Amazon.com

The rain forest is a riot of monkeys, birds, flowers, and fruit, and nothing captures it quite like DK Vision's Eyewitness: Jungle.Explore the five zones of the jungle, from the rivers right on up to the high-rise canopy, without risking malaria (or leaving your couch). The vibrancy of tropical life is made vivid by DK Vision's trademark cutting-edge visual style, which features lunching ants and leaping lemurs as some of the many stars in an infinitely graceful ballet. The facts presented by narrator Martin Sheen are fascinating and well-ordered--for example, the word "jungle" is actually a misnomer, applied by early explorers who thought the impenetrable thickness of plant growth on the river banks extended throughout the forest, and used a Sanskrit word (jangala) meaning "dense growth." Eyewitness: Jungle promises attractions for all ages: learning, visual appeal, beauty, and just plain fun. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Not Just for Kids!!
My mother and I enjoy watching the Eyewitness videos which are jam-packed full of scientific information and beautiful imagery. Eyewitness Volcano is no exception. It covers some of the basic concepts of Volcanoes from eruption to aftermath. It includes an encapsulated account of the eruption of Vesuvius to the eruption of Mt. St. Helens.

In particular, I like the Eyewitness videos because they give plenty of information, without going into many of the gory details. I only wish they were longer! Suitable for the entire family, and nature-lovers everywhere.

Great for Preschoolers
My four-year old loves this video. I was worried that the content would scare him, but it is well done. It keeps his interest every time he watches it. Eyewitness videos are a great resource for any subject your preschooler is interested in. The dinosaur one has also been a big hit.

Hot Stuff
I've got about fifteen eyewitness videos and this one is one of the very best. (This one, coincidentally, is also my five year old's favorite.) Some of the eyewitness videos are capable of putting you to sleep faster than cheap beer after a twenty hour day, but Volcano won't. The other two eyewitness videos I highly recommend are "Ocean" and "Human Machine." The rocks video is a snooze (I'm a seismo/geologist and it even puts me to sleep). The planets one is OK, though I thought there were about two minor things on it that were wrong. The desert video is kind of a snooze, as well. Bears is a little bit better, but you get tired of seeing the cute and cuddly bears by the end of it--it doesn't hold up well to repeated viewings. Surprisingly, trees is pretty wonderful and keeps your attention to the end. Monsters is another great one. (The little guy loves that one too.) Don't get mammals--they made it using a bunch of stock video, the narraration sucks. But it's definitely better than rugrats. If you have kids, I strongly recommend getting lots of the videos in this series. Buy them a new one a week. It's ten times better for them, than letting them watch the cartoon channel--an activity which will completely rot their brains out. (...) Better to sit kids in front of an eyewitness video, where they learn wonderful things about our beautiful world.

Volcano
This video was great! It showed all about volcanos, some earthquakes. For example, my favorite part was when the orange juice explodes (you have to see the video to get it!). I would definately recommend it. It even tells you about a new island called Luigi? ... Read more

Amazon.com

The slow green world of plants comes to vibrant life in this installment of the award-winning Eyewitness series. Combining brilliant graphics, crystal-clear footage, and a smooth flow from topic to topic, Plant educates and entertains folks of all ages (even adults!); best of all, it's interesting enough to enjoy again and again. The time-lapse photography of root growth, the interplay between flowers and insects, and the historical vignettes detailing our long dependence on a broad array of plants amazes and delights. Each new image, each new fact inspires kids to ask questions and learn more, results any educator would envy. Like the others in this series, Eyewitness: Plant belongs in every family's video library. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Amazon.com

Did you know that antlers help an animal regulate its body tempature?Have you ever seen how ribs function to accommodate the movement of the lungs? Do you know which animal has the strongest jaws, the most developed forelimbs, the most powerful legs? Skeleton, part of the Eyewitness video series, has these and many, many more facts about the toughest part of our bodies.

Skeleton is an ideal introduction to anatomical science for young viewers. Its visuals are fresh and interesting, its documentary footage is sharp, and Martin Sheen's narration is quite effective. Budding scientific minds will be fascinated by how our skeletons maintain bodily harmony, protect our internal systems, and give us balance and stability. This is another well-done chapter in the Eyewitness series. --Brendan J. LaSalle ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Skeleton...Looking for a little more meat!
Purchased video to use as supplement for History Of Medicine class (4th grade). Was unhappy with the way things of a "mystical" nature were included in the material. I don't understand how the Producers could justify including information on Tarot Cards in the video. After all, we were looking for information on Skeleton's, not an introduction into foretunetelling. Also,I didn't care for the many references to man's "evolutionary" process from beast to man. Again, wasn't looking for a intro. into the Theory of Evolution.

The material that did foucs on the Skeletal System was good, but cluttered with a great deal of unecessary tid bits that took away from the video itself. I ended up turning off the video about 5-7 mintues from the end.

