Description

The Letter Factory follows popular LeapFrog characters Leap, Lily, Tad and wacky Professor Quigley on their wild adventure through The Letter Factory. Here, these engaging characters tour various rooms where each letter of the alphabet is learning to pronounce its sound. For example, the letter Cs are in the freezer room where it is "Ccc-Ccc-Ccc-COLD." Featuring original songs designed to educate and entertain, The Letter Factory teaches children ages 2-5 letters, phonics and listening skills while fostering language development. ... Read more

Reviews (58)

An excellent video for preschoolers
We love this video. We borrowed it from the library for 1 week and my 2 year old and 3 1/2 year old watched it over and over. I thought a week would be enough, but my girls don't want to give it back, so we are going to buy one. I was very surprized to here them repeating the letters and their sounds after the first time they watched it. I also have a one year old who watches it and has started making a few of the letter sounds. The only other movies my kids enjoy watching this much are the Dora ones and the Cookie Monster's Best Bites, and they are not nearly as educational. I don't like my girls to watch a lot of TV, but this movie gives me a break, makes them happy, and helps them learn all the letters and sounds in a fun way. It also encourages my daughter to use her Leap Pad Phonics book 1 which teaches the letters and sounds with the same songs as in the movie. I think this movie is great and I hope they make more.

Great Video! Very Educational!
We purchased this video for our 3 yr. old preschooler for Christmas, so we've only had it for a week... but all I have to say is WOW! I've been spending a lot of time in the last few months teaching my son his letters. He really only seemed to "get" a few of them. After watching this video a few times, he now identifies most of the letters!
The video introduces each letter by taking Tad into each letter's "room" where the letter is practicing making its sound. For example, the A's are scared by a silly monster and yell "Aaaahh". They give letters names like "tap dancing T" and "karate kicking K" which help children to remember the sound leach letter makes. My son really enjoys the video and asks to watch it quite often.
I bought this video in addition to the Leap Frog magnetic refrigerator letters--and both items reinforce one another and the concept of letter recognition and letter sounds.

As a mother of a preschooler and an elementary school teacher, I highly recommend this video. I think it's an excellent tool for teaching preschoolers to recognize the letters of the alphabet and their sounds.

Best video for toddlers ever
This is my daughter's favourite video - it is sooo positive. Funny to see that a cup of tea needs salt and not sugar (but of course trying to avoid sugar in kids diets).
Wish that more videos were as positive as this could be produced - leaves the quality of many, many others behind.

Future videos will hopefully show a girl such as Lily as a featured person.
PLEASE MAKE MORE OF THESE POSITIVE AND EDUCTIONAL VIDEOS/DVDs FOR TODDLERS - THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH OF THEM

Learning made fun and easy!
This is by far the best DVD I have bought for my 2 1/2 year old son. He is always asking to "Watch ABCs" He loves it. But most importantly, he's learning. Letter Factory makes it easy for toddlers and preschoolers to associate the letters with the sounds. Yesterday we were playing with his letter magnets. I was so surprised when he was naming the letters as he put them on the refrigerator and even more surprised when he told me what sound some of them made!! I can't wait to buy the word dvd!!

Clever system
This video is the cleverest, most entertaining way of teaching phonics I have seen yet. Although I'm not a great fan of the Leap Frog graphics, they do have a catchy way of making you remember all the sounds. I think my three year eight month old son pretty much memorized all the sounds after watching the video just three or four times. We followed up with the Word Factory, so now he understands the concept of letters combining phonetically to make words.

It's not one of his favorite videos, but I think that he already learned the lessons to be learned, so it was money well spent. ... Read more

Description

Produced to complement The Letter Factory by LeapFrog, The Talking Words Factory takes the educational process to the next level by focusing on word construction, rhyming and vocabulary. In the video, Leap, Lily and Tad journey to the Talking Words Factory where machines like the Word Whammer and Sticky-Icky-O-Rama make a group of letters into words. The Talking Words Factory also incorporates humorous songs to engage children ages three and up. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Another great video from Leap Frog
After learning their letters and phonics in less than 2 days from watching the Letter Factory video, I decided to go out and buy the Word Factory video for my boys (just turned 3 & 4). You cannot beat the price, Walmart and Target had the DVD for just $9.99! Both of the boys love this video too, especially my 4 year old. He has learned all about the vowels A,E,I,O,U and how they stick the words together like glue. It's got very catchy tunes and lots of colors to keep thier attention. They have no idea they are learning how to read, just that they are watching TV! I am so impressed with both of the videos (Letter and Word Factory) I just hope Leap Frog continues to make more with the same great quality. At the beginning of the Word Factory, Tad is playing with his Dad with Leap Frog Letter Flash Cards, I REALLY hope to see them in stores soon, my son asks me for them EVERY time we watch the video. Everyone must go buy both of the videos, the price is great and the investment is priceless!

Our Boys loved it!
We have a 4 year old and a six year old. It was a great introduction to our 4 year old and a fantastic review for our 6 year old. They want to watch it over and over.

The DVD includes a great game!
The PS2 is a great way to let you your child take advantage of the letter game on this dvd. You can play the game with the dvd remote, but my son kept messing up the settings on the dvd player.

Since the PS2 is very capable of playing dvds it seemed like a good idea to play the dvd in the PS2 and let him use the game controller.

The game is very good. It displays all of the letters and tells them a sound. Then they try and find the correct letter that goes with the sound they just heard. The most frustrating one for us is the "m" and "n" sounds, becuase they sound very much the same.

The game lets them try twice, and if they don't find the correct letter it plays the section of the movie that helps them remember which letter makes the sound they were hearing.

Overall, the game (AND THE MOVIE) are excellent, and I'm extremely happy!

I strongly think that this is my all time favorite leap frog product! It taught my son a lot about PHONICS in 2 days! Prior to this video we use to spend 2 days on trying to learn just one letter!

This movie makes learning phonics FUN for kids, and makes me one very happy parent!

Amazing!
I just had to state how amazing this video is. I just spent 2 weeks with my daughter, son-in-law, grand daughter and brand new grand son. My grand daughter is 23 months old and she knows all her letters. She can pick them out at random anywhere a letter appears. She knows the names of the letters and their sounds. She has been doing this since they brought the letter factory into their home when she was only 21 months old. Well, it is time for her 2nd birthday and the best present I can send her is the Word Factory. Now Leap Frog needs to come up with number and color videos!

