Description

When Mr. Websley is accidentally silenced by the Silent E Machine, Leap, Lily, and Tad must journey through the Complex Word Complex to build the code words needed to return his voice. Guided only by the "Absent Professor Device," the kids learn how to build the complex words needed to solve the code and save the day. Humorous songs add to the fun and help teach the rules for advanced word building. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful!!!!!
I love all of these Leap Frog movies.My four year old is now spelling and writing all sorts of words, thanks to this video.He has learned to sound out words and knows the basic rules to reading, like the "silent E" rule and "when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking".He sings the Leap Frog songs over and over.He loves it as much as I do and is having fun learning.My two year old is even learning from these movies.They are great.A definite must have if you have little ones!!!

NO More Arguing Over Which Movie To Watch!
I have never felt strong enough to actually take the time to write a review.I am a certified k-6 teacher who has told everyone I know about Leap Frog's 4 amazing movie and now I am telling you...
LF Letter Factory:This was the first (out of 4) Leap Frog Movie that my children watched.My 3 1/2 year old and 2 years 2 month old boys are allowed to watch 1 movie a day.Each Day they agreed, in excitement, to watched this movie.Under a week my 3 1/2 year old knew his letter sounds. He could sing the letter sound song almost as fast as he could sing the alphabet. After a week, he amazed us when he sat down on the ground and wrote out the entire alphabet like a 4th grader.Had NO idea he could write like this!Shortly thereafter, the 2 year old knew all his letter sounds and letter recognition.

Talking Words Factory:I was so impressed that I bought them the Talking Words Factory that 2nd week.I wasn't surprised that my 3 1/2 year old began to spell, writing, and sounding out 3 letter words.He told me all about how the vowels were all sticky and their job was to stick letters together to make words.He went around singing the vowel song.

My kids loved the videos so much that for 10 months...My son's (who used to play with Thomas the Trains and puppies) were obsessed with letters and words.They made their own letter and word factory machines out of their toys and tubs, drew each letter cartoon character, and sang the letter and vowel songs, and the older one wrote, yes wrote, many of his own homemade books.

Talking Word Factory 2:It doesn't stop there...They got the Talking Word Factory 2 and Math Circus when they came out this Christmas. In a couple of days, the now 4 year old, was telling me all about sh, ch, th, and other blends.He told me how the silent e at the end of the word made the other vowel say its name (long vowel sound).He went on to tell me also how "when 2 vowels go walking the first one does the talking." And he wrote and read new complex words such as, boat, home, dime, wait, etc.This really increased his ability to read many, many new words - 8 letter words too!

Math Circus: They loved it too!Though it is fast moving for beginners, it is entertaining and has an easy concept.Adding and subtracting now comes pretty easy for my 4 year old.I gave him a math work sheet for addition and subtraction just for kicks.Wouldn't you know it, he did all of them with no problem. He was so interested in adding that he started asking about problems such as 3 + 3 + 3.Which helped him learn the concept of multiplication 3 x 3, 3 x 4, etc.But, we told him that he had plenty of time to learn that later!

The only negative comments that I have to say about these Leap Frog videos:Nothing, Oh, except that I wish my children weren't so obsessed with letters!They eat, breath, and sleep letters.Sometimes I just wish they would play with the trains, cars, and other toys.They will have their entire school life to learn about letters and reading!I just hope that when the time comes for school that they won't have grown board of it!

Other Leap Frog learning tools that reinforce what they learned on the videos:

LF Fridge Phonics Magnets - Love it.It sings each letters song when you put the letter in the hole.

LF Word Whammer Fridge Phonics Set - LF just came out with this.I know that they will love.I bought it for the next birthday!It is like the Fridge Phonics, but you can spell 3 letter words.

LF Letter Factory Board Game - Love it too!It is interactive and the board game talks and sings!

LF Sing Along Letters Flash Cards & CD - Songs from the DVDs.Not that you don't hear the songs sang enough from your children!
Wish they would make computer CD's too!

LF Leap Pad - Fun but they got board with the same books over & over.$14 a book!