My 4 year old's favorite video! Very educational!
My son loved this video from the moment he spotted it in our local library. He is fascinated with skeletons and this type of educational video. I couldn't believe how much he could comprehend at such a young age, but I attribute that to the excellent job Eyewitness does in producing entertaining and informative videos like this one. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Asian continent abounds in exotic animals from the large--giant pandas, elephants, and tigers--to the lower-profile-- macaques, sea snakes, and mudskippers. Balancing the real with the fantastical (dragons and unicorns), this 38-minute tape from National Geographic explores the rich tapestry of Asian wildlife. Narrator Spin--the animated planet Earth voiced by Dudley Moore--hops aboard a magic carpet and visits a variety of locations such as the South China Sea island of Tiga, where snakes gather to mate; Japan, where macaques (snow monkeys) lounge in hot springs during snowfall; and Borneo to fly through the trees with orangutans. While adults might get dizzy with the leaps and quick cuts, the spurts of information are designed to keep young minds attentive. And remember, the kids will watch these tapes repeatedly until they know each habit and habitat of these (really) wild animals. For preschool on up. --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fun and educational
My two-year-old chose this from a shelf because it had a panda on it. I fully expected that she would be bored with a nature documentary, or disappointed that it wasn't really about pandas, but boy, was I surprised!

First, this isn't a documentary. It's a fast-paced, lively entertainment program that splices together lots of really good National Geographic footage with tongue-in-cheek narration and some pretty good music. It holds my daughter's interest even after repeated viewings, but it doesn't annoy the grownups. We actually enjoy watching it with her now and then.

Second, it manages to incorporate a meaningful amount of information without becoming a dry tutorial. Because of the quick pace, it doesn't get too deep into anything, but it covers the most important facts.

Third, and perhaps most important, they've managed to produce a show that doesn't include any inappropriate material. I fully expected my daughter (who is pretty sensitive to scary stuff) to be frightened by at least some aspects of the tape, but even the scenes with predators and sudden attacks are handled gently and without undue emphasis. The overall impression of the show is mild and pleasant.

And finally, although pandas are certainly not the focus of the show (maybe 10% of the entire time is spent on pandas), my daughter happily watches the whole thing, and refers to it as "the panda video."

So overall, I have to say I'm very pleasantly surprised. This turns out to be age-appropriate for even quite young toddlers. I have to add that I'm not sure all 2-year-olds would be as taken with it as my daughter was, but she has definitely enjoyed this and at least one other in this series (Deep Sea Dive). It provides a nice change of pace from The Wiggles and Winnie the Pooh. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Science is an important but complex subject that often seemsoverwhelming to kids. Science Rock takes a nontraditional approach tothis subject, entertaining kids with upbeat music that features lyrics absolutely packed with information. Simple, accurate descriptions of the human body's digestive, circulatory, central nervous, and skeletal systems, along with explanations of energy sources, the solar system, and gravity provide the thematic material for eight rock- and blues-inspired songs that kids find immediately appealing. Especially effective are the description of the central nervous system in "A Telegraph Line" and the discussion of nonrenewable energy sources in "The Energy Blues." Science Rock is a 1995 addition to the multi-Emmy Award winning Schoolhouse Rock! series. It preserves the feel and intent of the original series while offering up-to-date information about modern science. Each 30-minute video in this 25th anniversary collection contains a bonus music video featuring current rock stars singing favorite Schoolhouse Rock! songs--in this case, Better Than Ezra's rendition of "Conjunction Junction." --Tami Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Science Rock videos from Schoolhouse Rock!
Interplanet Janet
She's a galaxy girl
A solar system miss
From a future world.
She travels like a rocket
With her comet team,
And there's never been a planet Janet hasn't seen.
No, there's never been a planet Janet hasn't seen.

Yes, the 1970s gave us Watergate and long lines to buy gas, but there was also the bicentennial, "Jaws" and "Schoolhouse Rock!" Who does not have fond memories of those 3-minute cartoons that aired on ABC television on Saturday mornings teaching a generation of children about history, government, math, grammar, and science? What kid does not know that a noun is a person, place, or thing or cannot explain how a bill becomes a law? (I am shocked that "I'm Just a Bill" is only #2 on the list of most popular Schoolhouse Rocks! behind "Conjunction Junction"). As you can tell, "interplanetary Janet" (#8), with its tour of the solar system, is my favorite Science Rock, although I guess it is not too shocking that "Electricity, Electricity" (#5) ranks higher. For the record, here the complete list of Science Rocks:

"Body Machine" which needs things like chicken salad sandwiches as fuel;
"Circulation," the big new craze as everybody is doing the circulation;
"Electricity, Electricity" on the use of electrical power;
"Energy" or more accurately Energy Conservation;
"Interplanet Janet" and a tour of the Solar System;
"Telegraph Line" all about the Nervous System;
"Them Not-So-Dry Bones" without which you would be just a blob;
"Victim of Gravity" sung by the Tokens; and
"Weather" the greatest show on Earth!