Waiting for more Leap Frog videos...
We bought this video for our son months ago, and he STILL loves to watch it over anything else he can choose from. Not only did it help him to learn his alphabet, but he thoroughly enjoyed learning it as well. He loved this video so much he would walk around all day asking us things like, "What does the 'A' say?" with a huge smile on his face when he'd say the letter sounds before us. When he saw the Words Factory video in the store, he was as excited as we were to get him started on that one as well. We can't wait to see what Leap Frog videos will follow. It would be great to see some Leap Frog videos dedicated to learning numbers as well. *hint, hint* We hope you all enjoy this video as much as we have. It's a keeper, without a doubt! I recommend it for any child. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This 1990 production has been getting good words on Web parentingmessage boards and for good reason: it works. Dr. Thomas Phelan, a clinicalpsychologist, developed the program for his own children when they were young and in the thralls of hyperactivity and sibling rivalry. The two-hour show features his explanation of the program interspersed with dramatic scenarios and parent testimonials. The corny vignettes and repetitivetestimonials are somewhat extraneous, but the nut of the information isinvaluable. Phelan urges parents to get away from explaining everything to kids,who aren't listening to you anyway, he says, but he's not a spanking advocateeither. His approach is rational and simple: counting and then time-out.You've done that, you say? Well, watch the tape and see what you're doingwrong. His method has been honed by parents and teachers who have come back to him with refinements. These include ways to encourage kids to start good behaviors once the bad behaviors are under control. Phelan is personable anddryly funny (think parents as wild-animal trainers), and the absence of a hard- sell tone makes watching this production a pleasant experience. --KimberlyHeinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (7)

New Stress Reliever- 1-2-3 Magic!
I'm a 34 year old, stay at home Mom, trying to raise a 6 year old daughter. She's a very demanding,stubborn,and mature child. I'm also raising a 16 year old with Down's Syndrome,and my husband is away alot with work. Before I saw the video of 1-2-3 Magic,I was at my wits end with my little tyrant,who was definitely running my home. Every supper time was horendous,getting out the door in the morning was the same. She was upsetting the whole family and I'd basically tried everything. She didn't like what was put before her for supper,and never finished it. Her focus was on dessert. Getting up for school and out the door in the morning was just as bad. She didn't have anything to wear and what she did have was stupid,according to her. I tried punishing her with the usual things like "time out",I yelled at her when my patience was gone,I took away her privileges,nothing worked. When I was asked to view this video 1-2-3 Magic,I was skepticle,but agreed anyway. After just a few minutes,I grabbed a pen and paper and started making notes. It was as if Dr.Phlen actually knew me and my child personally. That same day after watching the video,I waited patiently for my beloved 6 year old to come home,and I sat her down and explained briefly,the way things were going to be around here. I picked some things out of the video that was applicable to my child,and instantly started incorporating them. She was appalled that she had to start "paying me" for doing "her" chores,only if "she" refused to do them herself of course. She has also started making her bed before going to school in the morning,and getting better at the supper table. I would definitely incourage all parents to watch this video,it sure changed my family's life for the better. It was a relief! Thank-you Dr.Phelan for relieving some of my stress and enjoying my beloved 6 year old again.

It really is magic!
I have seen this technique work with really hard kids, the kids nothing else works for. Many other parents love the technique; so much so that they tend to STEAL my video and I've had to buy several over the years. The book is simply not the same. The best thing is: it works at my house with my fiesty 4-year old!

stands the test of time
As a school social worker in two elementary schools (the technique is recommended for kids 2-12)I often am asked by parents how they should deal with their child's behaivor at home. The complaint is that the child will argue, refuse, question ("why? Why? Why?!), threatening ("I'll run away"), try to use guilt (" but you let Jimmy do it" ((resist the temptation to say that you like Jimmy better!)) and so on to get what they want. What I LOVE about this book is that it is easy to use! It teachs parents how to recognize what I call baiting behavior and address it in a non-emotional and non-wordy manner.

I have given this video (2-hours in length so get your popcorn ready) to countless parents and I have had NOT ONE negative response yet! If I call to check up on the progress at home and they do tell me things are getting a little rough again I ask them "are you still using the 1-2-3 Majic?" If they say "no, I kind of got away from that". I tell them to get back to using it! Consistency is the key and it ain't hard!

I'd also like to dispell the myth that using 1-2-3 is giving the child three chances to misbehave. This is ridiculous! Children are allowed imprefection, and a simple reminder or warning ("That's one") let's them know that their behavior is inappropriate. If they do it again they may be limit testing but this is developmentally appropriate at all ages ("That's two.) I guarentee you, if you even get to "three" it will be mostly in the beginning when they are trying to see if you will actually follow through with your consequence. And of course if the misbehavior is hitting or something equally bad you don't count from one; you go right to "That's three. Take 5."!

Funny, when I was using this with my 8-year-old daughter she tested me just like they said she might (mocking me in a sassy voice "that's one") I just kept calm and said "That's two". She didn't say a word after that! If you want a simple to follow plan for dealing with back-talk, manipulation, rude comments, begging, etc. that works like majic this is seriously IT!

"1-2-3 MAGIC" REALLY WORKS
I've used the "1-2-3 Magic" principles with kids with behavior problems who I was counseling, and my own grandkids, and also used the video in parenting classes which I was teaching to other parents and teachers. These methods really work.

Dr. Phelan presents simple, straightforward methods to deal with kids ages 2-12, with before and after vignettes, and with wit and humor. He covers many problem situations such as a kid acting out when the parent is on the phone or when you're out shopping together or in the car on a trip, always with authority and humor.

I reviewed numerous videos when I was counseling grade-school and high-school age kids who had behavior and/or academic problems, and their parents; I found nothing else which comes close to "1-2-3 Magic" for providing sound principles and methods for dealing with them. This is a complete system for dealing with kids ages 2-12. It also provides a good foundation for dealing with teenagers, though there are some more principles which are needed for teens (and the best source I've found for these principles are in one of Dr. Phelan's books, "How to Survive Your Adolescents".)