There are many others, but I had to draw the line somewhere!

If you check all the other reviews, I am not alone.Only two out of 121 people gave this movie less than 5 stars!It is about time someone made a movie that parents and children both agree on!Thank you Leap Frog!

Another great Leapfrog product!
A great way for kids to learn about complex words...vowels, silent "e", etc.Highly recommend!!!

an excellent follow-on to word factory
The phonics rules are fun and easy to remember with this video!

Another Great Video from LeapFrog -- Code word caper
The other reviews are right.If you like the Talking Words Factory, you should like this follow-on video.

In this episode, children are taught about long vowel sounds, 'silent E", blended letters (such as sh and th), as well as blended vowels (the old when two vowels go walking the first one does the talking).

In addition, children are shown how vowels are forced to say their names when E's are added to their ends.Fat becomes long-A fate, for example.

Worth the money, for sure.[Certainly my 2.5 year-old would not know his letters and their sounds without these videos.] ... Read more

Reviews (2)

THOUGHT-PROVOKING!
This video delivers on many levels. It was a nice breath of fresh air to see that alternative methods are being proven successful against traditional medicine in the fight against ADD/ ADHD. I say this for today's children, who are all too often the real victims of society's obsession with prescription drugs, processed foods and artifical flavors. I am grateful to the producers of this film for helping return my little boys to the calm, fun-loving and respectful children they used to be.

Thought-provoking!
This video delivers on many levels. It was a nice breath of fresh air to see that alternative methods are being proven successful against traditional medicine in the fight against ADD/ ADHD. I say this for today's children, who are all too often the real victims of society's obsession with prescription drugs, processed foods and artifical flavors. I am grateful to the producers of this film for helping return my little boys to the calm, fun-loving and respectful children they used to be. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Another fine entry from Dorling Kindersley's Eyewitness series. As with their books and computer software, the video clearly presents and dynamically illustrates numerous facts about those beasts from 65 million years ago. Martin Sheen narrates this program that explores what paleontologists have uncovered in the last 200 years (an important find is made every seven weeks on average). Typical fact: Did you know that all the information on Tyrannous rex is attributed to only a dozen skeletal finds? The varieties of illustrations are truly remarkable: computer graphics, animations, Claymation, even wonderful low-tech models. There's so much here that multiple viewings are necessary (and certainly to be requested by the child). It's keen stuff that adults should find as much fun to watch as the kids. The companion book and CD-ROM are also available. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Toddler Delight
I was amazed but would you believe my 3-yr old loves this video? He starts to whine towards the end - hoping to get an encore presentation. There is just enough dinosaur cartoon, special effects to keep him watching. He quotes from the narrative so he is obviously listening too. On the good side, he has learned several dinosaur names and plenty of obscure facts - on the down side, the tape is only about 30 minutes and he is HUNGRY for dino info (but not very patient with the EyeWitness Dinosaur book yet) so we watch it again and again. If you have a young dino lover consider this video in conjunction with the younger DK books (they come in board book style) or the early reading DK books (we bought a fairly simple Level 2 "I can read" to read together).

Kids love them!
The Eyewitness series is an excellent educational video set for children! My two and four year olds love them. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's called "the Mozart Effect," the notion that exposing youngsters tothe melodies of the maestro can improve verbal ability, spatial intelligence, creativity, and memory. It's a pretty big leap of faith to understand that effect unless you personally see a toddler react to the stimulation. The Baby Einstein folks have a series of tapes (Baby Einstein, Baby Bach) that add visual stimulation to the bouncy recordings (using vibraphone, Rhodes electric piano, and even a glockenspiel). The melodies are heard against colorful imagery of spinning tops, wave machines, soft baby toys, mobiles, and the like. Several parenting groups and magazines have heralded the tapes for children 1 to 36 months, but the Orwellian aspect of introducing babes in arms to the TV screen may cause many to just pick up the CD. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (405)

