical memories I have ever seen! This movie is really special.

The DVD extras are just as good as the film. It has a storybook for the kids a music video by Carly Simon and series of games for children to figure out and even a Tigger sing-a-long. Also there are several previews for the kids to see the new Piglet movie, a new Pooh Christmas video due out this fall and Lilo and Stitch preview. With a lot of fun extras. This is a must for any collector of Disney or animated features overall.

For people who are blind or have low vision.
I just found out that there are tapes like this (For people who are blind or have low vision.) on sale at Amazon.com! It's very great help for those kids!

Great collection of Pooh stories
Yes, we all love Winnie the Pooh. However, the main reason I prefer "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" over any of the other Disney movies featuring Pooh Bear is the way this movie is set up. It's a compilation of several of the classic Pooh short stories, instead of one long movie. I find my two-year old gets much more out of watching the individual 10 minute stories, as opposed to attempting to sit through a full-length, animated film.
Thus, keeping the little ones (ages 1-5) and their attention spans in mind, I highly recommend "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" to be a must for any family video collection!

Gotta see this one!!!!
Winnie the Pooh is one of the most lovable characters there is and this DVD showcases his sweetness. Pooh, Piglet, Tigger and all their friends romp and frollic through a series of stories that kids of all ages, even grown up kids, will enjoy. The stories are very entertaining and the voice talents who bring the characters to life are awesome. Most touching of all is Pooh and Christopher Robin toward the end of the movie discussing the fast approaching arrival of Christopher's departure to "school". My entire family loves this movie!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Classical music has been scientifically proven to encourage cognitive development in young children. Baby Beethoven, a 29-minute Baby Einstein production, presents excerpts from five of the composer's most famous symphonies, as well as incidental music, in a child-friendly, sensory-rich format. Familiar Beethoven themes like the Ode to Joy from his Ninth Symphony are playfully rendered on electric piano and accompanied by colorful images of toys in action, puppetry, and babies at play. The musical excerpts are relatively short and the imagery is quick-paced and varied enough to grab the limited attention span of viewers age 1 to 36 months. Unlike previous Baby Einstein presentations, each symphonic excerpt (though not the incidental music) is labeled--a feature that encourages further exploration of favorite pieces. Baby Beethoven is an aural and visual feast that promotes creativity, mental awareness, and an appreciation for classical music in infants, toddlers, and their parents. --Tami Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (81)

wonderful content, but poor sound quality
my son *loves* the baby einstein series. baby mozart is one of the few things that will get him to sit still for more than five minutes, and he gets a big smile on his face when he hears just the intro to the tapes. there were a couple things that really disappointed me about this tape. first, the advertising for all of the tapes in the series comes before any of the actual content, so each time you pop the tape in, you need to actually fast forward past the "our purpose is for parents to have fun with their children" section showing off all of the products. i didn't mind it being at the end of the tape, and we've actually watched through the advertisement on the baby mozart tape a couple of times. second, the sound quality was *horrible*, at least on the copy of the vhs tape that we purchased. (and this is not something that i usually notice.) a lot of the recorded music was very static-y.

at the same time, the content was adorable and the music is something that, if the quality of the recording would be better, i wouldn't mind sitting through hundreds of times (as i have with the "baby mozart" tape). lots of cute little toys moving around to fit the music with colors that my son loves to look at. the puppet show sections of the tape are well done.

A good one to start your collection
My four-month-old son just loves Baby Beethoven and Baby Mozart. Their very similiar in format -- lovely music, colorful toys, objects spinning, etc. So if you're looking for a couple Baby Einstein films to start your collection for your young infant, Baby Beethoven would be perfect. My son loves it -- he smiles and giggles when he knows it's coming on, he laughes and "talks" to the puppets, and wiggles his legs all around. I think I even saw his swaying or dancing one time.

So if your baby is very young (say, under 8 months or so?), I recommend sticking to this type of film -- where your child loves the colors, movements, shapes, etc. But be careful moving on to other Baby Einstein films. My four-month-old hated Baby Neptune, since it had more real life footage -- kids playing in a puddle, a whale crashing into the sea, etc. Not the most exciting for a young infant. I think it just has to do with colors and silliness -- my son even loves the VeggieTales DVDs -- and not an interest in seeing actual people.

Marketing aimed at children
Baby Beethoven has lots of nice pictures with music that my 17-month-old son enjoys. What's a bit disturbing is the obvious marketing and advertising in the 30 minute DVD. Lots and lots of toys are shown, then at the end we see toddlers playing with the toys! We own a few other Baby Einstein DVDs which do show commercial toys, but in Baby Beethoven the marketing is very blatant.

FANTASTIC!
This is the greatest Baby Einstein DVD we've come across thus far. It doesn't matter if my son has been screaming for hours on end, or in the middle of throwing a tantrum, all I have to do is throw this one in and he stops dead in his tracks for the whole thing. He loves it! It's been a life saver for me when I'm in a dire need of a break. If you don't get any other Baby Einsteins, get this one!