1-2-3 Magic insights are 'real-world' and they WORK!
Our local elementary school counselor offered to lend this video to any parent who was open-minded enough to watch and listen. My husband and I borrowed it, and were pleased to find that Thomas Phelan's suggests an approach to parenting that reflects: parents don't need to share parenting control with our children, we ARE the parents! Part-way into the school year we teamed with the teachers to employ the tactics Phelan describes, and watched our boy chose better behavior and attitude, then improve his grades significantly -- without bribing, cajoling, begging, yelling, or concocting exhausting and ineffective 'shared-control' parenting schemes (as prescribed by some other 'parenting experts') to outwit him! We've now purchased it so we can refresh our knowledge as needed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Once upon a time kids learned many of their school lessons in the three-minute episodes of Schoolhouse Rock. These educational cartoons came on during the commercial breaks of the less-than-edifying Saturday morning fare in the 1970s, and despite their healthy content, kids stayed glued to the screen to sing along to the somewhat psychedelic cartoons. Countless children hummed their way through social studies. The Preamble to the Constitution is much easier to remember when it's set to music. And everyone who saw the cartoon remembers how a bill becomes a law ("Oh, I'm just a bill, a lonely old bill, sitting here on Capitol Hill").These and eight other shorts make up America Rock, a 30-minute program that will stir patriotism and teach kids a bit of history.Whether you're an adult who remembers fondly his Schoolhouse Rock days or a parent trying to help a child with school, this selection will have you singing that "knowledge is power." A bonus cartoon of "My Hero Zero," performed by the Lemonheads, is included at the end. --Jenny Brown ... Read more

Reviews (44)

No More Kings-An fun and educational video
Jason Goode
Period 4
11/4/02

It was one of the most significant events in American History when the Americans revolutionized against the British. The Schoolhouse Rock version of this event, entitled "No More Kings", is very entertaining and educational for children between the ages of seven and ten. It was appropriate and fun for the following reasons. Firstly, the creators simplified the events, therefore making it easier for children to comprehend. Secondly, it is illustrated with humorous cartoons, so that it is fun to watch and listen to. In addition, it is simply is educational, and will give kids a jump start on American History. Lastly, since the song is shown on television, the events in history, such as the Boston Tea Party were drawn out. Visuals always help young children remember things. As parents or teachers can tell, "No More Kings" is a great way to get kids or students to learn our country's history while having fun.

Schoolhouse Rock - The Shot Heard Round the World
It was one of the most significant events in American History when the Americans revolutionized against the British. The schoolhouse Rock version of this event, entitled "No More Kings", is very entertaining and educational for children between the ages of seven through ten, It was appropriate and fun for the following reasons. Firstly, creators simplified the events, therefore making it easier for children to comprehend. Secondly, it is illustrated with humorous cartoons, so that it is fun to watch and listen to. In addition, it is simply educational and will give kids a jump start on American History. Lastly, since the song is shown on television, the events in history, such as the Boston Tea Party, are drawn out. Visuals always help young children remember things. As parents and teachers can tell, "No More Kings" is a great way to get children and students to learn our country's history while having fun.

Homeschooling mother of five
Well, i am here to say this is a fabulous tool! I watched all of these as a child and have shared them with my children. For those of you with the less than 5 star reviews let me say...This is not meant to be an exhaustive history lesson! It is a great way to introduce children to the history of our country. Something that, in my experience, schools made very boring. My children love history. If you find it not as accurate then be the one to take the next step and research it with your kids. I would agree it is geared toward younger kids but not that older kids would find it "stupid" at all! These reviews were pretty harsh. Also, the pilgrims DID plant food. Yes, the indians taught them everything and saved them but i wouldn't call that an inaccuracy. The movie just didn't get that deep into it. Come on now it is only a half hour! I highly recommend this to children of all ages. It opens the door to questions and conversations about our country that may not be raised otherwise. The music is very catchy and stays with you. It is plain and simple fun while being educational at the same time. Don't let the negative reviews sway you. This is a great video series and I highly recommend it!!

Schoolhouse Rock! teachers U.S. history and government
All right, boys and girls, here is a little ditty that has got to jog your memory:

I'm just a bill,
Yes, I'm only a bill,
And I'm sitting here on Capitol Hill.
Well, it's a long, long journey
To the capital city,
It's a long, long wait
While I'm sitting in committee,
But I know I'll be a law someday...
At least I hope and pray that I will,
But today I'm still just a bill.

"Schoolhouse Rock! America Rock" collects the mini-cartoons ABC aired on the television in the mid-1970s and taught a generation of children about government and history (as well as grammar, science, and math in other rock counterparts). The ten America rocks are done in pretty much chronological order, with "No More Kings," "Fireworks" and "The Shot Heard 'Round the World" covering the founding of America, the Declaration of Independence, and the start of the American Revolution. I would be willing to bet that most of the kids in this country who can recite the Preamble to the Constitution learned it from "The Preamble" (or the "Star Trek" episode "The Omega Glory"). "Elbow Room" covers America going West while "The Great American Melting Pot" celebrates American diversity. Great American inventors get their due in "Mother Necessity" and "Sufferin' till Suffrage" covers women getting the right to vote. But the most popular one here has got to be "I'm Just a Bill," which explains how a bill comes a law in terms so simple that even a first term Congressman could understand it. "Three-Ring Government" explains the separation of powers between the three branches, and then there is also a bonus video of the Lemonheads doing "My Hero Zero."

Granted, American History might not lend itself to 3-minute lessons as well as basic principles of grammar or mathematics, but these are still so much fun. Too bad there were not more of these (how would Schoolhouse Rock! have explained the Civil War or the Great Depression?), because they are just a lot of fun and then do a great job of driving a few essential points home in each lesson. "America Rock" is just the hook. It is up to history teachers and parents to provide the line. Even for more advanced students teachers can get some mileage out of these by showing them to students and either getting them to critique these (what inventors should be added?) or to be creative and write the script for their own (e.g., "Andy Jackson says no thanks to the National Bank!").

This is awesome dude
School House Rock is mad awesome cool! I love all the song, like i'm just a bill. i memorized the preamble cause of the preamble song thing. peace ... Read more

Amazon.com

Admit it: if it weren't for Schoolhouse Rock, you probably couldn't recite the preamble to the Constitution, and you might be fuzzy on the function of conjunctions, too. All the more reason to cue up the 30th-anniversary video, which culls 25 fan-selected favorites ("I'm Just a Bill," "My Hero Zero") plus a new, informative and wacky Electoral College number. The countdown, kind of like Casey Kasem's of the same era, reaches out to old-school Schoolhouse Rockers with instant recognizability (number 25 is the frontier-busting "Elbow Room"), but better yet, the science, math, grammar, and history bits burst through the decades dust bunny-free--verbs are still happening, and Interplanet Janet's intergalactic gusto still seems groovy. Turn it off halfway though and a flurry of interjections from a new flock of 4- to 10-year-olds may fly. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Schoolhouse Rock Rocks my house!
This Video has most of my favorites - Conjunction Junction, I'm just a bill, you know them. It's amazing that in 25 years no one's been able to top them.
I wonder how many high school seniors know as much as a kid who watches these videos about history, science, grammar, and math. I prefer DVD, but whatever.
My kids watch it all the time. I like it too. The songs are as fun. These clever rhymes are unforgettable, but unlike some annoying kid's songs, you don't really want to forget these.
I really feel like my kids need to be informed about the Bible too, (whatever they choose to believe later), so I have also been thrilled that they made a CD and DVD called
Scripture Rock.