Science teachers around the U.S. can still use these wonderful little "rock videos" to both introduce key topics and to provide a bit of musical reinforcement. I know that music is still being used in schools to help students learn material (my daughter can sing a song with all the state capitals and there is a woman at work who can do all the nations of the world) and that was the guiding principle behind "Schoolhouse Rock." The series was created by an advertising executive who noticed his song was having trouble with memorizing multiplication tables but knew all the words to the latest rock songs. Faster than you can say, "you got chocolate in my peanut butter" he put the two together and the rest is not just history, but science, math, grammar and government.

You can pick up individual videos of "Science Rock," "America Rock," "Grammar Rock," and "Multiplication Rock," but be aware that there is also a DVD edition that has ALL of the "Schoolhouse Rock" cartoons and the proverbial much, much more. I might have been too old for "Sesame Street," but I was never too old for "Schoolhouse Rock!"

Schoolhouse Rock Rocks my house!
Science Rock is great. It's amazing that in 25 years no one's been able to top it.
I wonder how many high school seniors know as much as a kid who watches these videos about science. I prefer DVD, but whatever.
My kids watch it all the time. I like it too. The songs are fun! The 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, so I'm overjoyed that they recently made a CD and DVD called
Scripture Rock.

Truly Fun AND Educational
Some of what's on television is harmful to kids (and possibly adults), much of what's on television is neutral, and some of it is quite good. "Schoolhouse Rock" falls into a fourth category: stroke of genius. Catchy tunes, memorable lyrics, and repetitive lessons are blended into memorable little pieces of educational fun that should never have stopped. If you want something on TV while the kids are getting ready for school, or when they're having an after-school snack, this is it. If teachers want quick, fun ways to introduce concepts, this is it. Television doesn't get better than this for kids.

remember these?
These were all short animation shows that taught a whole generation of kids how to read, write, and do math while watching Saturday mourning cartoons. I'm glad they are being collected on video now.

Not a review, a request for help !
Hello, sorry I haven't seen this video but it was strongly recommended to me by someone on the semantic pragmatic disorder message board (her son and mine both have this disorder) unfortunately we live in England and the videos are U.S.A. and Canada friendly only. Could anyone let me know of something similar or a way of buying the videos that will work in England. Please email me on mlovell@postmaster.co.uk Thanks, Marie ... Read more

Amazon.com

As Eyewitness: Shell proves, the shell is one evolutionary design that has stood the test of time. From crabs to seashells to tortoises and bird eggs, the shell has evolved into a magnificent example of nature protecting her own. This entertaining and informative video provides a dazzling array of creatures that use shells as a means of survival. It also shows many examples of how shells and shell creatures have inspired the human imagination, whether it be the lobsterlike design of a suit of armor or the influence of the chambered nautilus on the invention of the first submarine.

Did you know that gastropod means "belly-foot?" Or that ancient royalty used to wear lace collars spun from the golden filaments of mussel shells? Like most Eyewitness videos, this one is filled with many such interesting facts presented in a way that is both fun to watch and easy to follow. After seeing this video, your family's next beach-combing excursion will take on a whole new importance: that of a greater understanding of the world around us. --Michelle Riggen ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Impressive footage.
Eyewitness Shell is another success employed by this studio. The subject in this video is quite broad, covering land based shellfish and ocean dwelling ones. The ocean footage is nice, observing shellfish on the move, and filming much of the sea in the background. Crabs, snails, cone shells, tortoises, and many other shell wielders are mentioned in this video. Very recommended for the Eyewitness fan and lover of nature, particularly the ocean. Since the scope subject is much wider, it is to be enjoyed by fans of different types of nature. Also recommended: Eyewitness Shark, Seashore, and Fish.

Educators: Don't Overlook This SHELL
For those who are familiar with the excellent British "Eyewitness" non-fiction picture books, it will come as no surprise that the accompanying videos are also superb and even more visually dazzling. Among the series I would recommend the "Shell" video to educators teaching natural history, biology, geography, ecology, and, surprisingly, creative writing. The video uses an adorable bunny and gnarly tortoise (the tortoise & the hare, of course) to tie the segments together. While there is much excellent information on marine life and the picturesque variety of sea shells, additional sorts of "containers" in nature are also covered--from eggs to coconuts. What interested me, however, was how the video could be used for "prompts" for creative writing exercises in the classroom. Despite the age limits to which it is geared, I would not feel uncomfortable using this film in a college classroom. At several junctures, points are made that could be applied to the human experience. For example, while a shell offers protection, a portable home, it is also constraining. For a second example, one could devise a writing exercise connected to the carrier shell: with bits and pieces of its environment cemented to its shell, it carries its past experiences and contacts with it, visibly, everywhere. Don't overlook this great video: there's more than nature here, there are nuances of human nature. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

best 1st french dvd
I wish there were more french educational tapes, so in the meantime I like this the best....my son is only 13 months so I'm still not sure if it's sinking in but I know he watches it very attentive just as he watches his einstein tapes...thats a good sign!