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

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

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

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

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

Description

Baby Dolittle World Animals takes babies and young children around the globe to learn about their favorite wild animals! Hosted by Jane, an adorable monkey puppet, Baby Dolittle captures children's natural delight in learning about animals. Baby Dolittle features Baby Einstein's signature child-friendly classical music arrangements, delightful puppetry and beautiful natural-world animal footage that children will love watching again and again. Recommended for ages 1-4 years of age. ... Read more

Reviews (44)

One of the better Baby Einstein DVDs
This was the first Baby Einstein DVD we purchased and our son, who was about a year old then and is now 16 months, has enjoyed it very much. He is a very active child but for quite a while he would sit completely still to watch, and now he has hand motions for some of the scenes and applauds at the end. As other people have mentioned, the animal footage is more interesting for an adult to watch than the endless parade of toys that fill up a lot of the other videos in the series (especially the classixal music ones). I personally like the quiet atmosphere of the video -- no loud noises, flashy pictures or dialogue -- just animal footage, adorable puppet shows and a small number of toys. My son has learned to recognize the animals shown and even has favorite scenes. Definitely get DVD because the baby will want to watch "continuous play"!

our seven month old loves it
I think it's hard to review Baby Einstein videos, because as an adult there are so many things that seem annoying or bothersome that are not so for my child. Yes, I find the kids dressed up in animal costumes annoying, but my son loves them. The puppetry (in this one especially) doesn't make any sense to me either, but my son loves it.

We own 8 various Baby Einstein videos, some DVD and some VHS and my son likes this one as well as all the others. We also own the Neighborhood Animals video and I don't really understand why some reviewers prefer it over this one. They are slightly different, but my son doesn't prefer one of them over the other (at this age anyway). The only thing I've noticed is that he likes to have a variety rather than watch the same one every day (that's how our collection got so big). As a parent, I actually enjoy watching World Animals with him more than Neighborhood Animals, because I find the videos of the animals more interesting. While I would prefer to watch a nature special on PBS, my son enjoys the way Baby Einstein breaks up the footage with animation and puppetry (however corny it seems to me), it helps his short attention span out.

I do recommend the DVD over the VHS if you are choosing between the two. The DVDs are a much better value in my opinion. We've already begun to wear out our VHS tapes (the sound is garbled in spots now) and I love the interactive flash cards and other extras that come with the DVDs.

All in all, my son watches this video over and over again even back to back sometimes and loves every minute. To me that says it all.

wonderful!
my dd loves this movie! she danced to all the music and loved seeing the animals. the puppets made her laugh (she just turned one). the colors are wonderful and keep her attention. if your child loves animals, then they will love this movie!

My boy's favorite
My little guy, now 13 months, has totally been in-love with this DVD since 3 months of age. His father and I love it, too! The animals and music are fantastic!

beautiful, colorful animal footage
This DVD has beautiful footage of animals in their habitats. It's broken into 3 main categories of Animals in the Jungle, Animals in the Ocean, and Animals on the Savannah. In the Jungle section, the animals shown are: Tiger, Tropical Bird, and Monkey. The Ocean segment features: Sea Turtle, Dolphin, and Fish. The Savannah segment shows: Elephants, Giraffes, and Lions. Each animal has about 5 minutes dedicated to it which includes a musical video, toys shown of that animal, and a mini puppet-show that introduces the next animal. I bought it for my 2 yr old son because he loves Elephants and it's been a hit (he loves the whole thing). ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Endorsed by Head Coach of the Milwaukee Wave, Keith Tozer
Being involved in soccer for more than 25 years, I have found the "Stinky Shoe & Coach LaRoo" video to be a wonderful fun and educational teaching tool for families and children who are just beginning their soccer careers.

Your kids will love it, it will help parents too.
This summer my kids got involved in a soccer league. I grew up play baseball & football, when it came time for soccer I did not even know how many players there were per team. The instruction in this video taught my children and my wife & I how many player, the size of the field and enough basic skill to keep my kids busy all summer. My kids enjoyed Stinky Shoe and Coach Laroo and dance to the music everytime we put it on. I purchased the Baseball video today and cannot wait to see what it is all about.