School House Rock!
I like the songs. I saw these when I was in my 10 or 13yrs old. I like to see these cartoon on DVD.

I love when my kids love Schoolhouse Rock and Scripture Rock
My kids love this tape. I'm amazed at how these songs hold up year after year. - Conjunction Junction, I'm Just A Bill- those are the best but the others are good too.
I got this for them and noticed that the made a Schoolhouse Rock for Bible called Scripture Rock and my kids love both Schoolhouse Rock and Scripture Rock.

List of Songs
This is a list of all the songs in the video. This list is arranged by subject. In the video, the songs are arranged by popularity.

America Rock:
Elbow Room
Mother Necessity
Great American Melting-pot
No More Kings
The Shot Heard 'Round the World
The Preamble to the Constitution
I'm just a Bill (my personal favorite)
special bonus: Electoral College

Grammar Rock:
Verb
Rufus Xavier Sasparilla (pronouns)
Unpack your Adjectives
A Noun is a Person, Place or Thing
Interjections! (my other favorite)
Lolly Lolly Lolly (adverbs)
Conjunction Junction

Science Rock:
Them not-so-dry bones
Telegraph line
Interplanet Janet

Math Rock and Money Rock:
Naughty Number 9
Dollars and Sense
Elementary, my dear
Here I come (counting by 5s)
Figure 8
My Hero Zero
Three is a magic number

I'm Disappointed.
I was soooo excited to get this home and play it because I grew up listening to these cartoon segments every Saturday morning! But it bored me. They just weren't as good as I remembered them, I guess. I ended up fast forwarding through most of it. I paused for the classics "I'm only a Bill" etc, but I didn't seem to recognize most of them anymore.
If you're looking to relive a little childhood, rent it first- then if you think you can live with it, buy it. Perhaps you need to check to be sure you recognize more than 1/2 of the titles too. (I 'thought' I did!) -I personally wish I had my money back. (My kids even begged me to shut it off!) Just my opinion...hope it helps those of you looking to purchase it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

From 1973 to 1985, a generation of kids watching Saturday morning television learned the function of conjunctions and the preamble to the U.S. Constitution with the help of an animated series called Schoolhouse Rock!The brainchild of executives at McCaffrey and McCall Advertising, the three-minute segments combined whimsical cartoons with catchy music (rock was only one of the styles) to help kids learn seemingly dry topics as easily as they could learn popular songs. Multiplication Rock tackles the multiplication tables, covering numbers 0 through 12 (but not 1 or 10), and chances are few people who grew up watching can multiply by 3 or 5 without hearing the familiar voice of composer-singer Bob Dorough. Other underlying talent included jazz drummer Grady Tate ("I Got Six," "Naughty Number Nine") and jazz pianist Blossom Dearie ("Figure Eight"), who contributed vocals. (Subsequent installments would feature many other jazz musicians and songs written by jazz pianist-composer Dave Frishberg and future Broadway composer Lynn Ahrens, who at the time was a fledgling secretary for McCaffrey and McCall.) Years later, the series was considered so hip that now-grown-up rock stars rerecorded the songs, and Multiplication Rock includes a music video of "Electricity, Electricity" by Goodness.--David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (17)

A Schoolhouse Rock Testimonial
When I was in third grade I never could get my times tables down pat- the sevens and twelves proved especially tricky. So my mom checked out this video from the library, and that changed immediately. I could rattle off my multiplication tables as fast as everybody else after watching this only a few times. Amazing! That same year I got put in advanced math. Coincidence? I think not! All the songs were just so catchy. I loved it when I saw the NIKE commercial playing "Three is the Magic Number", that's one of my favorites. Anyways, parents, this is a great buy for your kids and I doubt that you'll get tired of the tunes.

One of the best instructional videos in the world!!!
I remember watching this on television when I was a child and learning my multiplication tables. When I found it was available publically, I immediately purchased it for my son who is now 11. He remembers his the same way I remembered mine -- by singing the songs!!! I would recommend all of the Schoolhouse Rock videos for anyone who has children, because it's never to early to learn. By the way, the only way I can remember the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States is to sing the song from America Rock!

This has 2 much excitement
you tired of learning multipliplacation by talking and no videos?Well,those days are over because of Schoolhouse Rock!-Multiplication Rock (1973).This is more fun then just having to talk about multiplication and not understanding it.It has songs,too.

EXCELLENT
EXCELLENT TAPE. REALLY HELPED MY NIECE WITH HER MULTIPLICATION. EXCELLENT TAPE.

Schoolhouse Rocks!
I am a teacher of 13 years. Many people know that there are 5 specific learning styles and these tapes address many of these styles through innovation and repetition! Catchy songs have seen many of my classes singing to themselves and gaining confidence on tests and test scores! I cannot speak any higher of the series! GET IT!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

There are two types of Schoolhouse Rock fans. Type A: those who--inspired in the '70s and '80s by "Conjunction Junction" and "Interjections!"--went on to become grammar gurus, copyeditors, and computational linguists. And type B: those who--less inspired by grammar than by catchy refrains--can still sing lines that today sound less than P.C.:

Though Geraldine played hard to get (uh huh),
Geraldo knew he'd woo her yet.
He showed his affection,
Despite her objection,
And Geraldine hollered some interjections!

Reviews (24)

Great for ALL AGES!
As a kid, I loved the Schoolhouse Rock series and still remember the Grammar Rock songs. As a mom, I came across Schoolhouse Rock again by chance and thought I'd get the tapes for my kids who are now 2 and (nearly) 5 to enjoy when they're older. Amazingly, not only my Kindergartener but also my 2 year old prefer this tape to just about anything else right now - including the Wiggles and Blues Clues! I thought I'd bought these for the future, but they absolutely love the music and the animation and my 2-year old goes around singing snatches of "Interjections" and "Lolly Lolly Lolly get your Adverbs Here". As for my Kindergarten-age son, he has grown to enjoy it on a whole new level now that he is reading and beginning to learn grammar and punctuation concepts. Parents, it's never too soon to invest in this gem! I'd much rather have them watching this than the Rugrats or something...