Awful! And this is an exact copy of the Brainy Baby video
First of all, the above is true. I made the poor mistake of buying both --mostly because this one was so terrible and I thought the other one would be better. It was terrible for the following reasons: 1. The narrator is NOT a native French speaker as the video advertises and thus she mispronounces many of the words 2. I also really hate the fact that the words are not introduced with their articles, as they are supposed to be in French. You never just say "ball" in French as we do in English, you would say either "un ballon" or "le ballon" ("the ball", "a ball"). Moreover, without the articles, you don't learn the gender of the nouns, something we don't have in English and one of the most difficult things for us to learn in foreign languages. I am STILL struggling with genders after 20 years of speaking french (because I am not a native speaker but have lived in France for many years). More aggregiously, instead of including one of the many charming French childrens songs, they include a translation of "Mary had a Little Lamb (it doesn't even rhyme). This is all quite disappointing bc the whole point of teaching your child a foreign language at this age is that they don't need to learn it in translation (or in an English language context) they can learn it within the French language and cultural context. Please, don't waste your money. I can only imagine that the Spanish language version contains all of these same problems, by the way...

Some like it, some don't
I began showing this video to my daughter when she was 6 mos. old (once a day) and two years later she still loves it. She will stop whatever she is doing and sit down and listen from beginning to end. On the other hand, my 1 year old daughter has never been interested in it-- even though I introduced the video in the same way as I had with my older daughter. As for me-- I like the music, the format, and the fact that they do not introduce too much information.

A nice investment, but lacks variety and movement
I purchased baby bilingual French and Spanish about a month ago. The Baby Bilingual series is a great idea, but don't expect baby to be engrossed in the images on the screen as he or she might be with other baby videos.

The music in the background is nice, classical music. The visual component is nice, as well, and shows real life people and toys. My one year old enjoys watching the videos, but they don't hold her attention as well as other classical music based baby videos have done. I would have liked to see more movement and variety on the screen to hold my babie's attention better.

The videos don't hold my attention too well either, as both the French and Spanish versions are very similiar (actually, almost identical) as they show almost identical visuals and teach baby exactly the same words. Again, more variety would have been nice.

Bilingual Baby, FRENCH, Vol 1 - Very Good.
Done all in French (with only very small English subtitles to help parents and only shown briefly) - only way for French immersion. Colorful images, children's faces, parents' faces. Learn good basics in French - colors, things, numbers, Maman, Papa, etc. Pronounced slowly the word first, then used in a small sentence. I recommend it highly. An introduction to French songs (music only) used at the end of the tape. On the tape box, it is recommended for ages 1 to 5. But I have used it already for a 3 month old to get the gears started for French. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Science Rock videos from Schoolhouse Rock!
Interplanet Janet
She's a galaxy girl
A solar system miss
From a future world.
She travels like a rocket
With her comet team,
And there's never been a planet Janet hasn't seen.
No, there's never been a planet Janet hasn't seen.

Yes, the 1970s gave us Watergate and long lines to buy gas, but there was also the bicentennial, "Jaws" and "Schoolhouse Rock!" Who does not have fond memories of those 3-minute cartoons that aired on ABC television on Saturday mornings teaching a generation of children about history, government, math, grammar, and science? What kid does not know that a noun is a person, place, or thing or cannot explain how a bill becomes a law? (I am shocked that "I'm Just a Bill" is only #2 on the list of most popular Schoolhouse Rocks! behind "Conjunction Junction"). As you can tell, "interplanetary Janet" (#8), with its tour of the solar system, is my favorite Science Rock, although I guess it is not too shocking that "Electricity, Electricity" (#5) ranks higher. For the record, here the complete list of Science Rocks:

"Body Machine" which needs things like chicken salad sandwiches as fuel;
"Circulation," the big new craze as everybody is doing the circulation;
"Electricity, Electricity" on the use of electrical power;
"Energy" or more accurately Energy Conservation;
"Interplanet Janet" and a tour of the Solar System;
"Telegraph Line" all about the Nervous System;
"Them Not-So-Dry Bones" without which you would be just a blob;
"Victim of Gravity" sung by the Tokens; and
"Weather" the greatest show on Earth!