Holds my baby's attention
My baby boy loves this DVD. He will watch it all the way through!! This is great, it gives me time to get stuff done. This is an absolute must have. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Expressive faces and the exploration of arms, legs, and other bodyparts simply fascinate babies and toddlers.From Head to Toefocuses in on eyes, ears, hands, and other appendages with rapidlychanging, close-up photography of real-life children alternating withpuppetry, toys, animals, and sculptures and paintings by famous artists. Accompanying the vivid images are whimsical versions of classical piecesby famous composers like Bach, Handel, and Corelli, made kid-friendly bythe "Music Box Orchestra," as well as the traditional "Head, Shoulders,Knees and Toes."Baby Einstein videosare famous for thistried-and-true format that appeals to the limited attention span of veryyoung viewers while encouraging cognitive development--the visual mix andpace in this presentation are especially effective.DVD featuresinclude language tracks in English, Spanish, and French; pictorialdiscovery cards with written and spoken words; an exploration of the fivesenses; puppet segments excerpted from the show; a read-aloud version ofthe book Mimi's Toes; and a listing of featured toys. (Ages9 to 36 months) Tami Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A MUST HAVE! A GREAT LEARNING TOOL!
My 11 month old loves this DVD. It catches his attention immediately, and will continue to mesmerize him throughout the entire show. The music is refreshing and the teachings are great and fun. I would recommend this to anyone. This is definitely a MUST HAVE!! -Brandi in Louisiana ... Read more

Reviews (106)

Excellent
When I received 'Baby Einstein' at our baby shower, I had never heard of this before and was kind of skeptical about introducing my child to TV in infancy. Now, almost 9 months later, I'm happy to say that we are all big fans. And these products are appearing more and more on baby registries for almost all of our friends who are expecting.

We own several of the videos in the series, and Baby Van Gogh is probably the reigning champ (followed closely by Baby Mozart and the original, Baby Einstein). The use of color and art are really wonderful ways to delight and entertain a child, and my husband and I find ourselves a bit mesmerized as well. My daughter also loves seeing the other kids in the video and giggles pretty regularly at the same faces and smiles.

The creation of these videos, DVDs, CDs and books was a stroke of genius...Baby Einstein is truly an appropriate name.

TV for baby? Well...maybe a little!
I have strong feelings about letting my child watch television. I firmly believe that children should spend their time outside playing or using their imaginations and not sitting watching TV for hours on end. However, I find that I don't mind the Baby Einstein videos...in fact I really enjoy watching them as it provides some quality time. Yes I did say quality time in reference to watching a video. Once a day I sit down with my son and we watch a part of a video together. I point to the objects on the screen and name them for him. He divides his time between the screen and interacting with me. At 7 months old he is absolutely fascinated by seeing all the children in the videos. He is also very fond of the puppets. The Van Gogh video is fun in the way it introduces colors. The music is pleasant and soothing. Vincent Van Goat (the puppet host) adds a lively touch...especially with the subtle bandage on his ear on the title screen of the video.

FANTASTIC!
We own all the Baby Einstein videos and this is my son's favorite. He's been watching it since he was four months old, and it captivates him like no other in the series. I agree with the other reviews that this one is well structured, presenting colors in a logical and meaningful sequence while making it fun for baby at the same time. A close second would be Baby Neptune, but if you are considering buying any of the Baby Einsteins, this would be my first choice.

Excellent
Baby Van Gogh is so much better than the first Baby Eistein Videos - Baby Einstein, Baby Mozart and Baby Bach. This video has puppets that my children absolutely love, great classical music, a theme (learning colors) and structure. We also have Baby Doolittle: Neighborhood Animals, whcih is also great, and Baby Newton, which is not quite as good but still worth having. My kids are now two and four and they still watch this once in a while and enjoy it.

A Favorite of Mine, but not the baby...
We are a Baby Einstein family, we have several of the DVDs, and as well as Toys, books etc. This is MY favorite DVD in the bunch. The music in this one is fun, and the puppet clips are actually humorous to an adult. The live action sequence are wonderful too, especially the introduction one with toys, animals and other things of every color. (And the annoying kids are kept to a minimum in this one, no corny jokes)

That being said...

This one won't hold my daughter's attention as well as some of the others. She'll watch a bit, and then it's off to explore the house! So this is one we'll put on in the background when we are playing other games, simply for the great music. I dig deeper in to the baby einstein series when I want one to have her watch while I prepare her lunch, or grab some laundry. For older babies, I recommend "Baby Neptune" or "Neighborhood Animals", which are her current favorites. For younger babies, the composer DVD's are like a magic on fussy babies, baby Mozart was an early favorite. ... Read more

Reviews (146)

not quite Baby Mozart, but a strong #2
Baby Bach - the third installation in the Baby Einstein Company's series is almost as good as the original, Baby Mozart. My 7-month-old watches this almost as intently as she does #1 - Baby Mozart... which is still much better than other companies' video "board-book" or video "mobile" products.

All in all, Ms. Aigner-Clark's innovation is quite remarkable - stimulating music and visuals to distract and aid in child development. I give all of my friends the Baby Einstein Library (which includes the videos Baby Mozart, Baby Bach and Baby Einstein) for shower and baby gifts - and I receive raving 'thank yous.'

These videos can be life-savers when Mom or Dad need a couple of minutes of quiet to themselves or to devote to other children. I am still surprised by shrieks of delight from my daughter at some of the visuals. My four-star rating has only yo do with my own lesser's opinion of this video's visuals and one particularly annoying laugh-track AS COMPARED TO Baby Mozart (which I rate at five-stars). My daughter would probably give them both five++.