Thank you, and GO CUBS!

Soccer Mom
This video not only entertained my 6 year old daughter, but provide me with enough knowledge to help coach her team! Practicing is much more fun when you know what you are to practice! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An informative overview of the reptile family
I have been a reptile hobbyist for quite some time, and I found this video very insightful. It organizes the information very succinctly and neatly, and makes it all very understandable. And it continues the tradition of all "Eyewitness" videos by using sparse settings and graphics to tell the story of the reptile family.

I think that anyone interested in reptiles will find this video interesting. "Eyewitness: Reptile" is about 30 minutes long.

Eyewitness - Reptile
My 3 year old son received this and four other Eyewitness videos as a christmas gift and he can't get enough of them. Each video focuses on one topic, and gives basic information on that topic. The pictures are bright and colorful, and the information is clear and concise, even for a little one. Martin Sheen does a great job of narrating the films. Each video is 30 minutes, which is an ideal length for a younger child. There is also a series of books that go along with each topic to further the learning opportunity. I would recommend this video and the others in the Eyewitness Series to anyone who would like a colorful, fact-filled overview on a specific topic. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If it's time to start teaching your children to beware of strangers, it also might be time to watch Kid to Kid: Staying Safe! with them. Cohost Nicole, who looks to be about 10, says such things as "Some people touch your private parts...; they are called child molesters," and a staged abduction is presented to show how a child should try to escape from a car. Big fears are confronted: why are kids targets for bad people, who are bad people, and how can kids avoid looking like a target? In the interactive "what if" game, led by Dr. Loretta Long (Susan on Sesame Street), make-believe frightening situations are posed: what should you do if someone grabs you and tries to take you away? Informational, but amateurish, this production imparts enough scary details to keep your child awake for weeks. Screen it before deciding whether to watch it with your child. --Valerie J. Nelson ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Entertaining video teaching kids how to stay out of trouble.
I got this video and gave it to my 9 year old. He really enjoyed it. It's got lots of music and colorful graphics and did a great job of keeping his attention.

The tape basically teaches young kids how to watch out for themselves, alot of it is the same message we give to our kids all the time: Don't take things from strangers, don't get into a strangers car, etc.

The program is narrated by a cute little girl named Nicole. The way the program is done is very good because the kids watch it and see a little girl talking to them, instead of just an adult lecturing them.

There is also some adult instruction by one of the "Sesame Street" cast, which was real helpful because kids are already familiar with her from watching Sesame Street.

The video doesn't just gloss over the dangers of what could happen to a kid. It shows real dramatized situations.

This is definitely worth getting to show to a child that you love and care for. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

i can't belive more people 30+ haven't written in a review!
Oh gosh I have memories of this on saturday morning cartoons!
I bought this used on amazon for my daughter who is learning disabled and in 5th grade in a homeschool program with me this year. It helped her grasp the basics in a way she couldnt' seem to grasp any other way. It also sparked her intrest, and I am here to order the money one today. This Tape is very very visual, and really really blissful to own if youre from my age group (30+) becasue of the tune "I am just a BILL" we were all so fond of then, and to be able to share that with my child is great! By the way until I bought this, I didn't undertsand the depth of skill and talent with which these are made, and they really deserve awards even now so many years later.

Why I can recite the Preamble!
This video is the only reason that I was ever able to memorize the Preamble. In American History I had to say it for a grade and it was hard to keep from singing it! Besides that, History Rock has a lot of infectious tunes that never become annoying and are thoroughly educational. "Elbow Room", "I'm Just A Bill", "Mother Necessity" and "Melting Pot" are just a few of the several songs that cover topics like the formation of the colonies, how a bill becomes a law, inventions such as the cotton gin, and the USA's immigrant heritage. This is a must have! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Who were the Mayans? The answer depends on who you ask. Legend has it that the gods made them from corn. Armchair cultural critics with little more than a page-long encyclopedia entry's worth of knowledge see them as a ritualistic, dynastic people with a strong penchant for boulder hackysack. Take an hour-long tour of Lost Kingdoms of the Maya with host Susan Sarandon, however, and you'll see a culture that defies any handy categorization. Composed of a web of several hundred Central American kingdoms at the height of its powers, the Mayan empire was a cosmopolitan center of art and science that also had a taste for battle.