Science teachers around the U.S. can still use these wonderful little "rock videos" to both introduce key topics and to provide a bit of musical reinforcement. I know that music is still being used in schools to help students learn material (my daughter can sing a song with all the state capitals and there is a woman at work who can do all the nations of the world) and that was the guiding principle behind "Schoolhouse Rock." The series was created by an advertising executive who noticed his song was having trouble with memorizing multiplication tables but knew all the words to the latest rock songs. Faster than you can say, "you got chocolate in my peanut butter" he put the two together and the rest is not just history, but science, math, grammar and government.

You can pick up individual videos of "Science Rock," "America Rock," "Grammar Rock," and "Multiplication Rock," but be aware that there is also a DVD edition that has ALL of the "Schoolhouse Rock" cartoons and the proverbial much, much more. I might have been too old for "Sesame Street," but I was never too old for "Schoolhouse Rock!"

Schoolhouse Rock Rocks my house!
Science Rock is great. It's amazing that in 25 years no one's been able to top it.
I wonder how many high school seniors know as much as a kid who watches these videos about science. I prefer DVD, but whatever.
My kids watch it all the time. I like it too. The songs are fun! The 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, so I'm overjoyed that they recently made a CD and DVD called
Scripture Rock.

Truly Fun AND Educational
Some of what's on television is harmful to kids (and possibly adults), much of what's on television is neutral, and some of it is quite good. "Schoolhouse Rock" falls into a fourth category: stroke of genius. Catchy tunes, memorable lyrics, and repetitive lessons are blended into memorable little pieces of educational fun that should never have stopped. If you want something on TV while the kids are getting ready for school, or when they're having an after-school snack, this is it. If teachers want quick, fun ways to introduce concepts, this is it. Television doesn't get better than this for kids.

remember these?
These were all short animation shows that taught a whole generation of kids how to read, write, and do math while watching Saturday mourning cartoons. I'm glad they are being collected on video now.

Not a review, a request for help !
Hello, sorry I haven't seen this video but it was strongly recommended to me by someone on the semantic pragmatic disorder message board (her son and mine both have this disorder) unfortunately we live in England and the videos are U.S.A. and Canada friendly only. Could anyone let me know of something similar or a way of buying the videos that will work in England. Please email me on mlovell@postmaster.co.uk Thanks, Marie ... Read more

Amazon.com

Beachcombing in Nebraska? Even if you're a long way fromthe nearest beach, you can still explore, thanks to Eyewitness: Seashore. DK Vision's characteristic visual style guides viewers of all ages through the wonders of the coast, its residents, and the strange and beautiful things that wash up there. You can practically smell the sea air as Martin Sheen takes you on a fun-filled beach walk combining facts, images, sounds, and a little history to create an appealing experience for families that love to learn.Why do crabs walk that way?What do starfish eat?What's up with seagulls? Knowing the answers is nice, but finding out is half the fun. Whether you're landlocked or an old salt, you'll find plenty to enjoy here. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Remarkable ocean footage.
Eyewitness Seashore is a pleasure to experience, especially for ocean lovers. This video is a documentary on the intertidal zones of the sea, that divides the ocean from land. Directed well by a person with expertise, and narrated by Martin Sheen.
In these ocean photographs, we view : Pipefish, urchins, anemones, sea slugs, and many other ocean marvels. This film contains suitable amounts of underwater footage, with a small camera inserted for the tidepool filming. Another scene worth mentioning is a white sea slug devouring a venemous tidepool anemone. We also take a look at some of the creatures that take refuge in shipwrecks, including: Lobsters, rockfish, snailfish, and many crustaceans. The ending is also given much thought.
There is also some history backing the seashore, from lighthouses to greek myths, to the very purposes of the sea and its theories. The genuine Portunus Crab seen throughout the entire film also may grab people's attention. Definetely worth buying for the price. Enjoy it with other ocean films. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

We LOVE Henry!
This is a great video. I am coming back for more! We bought this one when my daughter was 2. She is now 3 and still loves it. Henry is great! DK uses such bright colors in their books and videos-it really holds her attention while she learns something. They do talk about slash & burn in the rainforest, so if your child has a fire phobia, you may want to pick another video. (It has a happy ending, but some kids are really sensitive.)