What's Your Function?
By far my favorite of the School House Rock videos, Grammar Rock is a wonderful teaching tool for children and a fun trip down memory lane for those of us old enough to remember when it was first aired on television.

Anyone who has watched these videos knows that there is definitely a link between music and memory, and School House Rock taps into that phenomenon. With cute animation and catchy lyrics, each video utilizes music as a mnemonic device so children can remember the principles of speech just by humming a familiar tune.

Who can forget those timeless classics like "Conjunction Juntion," "Verb, That's What's Happening," "A Noun is a Person, Place or Thing," and my favorite from Grammar Rock, "Interjection!"? Many adults who grew up with these videos can still recall them today.

I urge everyone who has children to buy the entire School House Rock video set. Start with Grammar Rock, and then move on to Math, then History, then Science. Your children will thank you for it.

Why I get straight "A's" in English!
I love this video! My mom bought it for me and my siblings when I was in second grade. I fell in love immediately. I still watch it just for old time's sake. The tunes are so catchy that I still remember all the words. For years, whenever I had a question on adverbs, for instance, the song from this video would come to mind. This is also partly why I got a 660 on the verbal section of my PSATs last year! If you buy this you'll never regret it!

Hey, kids! Learn the rules of grammar and have fun doing it!
When it comes to the rules of grammar I know the difference between an independent and a dependent clause and that is about it. If you want to talk about the building blocks of sentences I really do not even know the basics (you only had to go up and diagram sentences on the board if you were not putting them together directly and I was reading books all the time and sort of picked up correct sentence structure by osmosis, so I know how to fix sentences even if I am totally incapable of explaining the rules). Anyhow, the point of this meandering down memory lane is simply to state the obvious: Here are the basics. Learn that "A Noun is a Person, Place, or Thing," "Unpack Your Adjectives," and take a ride down to "Conjunction Junction." Also included are "Verb: That's What's Happening," "Lolly, Lolly, Lolly, Adverbs Here," "Interjections," and the immortal "Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla" (no excuses if you do not know that last one is about pronouns).

"Schoolhouse Rock" was created in the 1970s, when an advertising executive noticed his son was having trouble memorizing his multiplication tables but knew all the words to rock songs on the radio. The marriage of pop music with information spawned a series of three-minute cartoons on government, history, grammar, science, and math that aired on ABC television from 1973 to 1985. As long as the rules of grammar do not change (and they look like they are pretty much engraved in, uh, rock) then these seven mini-lessons are going to be useful to teachers and students alike.

Grammar Rock is EXCITING,very creative,AND learnable!
I watched it as a child on saturday morning cartoons and now I play the tapes for my children 2 and 5. It is the best teaching cartoon music video on the market today. I keep waiting for new ones to come out!
My five year old can not yet spell or write well, but she knows what an adverb is. She is getting a strong foundation in grammar, math, history, and science from these tapes. I look forward to the complete collection in Aug 2002.
Highly recommended.

Renee Grover
USA ... Read more

Description

AWARD WINNER of Parenting Magazine's BEST VIDEOs AND DVDs OF THE YEAR 2002.Baby See 'n Sign Volume 1 is described as "one of the most captivating" in the Birth to 18 Month category.It was the only signing video or DVD chosen for an award.

Baby See 'n Sign uses American Sign Language and contains over 60 baby and toddler signs.Each sign is shown three times including one easy to follow slow-motion repetition and supported with a multitude of images, sounds, and lots of babies involved in all kinds of baby activities.The best way to describe Baby See 'n Sign is FUN.Fun to watch, fun to learn, and fun to sign with your baby.

Baby See 'n Sign is not just for babies.Our products are excellent educational tools for other people who may have special needs.Baby See 'n Sign can be used to aid in communication for people who are Down's Syndrome, autistic, non-hearing, latent deaf, foreign adoptions, those who are learning English as a second language, and people that just want to learn American Sign Language.

Baby See 'n Sign has all the words that most parents would ever need, but if you and your family want more, please visit our website. Baby See 'n Sign Volume 2 has over 100 new signs and DVD versions of both volumes of Baby See 'n Sign are available. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Baby See 'N Sign
Baby See 'N Sign was a big dissapointment to me. I was very excited to recieve it, and could hardly wait to see it. I immediately watched the video when I got it. Unfortunately, I was so bored I had to force myself to watch it! The video has lots of signs, but it has the same person doing and speaking them all-BORING!!! Baby See 'N Sign isn't fun at all.

Fortunately, I had purchased another video at the same time that is wonderful! Signing Time with Alex and Leah is the video I reccomend to everyone who is interested in teaching their children sign language. I would even reccomend it to an adult who wants to learn!!! My 14 month old has all three volumes. We love to watch and practice them. He uses and can sign about fifty different words he learned by watching Signing Time.

The Best in Baby Sign Language
I am so very impressed with this video set! When my son was about 10 months old, I began to teach him sign language using books as a reference for learning it myself. I found that the flat diagrams were often up to my inexperienced interpretation. The videos were so easy for both my son and I to follow and practice with that now my two year old son and I both know nearly all of the signs on both videos! My husband and mother have also learned many of our most often used words in sign language and are able to understand and reciprocate our efforts. I was pleased to discover that learning signs from books and flash cards became easier since I now had a reference point from which to interpret the movements in the pictures. My son and I speak our second language often throughout the day, with and without spoken words to accompany it. My husband and I have found that sometimes our toddler will respond better to our nonverbal sign language reminders and commands when he is being too emotional or distracted to listen to our verbal cues! We've even had the pleasure of coming across a deaf gentleman who works at a local store and who was delighted that we made the effort to speak his language:) I am planning on getting the DVD set and then lending my videos to interested friends and I eagerly look forward to future publications!