So what exactly happened to make the Paris of its time suddenly vanish? Puzzle along with archeologists and epigraphers as they try to piece history back together, one building and astrological codice at a time. Don't expect any pat answers, however. While a few educated guesses endure (overpopulation? deforestation? an out-of-control thirst for war?), the true reason for the Mayan fate might be best summarized in the true if not elegant words of one Mayan expert: "Civilization is a complex phenomenon, and we can screw up." --Bob Michaels ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Fairly Good Documentary
This video was reasonably interesting, especially in its discussion of the Classic Maya Cities of Copan and Dos Pilas. I was somewhat disappointed by the lack of diversity regarding sites covered. Copan is certainly one of the more important Maya cities and it deserved coverage, but what about Tikal, Palenque, Yaxchilan, and Bonampak, just to mention a few others. They also might have considered some coverage of some of the Epi-classic & Post-Classic cities, such as Uxmal, Chichen-Itza, and Tulum; as these sites are also favorite tourist destinations.
The video is also somewhat dated, as so many recent discoveries have since added volumes of knowledge about these amazing people. All in all, it is still a good video that does wet the appetite for more learning about the Maya.

Great overview of Maya
I have seen some educational videos on the Maya, but I believe this is the best one I have come across so far. I was looking for a good educational video on the Maya to prepare a group trip to Honduras. We did an excursion to Copan, and the knowledge from this tape enhanced our experience. Compared to other videos about the Maya, this video was the best in the story telling of the history of the Maya and today's exploration with archeologists. I have been to other Mayan ruins as well, and I am still in awe of their lives and culture. If you plan on going to Copan or any of the other ruins, definately this would be a good video to check out.

Explore the Mayan Civilization...
Take a tour with many brave explorers to the wonderful world of Mayas. Step back in history and explore the forest regions. See where and how the great Mayas lived. Locate lost territories and see facts told from dead human skulls. Picture the large Mayan pyramids and clear forests to uncover lost mysteries. To do all this, buy this fantastic National Geographic special!

---------------------AHMED MASHHOOD------------------------------

Excellent view of the Maya civilization
This is a great video for anyone interested in the mysterious Mayan civilization. The photography and story telling are superb and only make the viewer hungry for more. I would recommend this video for anyone of any age, whether a history buff or just casual viewing. If you are a true history lover you must get this one. It is a real gem! ... Read more

Description

Birth Day is the first in a series of videos about Natural Birth.It was made for an exhibit in The Museum of Science, Boston.While waiting to be installed, it became an underground hit with midwives, doulas and childbirth educators who wanted to see a natural, drug free, home birth.Only about 1% of births in the US take place at home whereas in the rest of the world, it's 80%. Most attending physicians have never witnessed a natural home birth.

Finding just the right woman, Naoli Vinaver Lopez, who wanted to have her home birth recorded, was a stroke of good fortune for us all.At the time, Naoli was a midwife in Xalapa, Mexico.She narrates this birth with feeling and joy.This is what Naoli says about Birth Day, "I do hope that people who see the birth of my daughter Tamaya, and see me as a woman giving birth, will most of all just see that a woman can give birth.A woman can be joyous giving birth."

The music from Son De Madera is played on ancient, wooden instruments.We heard the artists playing and dancing in a Xalapa restaurant charged with a flamenco-like exuberance.