Amazing Video
My 6 year old son lovesthis movie. He really likes animals of all kinds and has enjoyed learning about rainforests and the animals that live there through this video. The video is dominated by live action pictures of the forest and animals but there are also cute cartoon segments. The "relationship" between Henry the Lizard (our tourguide) and the narrrator is quite amusing. I highly recommend this video. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's tough to imagine that the average tot wouldn't get adequate exposure to the objects presented in Bee Smart Baby: Vocabulary Builder, Vol. 1 to master their recognition and rough pronunciation by around 18 months, but parents in a hurry to hear their little ones jabber on about the things oft encountered in the first year or so of life will be grateful for this half-hour video. The concept is, as it should be, simple. First objects are shown in a variety of settings--a toy train going around a track, then a real one chugging along; a series of noses, some on grown-up faces and others belonging to kids; a large spoon stirring a bowl of pasta followed by a baby spoon against a blank background. Then a gentle-voiced narrator states the item's name twice, once at its introduction and again when it's time to move on. At first it seems we're in for nothing more than a laundry list of animals, body parts, and utensils, but then a pattern emerges: a series of four already-shown objects skitter by again, and they're repeated in order. This simple structure will appeal to caregivers who devour child-development studies--the benefits of repetition in early learning will be well known to them--and the makers of this video seem tuned in to the likelihood that it's the well-educated who are most apt to be watching along. To sweeten the deal for such grown-ups, they've set this video to the music of Mozart, which has been shown to constructively stimulate young children. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Baby bored
I got this video on the recommendations from Amazon for my 6 month old. He was bored the first time I played it and now after about 4 times playing it for him, he seems like he would rather watch my back at the computer than sit through it again. He is used to the Baby Einstein videos and gets really excited when I play those. This one was a bad purchase. Granted he is only 6 months old and it is to help teach some vocabulary. Perhaps he is too young. But the video is rated for 4 months to 24 months. The sound quality is poor too and the woman's voice saying the words is drawn out...elongating the pronunciation of the words which sounds almost nothing like the words when mama and papa say them. My suggestion: Baby Einstein....especially the animal videos: baby dolittle and world animals.

Develops Expressive Language and More
I have an autistic son who...did not talk a lot. We were growing tired of the same Teletubbies video he watched over and over and tried the first in this series. He was captivated. I can guarantee you that this amazing, wonderful series of videos is responsible for helping my son to learn several words. It has been 9 months since we first discovered the Bee Smart Baby series and my 2 year old can name each and every object featured on all 5 videos. I cannot recommend these videos highly enough, especially for children with communication differences.

Great video!!
My son started watching this video at 18 months and has learned all of the words on it. It is the only thing he will sit down and watch. I think anyone who wants there childs vocabulary to grow will buy it.

Relatively Speaking, This Is No Einstein
Admittedly, this video is in the upper tier of the Baby Einstein knockoffs. But there is a huge gap between the best of these imitations and the real deal (see my review of Baby Van Gogh). The videography in this one is better than most of the second-stringers, but the sound is primitive. More importantly, it interests our son only episodically, although more so than some of the worst (see Zen Baby, for example, Zen as in z-z-z-z-z). My own view is that the concept supposedly underlying this video gets parental fans hyper-ventilating ("I know, let's inject him with lots of Mozart and repetition of simple words and he'll be a freaking genius!"). But our son hears plenty of Mozart and simple words the natural way. Get this video if nobody around your house has time to actually tell your child what a "ball" or "cat" is and you never play the music of Mozart. You can get it all in one package right here. Relatively speaking, though, this is helium compared to the Einstein series's U235.

My baby loves it!
My baby just loves this collection. She is almost six months old, and she "talks along" with the imagines she sees. She even stops playing with her entertainment center in order to put attention to the video. I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Description

Travel to the land "down under" with Spin, National Geographic's animated globe-on-the-go, and learn why the animals of Australia are so darn weird!From leaping kangaroos to paddling platypuses to cuddly koalas, you won't believe the amazing variety of animals that make this island world their home.Here's a wonderful look at these creatures, brought to you by the world's finest filmmakers.Exciting music videos will get the whole family hopping!So, c'mon mate, and explore WONDERS DOWN UNDER -just one of the many Really Wild Animals adventures in this award-winning series. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Very entertaining! Great for all ages.
National Geographic has done a fabulous job of presenting information in a very fun, lively way. This video is full of amusing commentary by the narrator (the kids may not understand all the jokes, but as an adult I appreciate the cleverness). The songs are upbeat and enjoyable. The up-close film footage of the animals is excellent, as you would expect from National Geographic. No matter what your age, you will enjoy this video -- my two-year-old laughs while watching it and I find myself joining the kids on the couch to watch the fascinating animals of Australia.

great fun and full of information
This video includes excellent footage of Australia's amazing animal life: creatures you don't find anywhere else on earth. The songs are fabulous! I taught the Marsupial Rap to my first grade class and they loved it. Kangaroos, Frilled Lizards, Tazmanian Devils, and others will fascinate both adults and children. ... Read more