Amazing Product
These videos are terrific. The first one was a gift and I was skeptical. My daughter loved the video, but it only appeared to be entertainment for her, then one day she signed "milk" it was amazing. She has continued to enjoy the videos and constantly uses more signs. Even now that she is almost two years old (and starting to talk)she continues to enjoy the videos and sign, often when she is tired she will only sign sometimes she will sign and talk at the same time. I cannot imagine a child not being able to do this. when she successfully communicates she is very happy. She enjoys the videos and her hand motions are continually improving. Last week she signed "dog" which i was surprised to see becasue it is a two part sign and she can already say the word. My daughter is also quite picky about the videos she watches, and these two and the baby Einstein videos are the only ones she will watch, so she is a tough customer. A great product I can't wait for volume III (I enjoy watching with her) Thank you for a entertaining and teaching my daughter to sign! Best wishes

Fun way to begin teaching ASL to babies!
I bought Baby See N Sign Vol. I and II for my daughter when she was 12 months old. She just turned 15 months and signs all the time!

At first, she would only watch a couple of minutes at a time. I would put in the tapes and let them run while we were playing nearby. Eventually she became extremely interested in the colorful pictures, and she actually began signing along with the tape.

Now my daughter wants to know the signs for EVERYTHING. I cannot believe how receptive she has been! I never would have thought it possible. And yet, although she can say only five or six words, she can sign around 20.

I am really looking forward to Volume III!

Great Starter Sign Video
This video is a great place to start when wishing to sign with your young child. The pace is slow and the repetition is helpful for getting a good visual representation of each sign. What I didn't like about the tape was the mellow music. It is low and slow! I put in a cd with classical music in to play at the same time so the words and the music both could be heard at the same time. If you've bought the Signing Time videos you may be disappointed in the lack of action in this video, but it's a great starting place and there is a greater volume of signs than on the ST videos. If I had it to do over again, I'd purchase this video, then the Signing Time volumes 2 & 3 to move forward. ... 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 (24)

Great for ALL AGES!
As a kid, I loved the Schoolhouse Rock series and still remember the Grammar Rock songs. As a mom, I came across Schoolhouse Rock again by chance and thought I'd get the tapes for my kids who are now 2 and (nearly) 5 to enjoy when they're older. Amazingly, not only my Kindergartener but also my 2 year old prefer this tape to just about anything else right now - including the Wiggles and Blues Clues! I thought I'd bought these for the future, but they absolutely love the music and the animation and my 2-year old goes around singing snatches of "Interjections" and "Lolly Lolly Lolly get your Adverbs Here". As for my Kindergarten-age son, he has grown to enjoy it on a whole new level now that he is reading and beginning to learn grammar and punctuation concepts. Parents, it's never too soon to invest in this gem! I'd much rather have them watching this than the Rugrats or something...

What's Your Function?
By far my favorite of the School House Rock videos, Grammar Rock is a wonderful teaching tool for children and a fun trip down memory lane for those of us old enough to remember when it was first aired on television.

Anyone who has watched these videos knows that there is definitely a link between music and memory, and School House Rock taps into that phenomenon. With cute animation and catchy lyrics, each video utilizes music as a mnemonic device so children can remember the principles of speech just by humming a familiar tune.

Who can forget those timeless classics like "Conjunction Juntion," "Verb, That's What's Happening," "A Noun is a Person, Place or Thing," and my favorite from Grammar Rock, "Interjection!"? Many adults who grew up with these videos can still recall them today.

I urge everyone who has children to buy the entire School House Rock video set. Start with Grammar Rock, and then move on to Math, then History, then Science. Your children will thank you for it.

Why I get straight "A's" in English!
I love this video! My mom bought it for me and my siblings when I was in second grade. I fell in love immediately. I still watch it just for old time's sake. The tunes are so catchy that I still remember all the words. For years, whenever I had a question on adverbs, for instance, the song from this video would come to mind. This is also partly why I got a 660 on the verbal section of my PSATs last year! If you buy this you'll never regret it!

Hey, kids! Learn the rules of grammar and have fun doing it!
When it comes to the rules of grammar I know the difference between an independent and a dependent clause and that is about it. If you want to talk about the building blocks of sentences I really do not even know the basics (you only had to go up and diagram sentences on the board if you were not putting them together directly and I was reading books all the time and sort of picked up correct sentence structure by osmosis, so I know how to fix sentences even if I am totally incapable of explaining the rules). Anyhow, the point of this meandering down memory lane is simply to state the obvious: Here are the basics. Learn that "A Noun is a Person, Place, or Thing," "Unpack Your Adjectives," and take a ride down to "Conjunction Junction." Also included are "Verb: That's What's Happening," "Lolly, Lolly, Lolly, Adverbs Here," "Interjections," and the immortal "Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla" (no excuses if you do not know that last one is about pronouns).

"Schoolhouse Rock" was created in the 1970s, when an advertising executive noticed his son was having trouble memorizing his multiplication tables but knew all the words to rock songs on the radio. The marriage of pop music with information spawned a series of three-minute cartoons on government, history, grammar, science, and math that aired on ABC television from 1973 to 1985. As long as the rules of grammar do not change (and they look like they are pretty much engraved in, uh, rock) then these seven mini-lessons are going to be useful to teachers and students alike.

Grammar Rock is EXCITING,very creative,AND learnable!
I watched it as a child on saturday morning cartoons and now I play the tapes for my children 2 and 5. It is the best teaching cartoon music video on the market today. I keep waiting for new ones to come out!
My five year old can not yet spell or write well, but she knows what an adverb is. She is getting a strong foundation in grammar, math, history, and science from these tapes. I look forward to the complete collection in Aug 2002.
Highly recommended.

Renee Grover
USA ... Read more

Description

From their magical animated world, Alex (who can hear) and Leah (who is Deaf) invite infants and children to "Come sign with us!" Watch and enjoy as Alex, Leah, and their friends of varying ages share American Sign Language (ASL) with your child in a fun and playful way. Come join us for Signing Time!

Research shows that babies can communicate with signs long before they are able to speak. And children have fun--and become smarter--learning a second language. Validating what their parents have long experienced first-hand, signing children have:

Fewer tantrums

Higher IQ scores

Larger vocabularies

By combining singing children and infants, delightful animation and music, and an adult to model each sign, Signing Time is sure to captivate pre-verbal infants and toddlers, as well as preschool-aged children while reinforcing these beginning signs.

With Signing Time, children will discover how to experience the world around them using signs. So come join Alex, Leah, and all their friends for Signing Time!