Not What I Expected
Having bought so many of the other Baby Einstein DVDs, I couldn't wait to watch this one with my 18 month old son. We were both very disappointed. My son could not "get into" this one. It is the only one in the series that he hasn't liked so far. I believe it may be that the visuals just don't match well with the music, and the whole dvd is quite dull.

baby loves this
I wish I'd thought of this- it seems so obvious an idea I'm sure I would've come up w/ this eventually! My one complaint is that Clark's daughters have lipstick on in the video! How very disturbing.

Baby Bach
We bought this video and all of the other Baby Einstein DVDs when out daughter was about 2 months old. She absolutely loves Baby Bach. She's 10 months now and it is harder to hold her attention. But for the past 8 months, if we played that DVD, she'd stop what she was doing and be glued to the video. She becomes bored with the still pictures of the toys and the children playing. She loves the music of Bach. We purchased Baby Beethoven also, but Baby Bach is still her favorite. We're starting on all the other videos now, she really likes the puppets. We purchased those for her, they are a little disappointing compared to the fancier ones in the video, but she likes them anyway. Baby Einstein is a good purchase. I highly recommend the DVDs.

Underwhelming
This one bores my son (4 mos.), which is no mean feat considering a lightbulb can occupy his attention for half an hour. Maybe these folks can come up with a Baby Lightbulb series; it would take as much craft as the video in question, which is mostly static camera shots of toys and home-video-esque "ain't she a darling?" shots of the filmmakers' kids. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With the Van Gogh, Dolittle, and other Baby programs under their belts, the tots who follow Julie Aigner-Clark's Baby Einstein series will sidle up to Baby Newton expecting a similar exploration of building blocks to brilliance, but this time there's a wrinkle or two. Animation makes its first appearance, and parents steeped in keep-it-simple culture may object to the springy "I Know My Shapes" song, a departure from classical-only video predecessors. Otherwise, the tried-and-true genius launchers of titles past pop up anew--Vivaldi floats through each of five shape segments, and clever puppet shows play quickly and infrequently enough to captivate the under-2 crowd. Plus, talk about well rounded: Clark covers the bases, showing off triangular sails drifting toward the sunset one second and geometric patterns the next. Play it for a departure from skill-building standbys like pop-up books and plastic sorters for ages 1 to 3. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Reviews (104)

Just watched and am disappointed but I thought Disney
would do what they did. Disney went and tried to make the videos better. Lots of animation, loud music and fast moving things. They did keep some of the old (simple) concept but they added to it and made it more like most other kids videos. It was so peaceful to watch the old ones. I have all of the other Baby Einstein videos and love them and both of my kids love them. I bought this one because of the reputation of the original company. Now, that Disney owns them I guess I'll be thinking twice before I buy the next one that comes out. I was wondering if they would try to improve on something that worked so well just like it was. There are also no children in this video and the puppets are limited. These were my daughter's favorite things in the other videos. It certainly isn't a bad video but it's just not as good as the others. So, if you really liked the others you might be disappointed in this one also. And, to be fair, my daughter asked to watch it a second time right after watching it so it can't be all bad.

My Baby Loves It!
My son is only 6 months but absolutely loves this movie. He watches from the floor or his entertainment center for more than half of it. I also run a day care out of my house and my 15 month old who doesn't sit still for anything loves this one best. While I like the all classical approach we must face that kids love cheesy songs so I think the shapes song is a hit. I enjoy all of the movies I've seen so far and I use the language library to teach my son German but as for him this is by far his favorite.

Disappointing experiment by the BE Folks!
Forget the plush puppets, enticing visuals, and enchanting classical music of the other Baby Einstein videos. This one does not follow the BE formula. Instead, it is an animated presentation with an original song that is played repeatedly, assuring the viewer that the (albeit untalented) singer "knows his shapes." Computer generated crayons draw a clown out of shapes, and he becomes a more dimensional computer graphic.

What's the problem? I noticed that my son did not enjoy this show as much as the others. He prefers the more engaging BE vidoes with puppets, changing scenes, and classical music. (E.g., Baby Galileo). I purposely buy BE videos because they are NOT flatly animated with uninteresting music. Other than the fact that baby didn't care for the video, I found the visuals uninteresting and the song about shapes very annoying.

I recommend Baby Shakespeare or Baby Van Gogh instead of this one & hope that the BE people learn from this mistake.

Toddlers love it even if parents don't
In looking at some previous reviews it looks like the DVD received 5 stars when people went by their children's reaction. When people reviewed it from their perspective the rating was lower. I concur that this is our son's favorite while I like some of the older versions in the series better. Since these productions are not aimed at adults I give it 5 stars.
Our son talks about or laughs at nearly every scene in this video. While there are highlights in all of the other Einstein videos none so fully engage him as this one. It's not for children under 12 months and our son didn't really take to it until around 18 months but now he can't get enough.
Parents, target this one for 1 1/2 - 3 year olds and don't worry if you don't like it as much as Baby Mozart.