Description

Watch the Quidget Family and the Subtractobats perform high-flying feats of mathematics! In this astounding story, Leap, Lily, Tad and wacky Professor Quigley train numbers to count, add, and subtract in a series of amazing circus acts. Numbers and Quidgets fly from trampolines, trapezes and cannons as they teach early mathematical concepts. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A very rational, informative, reassuring educational video
Parents, Teachers, this is it!I feel this is one of the best videos available on the subject.Real kids ask real questions and get real answers.This is good information sensitively and forthrightfullypresented, suitable for any child once they reach that very curious stage. Suitable for older kids who would not like being talked down to.Lots ofopportunities for parental discussion and input.Kids' fears are treatedrespectfully and seriously.An all around great effort! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The parallel stories of a mama leopard and her two cubs and a mother warthog and her brood are tracked in this 60-minute video safari in the Mala Mala Game Preserve in South Africa's Kruger National Park. It's a story of predator versus prey, "lethal beauty" versus "the most astonishing object to ever disgrace nature," according to Academy Award-winning actor James Coburn's rugged narration. (Of course, a generation of kids have grown up with the lovable Pumbaa as their warthog role model, thanks to The Lion King. At the risk of spoiling the ending, parents can rest assured that, oddly, the warthogs all survive.) Cackling hyenas and marauding lions enter the fray and prove as dangerous to the mother leopard as she is to the warthog family. Viewers are not spared the brutality of this truly wild life, and so there are several vivid death scenes. Incongruously, one of them is probably the video's most breathtaking sequence, in which one of the leopard cubs grown up attacks an impala and the two cleave together spiraling through the air in a doomed dance. --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Wildlife Film!
This is an excellent wildlife documentary, which offers great footage and great story about two different neighbors of South African bush, a leopard and a warthog. We see a leopard cub growing up in a difficult environment with many challenges to a young carnivore. Different challenges are imposed on a brood of young warthogs, which proves to be survivors in a dangerous place. The documentary is full of exceptional footage, which portrays every-day drama facing young leopard and warthogs. We see leopards being harassed by lions and hyenas, warthogs escaping predators and surviving the flood in their burrow. There are great moments and thrill of a leopard hunt, unique footage of lions climbing trees in the effort to get leopard's kill as well as a great escape footage of a warthog. Many episodes are shot at night, an active time for leopards. The drama of predator and prey envelops right in front of our eyes. The leopards are portrayed not only as predators but also as prey to lions and hyenas. The warthogs are portrayed as tough survivors in this harsh place. Great documentary!

Wildlife Thriller!
This was an excellent movie. You become very involved with the lives of the family of leopards and the family of warthogs. This is a very exciting video but not for the faint of heart! If you love African wildlife this is a must see! I only wish I saw action like this while I was at Mala Mala reserve. It must have taken them round the clock vigils to capture this enthralling footage! I give it 2 paws up!

Excellent video!
Wow! Ever seen a male lion scale a tree to steal the just-killed impala from a leopard? It's here. Ever seen two male lions attack, kill, and eat a maimed, full-grown lioness? It's here too. Ever seen warthogs start munching on a dead wildebeest? Also here. This is Africa "in the raw." Exhilirating. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Seashore Animals feels like a second-rate show that didn't quite make the line-up when compared to many of the other fascinating top-notch videos in the Amazing Animals series. There are the usual pictures of animals doing the darndest things, from crabs burying themselves in the mud to turtle moms laying eggs in the sand, but the fast pace and plentiful information so prevalent in other videos in the series, such as Animal Journeys or Scary Animals is, unfortunately, missing. But it's hard to completely dislike any half-hour that features beautiful shots of pelicans, eerie footage of starfish traveling in rock pools, and pictures of dozens of too-cute baby ducks scurrying down to the sea. --Valerie J. Nelson ... Read more

Amazon.com

Dogs might chase cars, but only a cheetah could actually catch one. These big cats, the fastest land animals in the world, can attain speeds of 60 miles per hour, if only for short sprints. Still, that's all they need to nab a hapless Thomson's gazelle in Season of the Cheetah, a still-timely National Geographic Video Classic. Following small groups of these lithe, graceful killers as they return to the Serengeti for the spring rainy season, we can see their complicated social life, their struggles with competitors such as (much larger) lions, and their reliance on quick kills for their everyday sustenance. While their situation and numbers have improved somewhat over the years, their fight for life is just as gripping as ever. Add to that the absolutely smashing footage of the Serengeti during and after a storm--the inescapable torrents, the churning clouds, and the eerie light that follows--and you'll find Season of the Cheetah irresistible. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Savannah Showdown
This is a remarkable look at the cheetah.

Hostilities from lions and hyenas are touched upon, but the video's focus is really on the cheetahs' relationships with eachother. We follow three groups through a rainy season on the African savannah - a mother and her cubs who join up with a young female for mutual hunting benefit and companionship, male/female twins who have left their mother but have a year to go before they can be successfully independent, and three young brothers who terrorize them all.