"Before my son could speak he used sign language to communicate. The frustration was gone in both our lives once he could sign words like milk, sleep, food, and more." --Scott Thompson, Santa Barbara, CA. ... Read more

Reviews (64)

The Best Sign Language Tool Available!
I got a LOT of Sign language videos and books our of the library before I bought these. I just could not learn signs from a book. I needed to see it. I like these dvd's the best because they're fun and use music to help teach some of the signs. My son likes these because of all the kids signing. Even my husband likes them and has learned these signs. This is the DVD we started with and these were the first signs he used. We got these at 9 months and 13 months he started signing MORE, MILK, BIRD, DOG, AIRPLANE all in a one week period. We can't say enough good things about Signing Time! and we are eagerly awaiting volumes 4,5, and 6. I just wish we got these when he was born. I won't wait to start signing with my next child.

best video to learn signing with your kids
The Signing Time series is wonderful because it's fun and full of smiles and facial gestures that are totally lacking in other videos. Anyone who has seen sign in action knows that sign language has lots of facial gestures to help communicate what is being signed. This series not only has cute animation but the two children are delightful and so happy. The mother who signs is wonderful to watch and hear. The kids in our playgroup (we all have hearing children) really enjoy watching the videos and learn SO QUICKLY (especially if they are over 12 mos. old). I would and DO recommend this as your first video to learn sign language, children OR adults.
The only criticism I have with the video (and others) is why do they have to teach the sign for "cookie" to children!?! I can't tell you how quickly my son picked THAT one up, much to my chagrin. ;)

I love this video
My 2 and 1/2 year old son has a speech delay. These video's saved us. He would grunt for everything. Now, if he wants a cookie, he uses that sign. I couldn't believe it worked. I thought there was no way, but it did. He is learning to talk but for the words he can't say, this video is the best! Plus I have learned sign language myself along with my other two children. They can understand my son and help him to remember signs. It is worth every penny! By the 3rd time he watched one of the video's he started to sign to me.

THE BEST SIGNING VIDEOS OUT THERE!
I purchased all three Signing Time videos when my son was 6 months old. He is almost two now and still loves the videos! He knows and practices ALL the signs from Signing Time 1,2 and 3! He signs while speaking, which is very helpful when new verbal words are spoken! Don't pass these videos up! You won't be dissapointed if you are serious about teaching your child to sign!

Great for kids AND parents
We decided to start signing with our infant son in order to help him learn langauge and to communicate with him on some level. We were surprised how much Signing Time helped him get into signing. The video is fun to watch and seeing other children do their versions of the signs seemed to help our son. Seeing the very young signers also helps us recognize his version of a sign, since some signs are a little beyond infant motor skills. This first volume is maybe a little less polished than the next two in the series, but I heartily reccomend getting all three! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Hearing-impaired (and Academy Award-winning) actress Marlee Matlin bookends two "Blue's Clues" episodes and gives the tape its theme by teaching Steve some American Sign Language. In the first story--in which Steve and friends attempt to ascertain where a certain blue dog would like to eat her snack--Steve teaches some signs and follows signs of another kind on poster boards. The written signs, of course, lead to the canine's clues, designated by her famous paw print. Blue Scadoo finds Steve jumping into Jane's book and meeting her deaf friend Carly, who tells a story in sign language. In the second episode, Steve tries to figure out where Blue wants to go by using a map the cunning dog has left behind. He eventually jumps into a Candyland-style game, finds Blue with the Gingerbread Girl, and winds up going to the library. Children ages 2 to 5 will enjoy and learn from this 51-minute video. --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Fair - not much learning of SIGNS.
There is not a lot of SIGNING - more talking and running around, better for just entertainment. However, my 22 mo. old likes it, but I would rather have her LEARNING while being entertained, after that IS why I bought the video, right? "Talking Hands" is MUCH better.

Not Much ASL
This is a good video for Blues Clues fans. However, it is billed as having ASL content, which I actually found to be minimal.

Happy Face
The whole show over all is the best of children's shows, the way they encourage children to interact with the show is wonderful, the colors that teaches them of the colors of the world, shapes and detective work which teaches them to figure problems out on their own, it has help my daughter to speak, I find myself wanting to watch it with her. Thanks for a wonderful show. Melinda Fields

Absolutely Fabulous!!!
My 18 month old is glued to this show, and this one is really focused on sign language. It has helped my son learn to communicate with signs rather than screeching. I give it really high praises.

You can't go wrong
We have most of the Blue's Clues tapes, and this is easily one of my favorites. Not my son's, mine. He loves virtually all of them, so I tend to see them a lot and develop my own preferences. This one, perhaps because of the heavy interspercing of ASL I find less likely to drive me up a tree if I end up having to watch it with my kids. My son knows most of the signs in the tape by now, and will actually use them in other situations. He's also starting to get the idea of maps. If you feel you should watch TV with your youngster and want something that's less drivel than standard preschool fair, Blue's Clues and Bear in the Big Blue House would be my highest recommendations. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The world of finance bewilders many adults, so it's not surprising that kids often find it incomprehensible. Money Rock tackles subjects like budgeting, taxes, interest, and the stock market with simple definitions, fun animation, and lots of catchy music. The country-inspired "Dollars and Sense" explores the concept of interest with respect to saving and borrowing, "$7.50 Once a Week" teaches money management, and the bluesy "Where the Money Goes" covers living expenses and how to control them. A vaudeville act featuring "Tax Man Max" looks at government spending, then "Walkin' on Wall Street" takes a jazzy glimpse of the stock market. The historical development of bartering and its modern applications supply the thematic material of "This for That," a hungry dinosaur in "Tyrannosaurus Debt" personifies our national debt, and the complicated process initiated by the simple writing of a check is broken down in "The Check's in the Mail." If all this sounds potentially dry, even mind-numbing, recall how the potentially dull subject of grammar sprang to life with similar treatment in Grammar Rock. Rest assured that this 1998 addition to the multi-Emmy Award winning Schoolhouse Rock! series is both informative and exciting. --Tami Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (5)

COOL- pair it with SCRIPTURE ROCK
Very cool.
Kids need to know about good money management skills, and how better than with awesome fun songs.
This and the SCRIPTURE ROCK together give a balanced view of what kids need today.

Money Rock: great discussion-starter & provocative
I was totally overwhelmed by the prospect of explaining to my 6-year-old what money was and why I couldn't just 'get it from the machine.'

This video was great: it's fun for adults as well as kids, and makes it possible to segue into discussions about allowances, presidents, history, and budgeting. Even Wall Street gets a mention. The music is unexpectedly good. Paired with the game 'Moneywise Kids' and 'Monopoly Junior', it's a great part of a little 'home curriculum' on finance, even if you're just on addition and subtraction.