The Worst One I've Seen Yet!
We got this for our daughter's 2nd birthday, as she really enjoys the other DVDs in the Baby Einstein line. She likes this one too, but it is really a departure from the other BE DVDs we've seen. First of all, there is the cheesy original song "I Know My Shapes"...they should have just stuck to the classical music entirely. (Isn't that one of the ideas the company was founded on to begin with? But that was BD, BEFORE DISNEY. Now, I have nothing against Disney, but please don't fix what's not broken!!) Then, there's the computer animation of the crayons and the clown. A clown puppet (like the other characters in this line of videos) would have been more endearing. And the crayons just don't belong! If I had seen this before buying I would have chosen another title. If you're still looking for a new BE DVD, I would recommend Baby Van Gogh, which really helped our daughter learn all of her colors well before the age of 2, or Numbers Nursery (even though it only goes up to 5). ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Great video - Entertained my 23 month old
My daughter has been a big fan of the Baby Einstein video series and we have nearly all of the videos. This one has gone back to the B.E. earlier videos, in using some familiar puppets from previous videos and has the typical classical music playing while showing one toy. I watched it with my daughter as a before bedtime video and she sat with me the entire time and didn't move. When they counted she would hold up a few fingers to show me "how many" and when I asked her if she liked her video, she nodded yes.

Sure it would be nice if they went a bit higher in the numbers, but this isn't supposed to replace me teaching my daughter how to count. It's an entertaining video and helps associate one-two-three with how many objects are in front of her. I highly recommend this video for your younger child and also for those children who are my daughter's age and are big fans of the baby einstein videos.

Excellent DVD
We own several Baby Einstein DVD's and this one, as well as Baby Shakespeare, are my 14 month old sons' favorite videos. He will walk into a TV room and run up to the television, insisting either one to be played. The puppets play a large part in this video, along with other children. There are also various puppets included, instead of only 1 or 2. For these reasons, he really enjoys them. They are extremely educational and fun to watch. Of all the Baby Einstein videos,Nursery Numbers and Baby Shakespeare are the ones to get if your child is 1 year and older. These are the only vidoes my extremely active son will actually sit down and watch! I have bought this video for 2 girlfirends who have 1 year olds. I strongly recommend both of them.

Love the Learning...Nice New Twist for Baby Einstein
I'm a big fan of Baby Einstein videos for the most part. We own most of them and have watched them countless times. My daughter (now 20 months) has lost interest in them now. She was most drawn to them from 8-15 months I think.

But I was thrilled to see this one come out and got it thinking it would be more "educational" than the others seem to be. I was right. I really like how this one goes through the numbers, counting, sequence, etc. The puppets, music, objects, format just seems to make more sense than some of the other more "out there" ones.

Best of all, my daughter loved it and quickly learned to count from 1-5. My only regret was that 5-10 wasn't out (and still isn't)! I'd also love to see an A-Z one! The other new one Baby McDonald is pretty good and slightly different than the "traditional" format too. My daughter asked for "mcdonalds" almost every day for a month after we first got it!

And like another reviewer said, be sure to check out the other choices on the DVD, especially if your child seems bored with just the video. You can find lots of other learning/fun things on each one too!

One of her favorites
Next to Beethoven this is her favorite Einstein video. It is really interesting how some she won't watch and others she loves. This is one she adores.

Baby Einstein Numbers Nursery
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!! I own all of the titles, and feel that this is certainly the best one for toddlers age 1 and up. When my daughter turned 19-months old she could count to 5, thanks to this video (of course I recommend the use of books, fridge magnets, and counting as you walk, etc.) but if you need 25 minutes to prepare dinner and would like for your child to get some educational fun in, this is it. Once she was too familiar with the main video, I clicked on 'Bonus Material' to discover that it was loaded with additional videos, counting games, discovery games and even flash cards for numbers 1 - 10 in 7 languages, which is perfect for our English/French bilingual household. Within 3 days, she was counting to 10! Now if only there were a part 2 that would count to 20. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The baby-to-toddler set gets an expedition through a variety of animal habitats across the planet in this installment of the Baby Einstein series. Despite the title, there is no real biblical connection to the material other than Noah's Ark toys and a few paintings (minus Noah and family). The subtitle "Animal Expedition" is far more accurate, as the 38-minute program takes the youngsters through the African savannah, rainforest, ocean, Australian Outback, and polar regions. As in its predecessors in the series, this one focuses on a few animals in each segment with repetition through toys, puppets and nature footage. Spoken words are minimal, but percussion and classical music (Beethhoven, Bizet, and Mozart, here) are maximized. (Ages 1 to 2) --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (6)

These are fantastic!
These videos are not to be used as parents. They are to be used as educational devices. If used properly your child will learn faster and more at a very young age. You are most definately supposed to interact with your child and not plop them down in front of the tv all day long. If their child is crying because they don't have the cheap toys on the screen then they need to work on their spoiled little brat. I have seen first hand the knowledge children gain with these videos. Baby Einstein is great for a child not for an adult. The images on the videos are for children. I praise the Baby Einstein company.

These are great dvds! To each it's own!
This last two people were the same people. They're great dvds, just some babies may not like them. All of my kids, and my neigbhors kids all LOVE them! They will not cause your child any long term damage, that is just assinine.

A lot of babies love this dvd. My 2 year old triplet's and 6 month old STILL watch them for 1/2 hours and more so I can do real work around the house.