The footage of the three brothers stalking in perfect symmetry is simply unforgettable. You'll be on the edge of your seat when they finally face the twins, with the outnumbered young male's life depending on their mood de jour - and his sister's sexual maturity or lack thereof. This is one of the greats. ... Read more

Reviews (134)

science, the history of science, and its role in the future
It amazes me that to this day that no science series since Cosmos first aired has come close to illustrating both the scope of human knowledge and its practical purposes in our lives. Every parent with a DVD player should buy this if their children have the slightest interest in the sciences. Your kids will thank you when they're older. Carl Sagan must've had a talent for teaching as any intelligent young student will get something out this series. Cosmos ages well, serving as a springboard into other disciplines.

Watching the series again on DVD, I enjoyed the less-hard science episodes. All thirteen are great. I especially liked:

"The Harmony of Worlds"
"The Backbone of Night"
"The Lives of Stars"
"The Persistence of Memory"
"Enyclopedia Galactica"
"Who Speaks for Earth"

Each of these episodes is rich with history and gives me a new respect for the man as a speaker. Especially the last episode, though somewhat dated as it was written during the Cold War. The sound quality's excellent too.

Note: Science changes so fast, some of the updates may be 'out of date'. The final update, in light of current events, where Dr. Sagan expresses optimism for the future, well it's a bit chilling.

A Vision for All Mankind
After watching COSMOS for the third time, I am continously impressed by the bravery and insight of Dr. Sagan's vision for humanity. COSMOS's overarching theme is an introduction to the natural sciences for the general public. Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics are wonderfully reduced to their core concepts. Dr. Sagan may be the only person I know who manages to explain Einstein's special relativity without algebra. For those amongst the general public who wish to understand just what a four dimensioned universe is, there is no better series today than COSMOS. Dr. Sagan stays true to his populist belief that science belongs not only to the scientists, but to all humanity.

However, anyone with a university degree will probably be familiar with the science Dr. Sagan speaks of. The shining jewel of COSMOS is not its scientific content, but its deeply humanistic message of hope. We have all heard about the cruelty of the so called "real world" and "human nature." But Dr. Sagan shows us that human bravery and intelligence has transformed our world for the better and that our world is what we make of it. In one of the most poignant moments of the entire series, Dr. Sagan describes the human longing for an explanation of the universe as an eternal part of our species. We, citizens of the 21st century, are the first generation of human beings priviledged with some of the answers to the questions that have fascinated our ancestors.

Dr. Sagan also outlines the philosophy and history of science. This is especially essential to today's society in which science has become increasing gadgety. While cell phones, computers, the internet, designer drugs populate every segment of our society, the philosophy of critical thinking, factual analysis and of questioning every statement, the very heart of science remains as rare today as ever. Our present civlization is forever indebited to those brave men and women who choose the pain of truth rather the comfort of lies. For those who ever wondered how we human beings progressed from tribal hunters to technogical beings, Dr. Sagan's documentary provides a riveting account.

Finally and perhaps most importantly, Dr. Sagan's documentary provides a unifying vision for the future of human kind. We have reached a time in the development of our species when the power in our hands is extraordinary. The destiny of our world and our species is fully in the our own hands. We can either use this power to continously squabble amongst ourselves, to fight our pointless wars and to poison our environment with blatant waste and race headlong to self annihilation, or... we can set aside our differences, recognize the fragility of our world and embrace the common destiny of humanity to explore the final frontier. Dr. Sagan does not pretend that this journey will be an easy one; every age and time has had those who would at the expense of our world, stirr up hatred, fear and greed. However, by showing that science is our candle in the dark, Dr. Sagan encourages each one of us to struggle against the irrationality and ignorance inside each of us to literally reach for the stars.

From the beginning of time to the future of our world, Dr. Sagan's account of the struggle of the human mind to attain sentience is highly passionate while at the same time even and objective. Science, he describes, is the ultimate manifestation of our humanity, the quest of starstuff to understand itself.

I am pleased to say that as the light from Dr. Sagan's house continue to pierce the darkness of Ithaca's gorges to inspire me, so too does his visionary work: COSMOS.

the best science documentrary
This is prehaps the most inspiring documentary about the earth and our place within the universe. I have seen the series about a dozen times and its just as interesting each and every time. This would be great material for children learning about the world around them..

+Fred

Very Excellent!
A little expensive but very cool. Carl Sagan was the first man to break the sound barrier and this is his story. Carl also was a swimming contender in the 1968 Mexico Olympics but he felt the sting of defeat and didn't win diddley. We don't like losers, Carl. A famous scientist, Carl died of cancer some years ago because he didn't eat his broccoli. If only he's gone to Denny's every Thursday for their cream of broccoli soup, he would still be alive today.

Portuguese Subtitles ??
More than 250.000.000 people in the world speak Portuguese. Why didn't they made subtitles in portuguese language for Cosmos? I hope that in the next edition, this problema will be solved. How can we show this DVD for children and teens who doesn't speak english yet? This is my only complain about. ... Read more