Can't recommend it more highly as a place to start.

Want to know how the National Bank works?
How about DOLLAR COST AVERAGING? Interest? The National Debt? You have to buy this. Economics courses in college were never this interesting.

It's classic. Absolutely generation spanning.
Follow along: I'm just a bill, yes I'm only a bill, and I'm ... You filled in the words automatically, didn't you?

My daughter was 4 when we were in Washington DC. It was July and I was 5 months pregnant. The 4 year old recognized Capitol Hill, and demanded we go looking for that darn bill.

Buy them all.

National Debt? The check's in the mail
I don't remember these from when I was a kid, but I'm sorry I missed them. From Tyrannasaurus Debt which talks about how how the national debt got started to pay for the Revolutionary War to how it grew to monsterous size, to how to manage your allowance, buy stocks, plan a budget, and mangage your checking account, this video chock full of advice and information that even helped this 28 year old. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Although we romanticize lions as mighty kings of the jungle, their reign is in fact a tenuous one. It is challenged daily in southern Africa by vicious packs of hyenas that compete for prey. Between the two species exists an ancient feud, and it unfolds in Eternal Enemies with all the drama of the warring Capulets and Montagues. Watch as lions bring down a zebra, only to be attacked themselves by a pack of hyenas that chases them into the trees. Glowering, the big cats watch as the thieves devour their dinner. Days later the lions exact revenge, killing the hyena leader but leaving her uneaten as a warning to the rest of the clan. Other scenes in this video are equally impressive, including life inside a hyena den--which captures the sounds of lions growling outside--and a tense encounter between a snake-bitten lioness and a pack of hyenas. With its gripping story line, Eternal Enemies is a standout among animal documentaries. --Demian McLean ... Read more

Reviews (22)

eternal enemies lions and hyenas
this nature film is probably the best nature film ive ever seen.it shows to perfection the shear hatred lions and hyenas have for each other. no where else in africa is the hatred between lions and hyenas so intense than in botswana and dereck and beverly joubert have shot it down to a tee, especialy the lions,probably more so in two of the lions, one mattsumi a lioness who was bit by a snake and then had her new born cubs eaten by the hyenas and untwydumala the dominent male he tends to attack and kill hyenas at every possible chance.the end scene is truly amazing, where the hyena matriarc is tormenting the older male lion mandayvoo, when mattsumi attacks the matriarc the commotion is heard by untwydumala, who rushes out of the bush, the hyenas then scatter. mattsumi then chases the matriarc of the hyenas and trips it just to slow it down enough for untwydumala to catch up and make the kill.if your into lions this is the one.truly awsome.

Intriguing story
As a veteran of many lion documentaries, I was always curious at the relationship between these two animals. At several of the lion's kills in other films I'd seen, a pack of hyenas lurked menacingly nearby. My curiosity has been satisfied. This is an excellent piece of work that establishes the fact that man is not the only animal that wars. Lions and hyenas seemed to have a general intolerance and hatred torward the other that does not stem from any particular moment or cause. Through trials and tribulations, one aspect of these to amazing animal's personalities stays the same, a deeply-seeded disdain for the other species. The documentary follows a pride of lions dominated by two male brothers, and the rival pack of hyenas dominated by a female. At kills hyenas use their numbers to overwhelm the female lions while the males are not there. The lions, one male in particular, retaliate whenever possible. Though this film may be graphic for some, this is needed due to the nature of the story. Any lover of nature documentaries will find this video a welcome addition to his/her collection

"If Animals Could Hate..."
then be prepared for some of the most spectacular and disturbing footage ever caught on film. From the outset it is made brutally clear that animals, in this case lions and hyaenas, DO in fact slaughter each other, not necessarily for food as most people believe, but for something much darker - HATRED.

This point is made by showing a large male lion, Ntwydmala, breaking the back of an unlucky hyaena matriarch, then shortly afterwards, breaking the neck of another. It isn't always pleasant to watch, but it'll keep you glued to your seat in disbelief.

This film is easily one of the best nature films I've ever seen, bar none!

FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!
Being a long time nature program viewer, I can easily say this might be the most fascinating video ever presented on TV. The interaction & violence between lions and hyenas is unforgettable.
Like watching man wage war and retribution. Beautifully photographed and narrated. But not for young children. Also stronly recommend the book which is a companion to the video.

One of the best
This documentary of the lives of lions and hyenas is one of the best made documentaries I've seen. You will become acquainted with the inhabitants of this film and witness the drama of a secret world where the law of the jungle is harsh, yet profoundly beautiful. You will see never before seen footage of hyena behavior. You will cheer and be swept up in this film. It is a story that is real and beautifully shot. I have watched this film many times since buying it. If you like wildlife you will love this one. It is at times disturbing but shot honestly and with care. Very enjoyable. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Kids gobble cookies, blow bubbles, open and close a box of dress-up items, even sit on the potty to illustrate some of the 31 hand gestures taught throughout this excellent sign language video. Much like a mini video "dictionary," teaching focuses on word recognition alone--not the alphabet nor on full sentence structure--and covers a smart variety of simple verbs and nouns (based on American Sign Language and Signing Exact English). The format is simplistic but highly effective, and keeps the action moving. After the word appears on-screen, an adult carefully signs and pronounces it twice. Then, scenes flip open like book pages or spin like revolving doors to reveal several real-life examples; for instance, "grandfather" fishes with his grandson, eats cereal, and reads a book. More hand gesture repetition, performed by a culturally diverse group of grownups and kids, offers lots of practice time. Probably best used in the home or in a hearing classroom, this visually and audibly appealing 40-minute show comes from the folks who created Parent's Choice award-winning Baby's First Impressions series. --Liane Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (30)

The Best! A Great Video for ANY child
The more I read about this topic (sign language for kids), the more I've discovered that introducing signs to your child is a great idea. And I do not have a hearing-impared child, but it's clear that my children (ages 2 & almost 5)get a great kick out of watching this video! We use the signs for "eat & drink," "girl and boy," "please & thank you" and lots of others, just for the pure fun of it. While my kids are not infants anymore and already have a good verbal language base, I read recently about the great benefits of using signs with kids as they are developing those skills, which helps them express themselves. Having seen many a frustrated toddler who can't explain what he wants, I think that's a great idea, and I, for one, am all for it. I recommend this tape to anyone!