Naoli's father, Georges Vinaver, himself a gifted artist,shot the birth footage.Next to his remarkable family, Birth Day is one of his most precious parting gifts to the world ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Birth belongs to the Family and its Magic to the Universe
As a homebirth midwife in Costa Rica this is our most precious Video.
Most couples have never had the opportunity to see birth "as it can and should be". Understanding, trust in the process, tears of joy, and help is the gift of this video to so many young couples preparing for and birthing their babies at home in Costa Rica. It is, without question, our favorite video.
I have also started giving talks to teenagers at local high schools about the significance and consequences of birth during the rest of our lives. This is usually a 2-3 hours seminar and at the end I show them Birth Day and they are just blown away and stand up applauding and ask questions for days. Those are very happy moments, seeing the little seed planted in those young hearts. At least, when the time comes, they will have something else to take into consideration, not just the medical model being the only way they know and which too often does not trust in the woman's body wisdom and power.
All the lucky couples, their families and I want to thank Naoli, her family, her father, and Diana Bort, for allowing us to take part and be witness to the birth of their little daughter . This video is a gift and a poem to birthing mothers and their babies.

Every pregnant woman needs to see Birth Day!
As a childbirth educator, doula, and mother, I've watched countless birth videos. Without question, BIRTH DAY is the best video currently on the market. I live in the U.S., where in most cases birth has become more of a medical event than a life event. But BIRTH DAY gives viewers a chance to see a completely normal, natural home waterbirth, with the mother's family (including her other young children) in attendance. Viewers will be given the gift of spending a "birth day" with Naoli Vinaver Lopez and her family at their beautiful home in Xalapa, Mexico. To witness the love and support Naoli and her family share during her labor and birth, combined with beautiful music and narration, is nothing short of inspiring. I was so inspired that I, too, had a home waterbirth!
Every pregnant woman and her family needs to see this video. It was also one of the few birth videos I felt was appropriate to show my then-3-year old son as we prepared for the birth of his brother. Basically, it should be required viewing for anyone planning to ever give birth!

wish I'd seen it before
From the opening shots to the glorious conclusion, I felt the awe, respect, and confidence of the mother-to-be and the filmmakers. Having passed my own birthgiving years, I can't personally benefit from this wonderful movie and its important message. However, I'm recommending it to my young friends who are receptive to a wholesome, positive birth experience that benefits the whole family. Truly a blessed event to see this video. It's better than any book because you are RIGHT THERE! I couldn't recommend it more.

First Time Ever!
The intention for the purchase of this video was to send it as a gift to a friend who's contemplating raising a family. Therefore, I can only comment on the quality of the video.

If it was a "home-made" kind of production, then it seemed that the quality of the A.V was indeed quite high.

The story itself was very informative and inspiring. Tapes of this nature are not readily available in our part of the world, (at least not to my knowledge), being an Asian country. Hence, with such new means of acquiring these or other educational tapes, I'm sure it will be of benefit to a lot of people.

It's Only 10 Minutes Long!
Don't waste your money. For $30 you get a 10 minute long home video. The labor and delivery is about 4 minutes of footage. These people should be ashamed to charge that much money for a film that is about the length of a long news segment. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Even the simplest move we make requires a host of complex interactions between our muscles, bones, and brain. DK's Eyewitness: Human Machine lays it all out in a way kids and adults will both love. Their distinctive visual style, using modern special effects, always provokes a "Wow!" from the audience. Examining athletes in slow-motion, microphotography of our tiniest parts, and state-of-the-art imaging techniques for peeking inside the brain, DK shows us what is known and piques our curiosity to learn more. It's rare for a family education video to actually educate the whole family--Eyewitness: Human Machine works and should be a part of any lifetime of learning. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Wonderful
My 5 year old daughter was a little taken back by the robot/human actor, but grew to love him. She has watched this video over and over again within days. She learned so much and so did mom and dad. We are homeschoolers and this is a wonderful way to learn about the human body. Little bits of facts; not over-loading the children. Great learning tool.