My Baby sister cries when she sees this! It sux!
These DVD's are a complete waste of money! My sister pays no attention to them, she chews on the "shiny" disks and points to the cheap toys on the cover complaining she doesn't have them. I donated the disks to the Good Will for some other cheeseball to buy them. If you buy these you will go nuts and maybe even get so pissed, you crack the disks engaging your son/daughter into some dangerous activity. I hope you use this info wisely, and interact with your child/sibling instead of forcing them to watch the dumbest DVD ever. You and your child will eventually thank me for interacting with your child future. If you listen, to my review, you are improving the liklihood of your kid to be successful in life! Thanx!

I paid money for this little thing!?!?!?!?!?
This is by far the WORST dvds ever! In ALL of the dvds under the Baby Einstein company, they all feature the same thing: cheap toys with a colorful background!!! I am not kidding you. You would be better off by buying the toys instead of the dvds. It would not only be more effiecent cost wise, but interacting with babies, is much better than sitting them in front of a screen watching a video\dvd type of thing. Throughout the baby einstein series, the same toys are used over and over and over... If you think about it, the baby eistein company is taking YOUR precious money for cheap toys and some clever editing they put on dvds! If you look closely at the dvds, you can oviously tell that not a lot of work went into making the dvd. When you first watch it, the question you will most likely ask yourself is: how much money did they put into producing this dvd? Buying one is enough to know the whole series. In addition, studies have shown that TV is BAD for growing babies. Save your money and avoid this dvd at all costs! I would give this dvd ZERO stars but by the review standards, that is not an option.

*0/5 stars*

IS TV BAD
I HAVE A 7 MONTH OLD SON AND I HAVE PURCHASED A FEW BABY EINSTEIN VIDEOS WORLD ANIMALS NEIGHBORHOOD ANIMALS AND BABY NEPTUNE. I TOO HAVE READ THE WEBSITE ONE OF YOUR REVIEWERS HAD WRITTEN ABOUT . IT DOES NOT STATE THAT WATCHING TV IS BAD FOR CHILDREN UNDER 2 IT STATES THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN ENOUGH RESEARCH DONE AND IT IS NOT RECCOMENDED. THE REVIEWER SUGGESTS A MOMMY'S DAY OUT PLAY GROUP,THERE IS NOTHING OF THE SORT IN OUR AREA. I ALSO AGREE WITH CHILD INTERACTION,HOWEVER I WON'T UNLESS IT IS ABSOLUTLY NECESSARY BE LEAVING MY SON IN THE HANDS OF A PLAYGROUP FOOLING MYSELF INTO THINKING THAT IT WILL BE BETTER THAN A HALF AN HOUR OF INTERACTING WITH ME AND BABY NEPTUNE. MY SON LOVES THE COLORS SHAPES OTHER BABIES ETC,AND HE IS SAFE IN HIS OWN HOME. I AM NOT A LAZY MOTHER I PLAY WITH MY SON ALL DAY AS I WORK NIGHTS. I TOO TAKE HIM TO PLAY WITH OTHER KIDS POINT OUT THINGS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ETC..... AND SOMETIMES GO ON LITTLE SLEEP SO HE DOES NOT HAVE TO GO TO A SITTER. I AM VERY FORTUNATE FOR A SCHEDULE THAT NOT EVERYONE HAS. SO FOR ALL THOSE MOMS OUT THERE WHO ARE USING THESE VIDEOS AS A TOOL TO LEARN AND BEING THERE WATCHING THE VIDEO WITH YOUR BABY I APPLAUD YOU. YOU TOOK THE EFFORT TO DO RESEARCH READ THESE REVIEWS AND TRY TO DO THE BEST FOR YOUR BABY,AFTER ALL NOTHING IN MODERATION IS BAD,I HAVE HEARD OF PLAYGROUPS GOING TO MCDONALDS,IS THERE NO END TO THE CRITISISM? IN ADDITION AT 6MONTHS MY SON HAD A FOUR WORD VOCABULARY 8 TEETH AND CAN GET HIMSELF OUT OF HIS OWN CARSEAT!! AND HE WATCHES 1/2 HOUR OF BABY EINSTEIN PER DAY. THANK YOU BABY EINSTEIN!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (100)

This video is my 7 month old daughters favorite!
We used the baby Bach and baby Mozart videos when our 7 month old was younger and she loves them, but Neighborhood Animals is her all time favorite. She sits in her walker and watches the animals and even tries to talk to them. She gets excited when the pupets/animals make sounds and loves the music. She smiles and starts making her little baby sounds everytime she see Pavlov the dog. We used to put her in her swing and let her watch Bach or Mozart while we get ready for work in the A.M. But with this video she got so excited in the swing that we had to put her on the floor or in her walker! Even though the age recommendations are 1 yr to 4 yr I highly recommend it for younger babies. I took the video over to the sitters and she said all the kids liked it and watched intently. (the ages are 8mth, 7mth, 5mth and 2 years!) I'm not a big fan of sitting my daughter in front of the TV; however, when both parents work and you need to buy a little time in the morning this is the greatest! I hope your children love it as much as my daughter does!

Another good video for a rainy day
This video is what you would expect from the Baby Einstein Company--puppetry, classical music score, toys, live action children and video footage of animals. It's designed around 4 themes, animals in the house (dog, cat, mouse), yard, (bird, rabbit, bug), farm (cow, horse, pig)and river (frog, otter, duck). My 14 month old daughter enjoys it, especially the children singing "Old MacDonald" during the farm sequence, and the flying cow marrionette. I didn't give it a full five stars largely because, on the whole, the quality of the puppetry (as opposed to others in the series like Baby Shakespeare and Baby Van Gogh) is not of the same caliber and the toy sequences don't seem to have the same level of wit and humor that sparkles in the other videos. My opinion is that this video is simply following their tried and true formula, granted, it is one that, judging from my child's reaction, works well, but maybe needs some fine tuning.

Great toddler-pleaser!
I recently bought this video for our 2 year old daughter, who has loved the other BE videos for some time now. She absolutely loved it! She has always loved animals and so this, along with world animals are her favorites. I've actually caught myself interested in it while doing dishes even! These videos are aimed toward birth to toddler ages, however even our five year old loves this one with all the animal footage. I highly recommend it- a great way to settle down before naps, too.

child's attention not held
I have used Baby Einstein products in past but I have found the more recent titles lacking in the entertainment quality of the older titles. My child gets bored pretty easily with them now, and actually gets a little scared with some of the segments. I am concerned that these products are being made too quickly without being tested on young children.

Only one complaint
This video is very good. It is simple and enjoyable. My only complaint is about the sound. It is of poor quality. It sounds muffled and it is quite loud. It is mostly the music and not so much the sound effects and the child's voice that sounds bad. If the sound were better I would have given it five stars. ... Read more

Description

Contains 13 DVDs in a specially-priced bundle from the leader in child development video: Baby Einstein. From baby to preschool, these Baby Einstein bestsellers will be treasured and used by moms and children alike. Includes: Baby Bach, Baby Beethoven, Baby Einstein: Neighborhood Animals, Baby Einstein: Numbers, Nursery, Baby Einstein: Language Nursery, Baby Einstein: World Animals, Baby Galileo, Baby MacDonald, Baby Mozart, Baby Neptune, Baby Newton, Baby Shakespeare, and Baby Van Gogh. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Mother Approved!
Our son is almost 8 months old and when we put one of the videos in, no matter where he is in the house he comes to watch. The colors and sounds has captured his attention and we can sit with him to learn. We are so happy for your products. Thank you for helping new parents find a way to connect.

GREAT VIDEOS! BEST BABY VIDEO BUY EVER!!
I bought them when my baby was 5-6 mo. She loved a little bit them by then, especially baby newton. Her interest for the videos has kept growing, she is 13 mo now and she LOVES these videos, she pays lots of attention to each and every thing she watches. My baby has never had a pacifier into her mouth, but these videos have definetely been her pacifier all this time.
I can't explain the emotion she feels when she watches me inserting the videocassette for her, she claps her hands, sings, dances, etc!
The only video that she doesn't watch is baby einstein, I think it's a little bit boring for her, and has always been. But for my overall experience, these videos deserve an A+++. My money was very well spent.

Best video series I have found
I have purchased several of the video series. Baby Genius and Bee Smart are pretty good. I also having the Signing Time videos. While I love Signing Time, my son is not quite into it yet. None of them keep my 7 month old fascinated like the Baby Einstein series. I have the language skills, bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. Doolittle is a little disappointing. I have not purchased Newton yet, and may not, due to reading of the reviews. But, in comparison to the other series out there, Baby Einstein is the top. I still use the other videos, because they seem to provide more direct education. Yet, I have to work harder to keep my son's attention with the other videos. Just today, my son was getting fussy and would not soothe. I turned on baby Mozart and he has not made a peep. I may not get him to sleep anytime soon, though.

Somewhat Disappointed....
Neither of my kids seem to be remotely interested in any of the Baby Einstein DVDs. To me, they seem strange and almost like brain-washing. I think we'll stick to Disney and the like.

Mostly good, if used correctly.....
We have all of these videos and my kids love them. They are bright and colorful, with loads of great images and top notch music. I like that they vary and have different themes, our favorite is Baby Newton. I have no idea why they prefer that one, but they just do.

Now, I've read some negative reviews on here and I must say I can see the point that those parents are trying to get across. But Julie Clark tells us at the end of every video that you should watch with your child and discuss what you are seeing. This is an opportunity to interact with your child, this is not intended as an electronic babysitter (Nick Jr. is the electronic video, or didn't you know?). So if used properly they are learning videos. My two kids, aged 4 and 2, enjoy the chance to spend time with a parent and learn about colors, numbers, shapes, etc. For that purpose they are great! ... Read more

Video Description

baby einstein part of the Walt Disney Company. Uses real-world objects - great minds start little - educational - motivational music, art, language, science, and nature to expose young children to the world around them in playful, enriching ways. Babies are fascinated by the sights and sounds around them. Every moment of every day in a baby\'s early years is an opportunity for discovery. The Baby Einstein Gift Box Set includes the following 12 twelve titles on DVD: Baby Bach(172), Baby Beethoven Symphony of Fun(59), Baby Einstein: Neighborhood Animals(71), Baby Einstein: World Animals(71), Baby Einstein: Language Nursery(162), Baby Galileo(172), Baby Mozart(170), Baby Neptune(172), Baby Newton: All About Shapes(49), Baby Santa(81), Baby Shakespeare(101) and Baby Van Gogh(70). ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great DVDs.But why are they being sold for such high prices?
The DVDs are fantastic. However, save your money and buy the complete set from Costco for $120. People here have listed the USED sets for over $160? Come on guys..............