not for 2 year olds
This video has a lot of narratives and it is kinda slow. It counldn't hold the attention of my near-two-year old. She also found the 'robot' in the video a little scary. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Word mix more complex, but baby likes it anyway
We have the first three tapes in this series, and I play them interchangeably for our son, who is just over a year old. I found it frustrating that a complex term like "bulldozer" is included, while the baby is still working on learning the much simpler "truck." I mean, why are we getting into such complex distinctions of types of vehicles? I'd have preferred that the vocabulary list stick to words most likely to be needed -- and reinforced -- by everyday living. Only if the kid lives in a construction zone would "bulldozer" seem necessary. I felt the same way about "helicopter" -- but then again, when my son watches the shot of the chopper taking off, he's highly amused. So I have mixed feelings. The whole tape keeps his attention nonstop, and I like the way they break up the pattern of repetition so that the pacing is varied. I don't know if my son will learn the word "bulldozer" etc., but the tape clearly stimulates him, so I would recommend it to parents who have the first two tapes and want more. Unfortunately, that looks like the end, too. Having looked at the word list for #4 and #5, I don't think we'll be getting them. Their word lists really seem to be too far afield for this age range. But I think this one (#3) is okay for babies in the early verbal stages. If you're just starting out, go with #1 and #2.

Bigger Words for Bigger Kids
I bought this video for my 16 month old daughter who absolutely loves tapes 1 & 2. After watching tape 3 just once, I don't believe that my daughter is ready for words like "bulldozer" and "helicopter". While there are some easier words like "fish", "arm" and "wagon", I would not recommend this level unless your child has mastered at least most of the words on levels 1 and 2. Like the earlier tapes, level 3 features great classical music, live animal shots, bright objects and friendly children's faces to hold your child's attention, but don't be in a rush to leave tapes 1 & 2 behind. ... Read more

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Comedian Leslie Nielsen says that his garden is a "realm of stalkers, serial killers, and aerial combat" just as a bat swoops in and beheads a praying mantis. Is this a video for budding naturalists or for horror flick fanatics? It's unclear. While the cinematography may be noteworthy, the results are altogether too fantastic. Special effects create speed-eating fire ants devouring a dragonfly and a wildly dancing vine. The shrew in Nielsen's garden might as well be the pesky gofer in Caddyshack. The project has potential as a comedy but is not a good example of National Geographic's educational standards. Though Nielsen concludes that a garden is a place to pay attention and not wage war against animals you don't understand, the whole premise is that everyone's backyard is a war zone: gardeners are portrayed as the good guys and creatures are depicted as the enemies. Hey, here's a novel concept: if you want to introduce garden creatures to your children, turn off the television and take them outside instead. --Cristina Del Sesto ... Read more

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Be afraid: insects outnumber humans 200 million to one. Or just be fascinated. Likely you'll be more of the latter after seeing this playful, zippy tour through the microworld of Class Insecta. Another installment in the award-winning Eyewitness series, Eyewitness: Insect uses DK's trademark MTV-speed editing, high-quality computer animation, stunning photography, and playful reenactments to effortlessly hold the attention of kid and adult alike. And, as they say, if you're not careful you just might learn something.

Celebrity narrator Martin Sheen explains why bugs don't grow big, how crickets hear with their knees, and why the termite queen doesn't wander far from her 5 million subjects and her eight-foot-high skyscraper palace. (As it turns out, she's busy laying 30,000 eggs a day!) From slo-mo fly swats to time-lapse locust swarms, this action-packed half-hour will have you reaching for the remote to pause and rewind, as Sheen surveys everything from insect morphology to insect mythology. You may want something a little more heavy-duty if you're prepping for the Insect GRE, but Eyewitness: Insect is certainly enough to spark interest in--and inspire further study of--our six-legged friends. --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Pleased Biology Teacher
This is an excellent way to introduce the Class Insecta to-"I hate science!"-students. It grabs their attention and at the same time provides them with correct and useful information on creepy crawlers. Hint: Eyewitness has videos on many other animal classes:retiles-fish-birds-etc. I have never been disappointed with the reactions of my students towards these wonderful videos. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Learning to Read With Phonics-Sight Words
As a parent and preschool director this is the best video I have seen that teaches children their sight words. My 6-year-old daughter has learned her sight words from this video and has watched it over and over again learning something new each time. I have a M.Ed. in early childhood education and I used this video with my own child. As much as I wanted to teach her how to read she would refuse to learn from my guidance. Barbara Phipps uses phonics but teaches it in a fun and age appropriate way. She teaches the proper way to write letters and stays within the national language standards for early childhood and elementary education. Children learn at their own pace with lessons that are an average of 15-minute segments. Children stay interested and learn. I have recommended this video to many parents of children the ages of 3-6 and those who have borrowed it from me or purchased their own has had success. The setting is a bit outdated, but children who view it do not seem to notice. ... Read more