Great set; Missing 1st original DVD
I've viewed 8 of these titles with 2 kids. These were the first videos my kids enjoyed at an early age and my 3.5 year old still likes watching them. These are the best early childhood videos I have found from both an engaging and educational point of view.

This collection is missing the original "Baby Einstein" which introduces 6 languages and is one of the better videos for <12mos babies. This is the reason for 4 instead of 5 stars.

The older videos (Bach, Mozart) feature the creator's blonde-hair/blue-eyed daughters a bit too much and severely lack ethnic and gender diversity.

The middle videos (Shakespeare, Van Gogh) have extensive puppetry, better ethnic diversity, but still favor the daughters, women, and other girls. These are probably the favorites of my kids.

The newer videos (Neptune, Galieo) are produced by Disney and lose much of the original creativity and charm that made these videos great. They do have a balanced ethnic and gender diversity. ... Read more

Reviews (85)

For kids from 1 to 92?
What's great about Baby Shakespeare?

1. The children singing the ABC song (twice)
2. The format for teaching 12 words: train, flower, apple, cat, grass, frog, leaf, snow, tree, cow, butterfly, moon. They say the word, then show the word on screen, then say it again, then show a picture of it. The way they start with a rough sketch and morph into the real thing is also quite interesting.
3. Music by Beethoven
4. The poems have something to do with the words being taught.
5. Lots of cool and colorful toys - the Baby Einstein series really loves toys with figures that climb stairs.
6. Each segment starts with the click of a camera, so you know you're moving on to the next word.

What's not so great about Baby Shakespeare?

1. The actual theatre piece is only 28 minutes long. The 101 minutes on the jacket includes a concert and poetry recital. (This is video folks, not an audio cd)
2. Some of the toys are in the wrong places. The "cat" segment has footage of a worm in an apple, the "cow" segment has a train.
3. The poems are way above the level of the intended audience. Couldn't they have found children's poems?

I rated this 4 stars because my son loves it, especially the ABC song segments. I have to wonder though, how poems by Nash, Kinnell, Yeats, Frost and Wordsworth, among others, relate to a monkey with cymbals, and a flatulence joke among cows.

Kids from 1 year old will love the kidstuff, older folk will appreciate the poems, and try to remember the rest of the familiar ones.

My daughter loves all the Baby Einstein Videos!
We have purchased all of the Baby Einstein videos and my daughter has enjoyed watching all of them since she was 2-1/2 months old. Baby Shakespeare is one of her favorites. She dances and laughs during the whole video. She even repeats the words. I do not find Julie Clark's voice annoying in the least. I think she does a great job with the poetry and my daughter seems to agree. I believe some people are reading way too much into a children's video, worrying about the lack of male voices or boys in the video. If you want to entertain your child and teach them at the same time, buy this video!

(Mostly) Guilt-free Pleasure
To cut to the chase: This video entertains my 16-month-old son without fail, and has for the six months we've owned it. He's seen Baby Van Gogh, Baby Galileo, and Baby Neptune; this one remains his favorite. The gentle, quiet images and music--the other videos mentioned are all busier--seem to connect best with him in his generally calm household (and with his verbal parents). I recommend it with only a couple reservations, and they're contextual.

First, one can argue that the very young shouldn't get a lot of TV exposure, and I won't argue against that. Secondly, I can't tell that Alex is taking away a lot from this, only that he finds it more engaging than any other TV/video he sees, and we believe its content is wholesome and harmless... and that's what we ask of it.

Other Baby Einstein reviewers have ranted that the videos are "baby crack": mesmerizing, risking the creation of ADHD-speed attention spans, and indoctrinating about toy products. I think that's catastrophizing. My son watches this easily because it's colorful, simple, and has toys and kids in it--the things that interest him--without a lot of frenzy; he gets bored with cartoons or Sesame Street, but not this.

As other reviewers say: Maybe its greatest value is in holding little attentions for a half hour without damaging them, so bathroom or household tasks can be knocked out without howls and pleas for attention. I think it accomplishes this without turning Alex into a zombie, and he's always impressed that I know the ABC song or Julie's opening poem about the main character. Don't ask it to educate your child or babysit beyond one-showing's length, and I think you'll be happy (and mostly guilt-free) that it's in your house.

Excellent Educational DVD; Perfect "Time-Out" for M&D
Our daughter has been watching "Baby Shakespeare" since around 8 months. The language elements (each separate vignette tracks to a word, like "grass," "snow," "leaf," etc.) were a bit beyond her at first --it's not like she was repeating the words or anything -- but the combination of words, music (classical -- mainly Beethoven) and images make her giggle constantly and keep her riveted for about half an hour.