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The leopard is a shy, solitary creature, preferring to gaze down at the world from a safe perch high in a tree. But for six months, a National Geographic film crew followed a female leopard and her three cubs in the Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya. Those six months have been condensed into this fascinating hour-long video. Viewers can watch the mother leopard stalk her prey, fend off predators, and teach her cubs the survival skills they'll need when they're on their own. Gorgeously filmed by Richard Matthews, The Secret Leopard also offers revealing glimpses of the game reserve's other inhabitants--antelope, impala, zebras, and cheetahs--as well as breathtaking views of the landscape. --Larisa Lomacky Moore ... Read more

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One man's personal account of his study of pumas--and particularly his relationship with a female he named Penny, "after an old friend"--is incredibly touching. Natural-history filmmaker Hugh Miles lived in Patagonia for two years in Chile's Torres Del Paine National Park. His first-person narration, combined with brilliant photography, makes this video fascinating to watch. Viewers will be treated to all seasons and soft-textured night-vision photography. Ruddy ducks, Chilean flamingoes, hares, wild ancestors of the llama, and little gray foxes are all among the cast of characters on this grand Andean stage. Puma: Lion of the Andes is stylistically poetic, and its clear that the narrator's interest in pumas is not just sentiment but concern for conservation of an important member of a threatened ecosystem. --Cristina Del Sesto ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Everyone should have this film!!!!
Hugh miles has captured superbly the secret world of the Puma. He spent two years filming a Puma he called Penny and as is the majesty of Hughs work he has blended together all the elements of his magic with film and sound to produce a film which is one of the true classics in natural history movie making.Hugh takes us into the world of these most secret of all animals and allows us to observe these most beautiful creatures in all there wild and natural glory. This film is a `must have` in anyones wildlife film collection. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Beneficial for children
I recommend this video to anyone wishing to help children understand death.

Like attending a sunday school lesson
This program was beautifully done! It was designed to resemble the comfort of a Sunday School setting. The children are taught about death, the process of death, what it means to grieve, and how our faith will sustain us in a very difficult time. Adults who need a gentle hand of understanding would also benefit from watching this video.

a childs understanding of death
After a death in our family.. We showed this video to the children in our family.. It had such an impact that friends asked to borrow it for their children. It opened up alot of conversation that allowed us to freely feel the sorrow yet allowed us to share the emotions that were so much on the surface .It helped the children ( as well as the adults) to share what we were all thinking & feeling .It is a video that does help the mind & spirit to heal.

Midwest Book Review (video)
"After the Tears, A Gentle Guide to Help Children Understand Death" is a highly recommendable video that will be of immense service to parents, teachers, pastors, youth workers, hospice and hospital personnel in helping a child through the grieving process when a loved one dies. Diane Crandall draws upon her experience of 33 years as a devoted teacher to address this sensitive subject with passion and effective communication. Children begin by learning about the loss of a beloved pet, and then progress to the more difficult concept of losing a family member or friend. Diane also speaks of Heaven and Jesus, suggesting a number of constructive activities that will help a child effectively deal with the inevitable sense of loss. Sensitive, empathetic, informative, inspiring, effective, "After the Tears" is the best approach to helping children deal with the phenomenon of death on video to date. James Cox, Editor-in-Chief Midwest Book Review

Beneficial for children
I recommend this video to anyone wishing to help children understand death. The tape begins with the story of the loss of a beloved pet and moves to the greater loss of a loved one. I especially liked and tried the activities suggestions at the end of the video. Balloon messages and memory book were two of our favorites. ... Read more