Officially, "Bard the Dragon" is the hero of the DVD, and our daughter is now sufficiently familiar with Bard so that she laughs at him as he frolics on screen. Other giggles come from the shots of the live kids singing the "ABCs," and from some of the toys that are shown on-screen during the musical numbers. Bard has other "friends" in the DVD, but they aren't on the screen as much, so our daughter hasn't gotten quite as "bonded" with them as she has with Bard.

The DVD has a few options, but you will probably find yourself hitting the main "Theater" option most. I recommend that you resist the temptation for auto-replay. This option seems to lead to burn-out for the kids faster.

Puppets, Poetry, and Playthings
This was once my daughter's favorite video. Now it is fast becoming a favorite of my son's. It is called Baby Shakespeare but there are only a few lines of his used. This is similar to Baby Mozart with its footage of toys in motion and classical music, but this one has added poetry to the mix.

The video is broken into segments. Each segment begins with an opening curtain, a toy camera, and a word. The word is shown and a poem about the word is used. The poems are really not for children (especially the snow poem which is probably above many adult heads). There is then plenty of footage of toys in motion. The segments vary in length (Cat is really short). The segments then end with a closing curtain.

The credits attribute the music to Beethoven but there are at least two pieces using Mozart. This one also uses more in the way of puppets, especially Bard the dragon (he's on the cover of the box).

As a lover of classical music, I find this video far less annoying after numerous repetitions than many other children's videos. Just remember to turn this one off before the ending credits. After the sleepy final segment (Moon) hopefully lulls your child to sleep, the credits jump in with a rousing Ode to Joy. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

An Easter Carol
"Springtime With Roo" would be better titled "An Easter Carol," seeing as the story is a rip off of the classic Dicken's tale. The storyline is that Roo is very excited for his second Easter egg hunt, but Rabbit decides not to do Easter this year. Instead, he wants to have spring cleaning day. So the narrator takes rabbit(Scrooge) back in time to see the way Easter was last year. Then the narrator shows Rabbit the future and what will happen if he dosen't have Easter.

Disney usually has an entertaining story that everyone can get interested in, but they failed to do that with this Pooh film. There also aren't any jokes to laugh at. Only small children will have a good time with this film. The two Easter themed episodes from the popular series "The Wonderful World of Winnie The Pooh" which are extras on the DVD are better than the movie itself. The rest of the bonus features are games for little kids.

This film won't please your entire family, only little kids.(...)

Cute, typical Disney flick.
My 2 1/2 year old daughter likes this DVD. She likes Winnie the Pooh in general and loved "Piglet's Big Adventure." This movie is cute and engaging. It's not spectacular, but easy enough to watch again and again.

Eggsellent story
Created in 2004.Adapted from the books by A(lan)A(lexander) Milne(1882-1956).The story is cute but has no Chrristopher Robin ,Gopher(a new Disney 1966 invention who didnot exist in the books),Kessie(a girl bluebird who was also a Disney invention) or Owl.The story was cute but Rabbit was kinda rude.

My kids do not like this video.("Rabbit the Easter Scrooge")
Very confusing story line for the typical "Winnie the Pooh" child audience. The story is not about Roo. The advertising and the cover information are a misleading Easter Rip Off. It really is about Rabbit being Dicken's Easter Scrooge. This DVD is not the joyous Springtime romp you expect. Rabbit has never been drawn so mean faced and so mean spirited talking as at the end of this movie (before he does an about face). My younger kids couldn't figure it out. I predict these will be available in large quantities used. This is probably Disney's worst Pooh effort and totally out of character from the original A.A. Milne stories although I'm sure the stockholders will give it a glowing review.

Hurray, it's Easter! Um, Rabbit? Why do we celebrate Easter?
Spring time is in the air, and the beloved characters from the Hundred Acre Wood are gathering together to enjoy a new season. But something is rotten in the state of Pooh Corner. Rabbit, who always takes the role of the Easter Bunny, has decided that there shall be no Easter this year. Disheartened, the creatures all return to their homes after escaping Rabbit's commands to clean his house instead. Roo, however, is quite upset, and Tigger decides to approach Rabbit about the matter. By looking back in the book, Tigger learns that Rabbit grew bitter towards Easter because the previous Easter, everyone managed to ditch him and his ever-finicky plans to have everything in order, and have fun on their own.

Tigger learns the reason, but he can't remedy the situation. No one can. No one, that is, until the ever-present Narrator steps in, this time taking Rabbit to the Pages That Haven't Been Written Yet. In Dickens style, he shows Rabbit that if he had his way (no Easter, everything his way), then the other friends in the Wood would leave. Will Rabbit repent? Is it too late for him to change?

It's true, the plot might be a bit above and beyond the average toddler's capacity to comprehend. In the effort to mimic the allegory by Dickens, they stand a chance of losing their younger viewers. But it's not exactly a high crime, in my opinion.

This film also fails to capture the true essence of Easter. Not that I expected it to, you understand! But it might be a good idea to remind your young viewers that Easter is about more than eggs and bunnies, ribbons and flowers. It's a time to celebrate new life yes. But to celebrate the new life that is given us by God, through his Son Jesus!

The film is still cute - although certainly not among the best stock that Disney has produced. I think kids will enjoy this, but I also think it would be important to find something that reminds them of the true reason to celebrate Easter. I would suggest "An Easter Carol", from Veggie Tales. ... Read more