Children's Entertainment

From the award-winning Baby Einstein Company, Baby Beethoven: Symphony of Fun introduces art and music to creatively stimulate children from infants to toddlers up to three years old. This release offers images of musical instruments, puppets, and toys along with classical compositions from Ludwig van Beethoven. Other titles from Baby Einstein include Baby Mozart, Baby Bach, Baby Van Gogh, and Baby Shakespeare. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Parents can introduce children to the spirit of the season with Barney's Halloween Party. Barney uses his usual squeaky-clean energy to infuse fall with a wholesome air. Fourteen songs are included in Barney's celebration and all are designed to stick in the brain. In lieu of haunted houses and ghoulish masks, the Barney team have fun with pumpkin carving and paper-bag owls, while spiders and piñatas serve as substitutes for trick or treating. In a side story, BJ and Baby Bop try their hand at door-to-door begging, but end up regretting the whole thing. Overall, Barney gets down with his fellow costumed guests and teaches viewers the value of old-fashioned fun. ~ Sarah Ing, All Movie Guide

If rhyming is your child's bag, this Barney video is a must-have. When Emily can't seem to figure out how to rhyme, Barney and Mother Goose whisk the kids off to her magical house and garden, where they learn everything there is to know about inspiration and rhyming verse. This video packs in over 35 nursery rhymes. Although parents and older children may find it tedious, two- to five-year-olds will be singing poetry till the cows come home. ~ Heather M. Fierst, All Movie Guide

Join the delightful chihuahua Paco, his sister Lupe, and the entire Perez family, in this 55-minute Spanish instructional video aimed at children, ages 4-9. In this second of three tapes, the Spanish vocabulary lesson begins in the kitchen, Paco's favorite room. First the kids will learn about letters and forming words, and then naming objects--all the fundamentals necessary to launch into a new language. A tour of the Perez house follows, before heading off to school to play musical instruments and soccer. The animated language lesson ends up on the beach for playtime. A word review study guide is included. ~ Kathleen Wildasin, All Movie Guide

The legislative branch of the United States government, or Congress, is divided into the Senate and the House of Representatives, as mandated by the Constitution. This program examines the inner workings of Congress, including lawmaking, committees, the checks and balances among the two political parties and among the two houses, as well as the influence of special interest groups and lobbyists. Included are the historical components of the branch's formation, as well as the details that are involved in day-to-day congressional operations. Insights and views of noted educators and political officials contribute to the understanding of this important branch of the American government.
~ Sarah Block, All Movie Guide

He's big, blue, furry, and always hungry -- he's Cookie Monster. In this video for kids, Cookie Monster remembers his favorite cookie moments while baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies. With his unique, choppy voice, Cookie performs "C Is for Cookie," "C Drives Me Crazy," "If the Moon Were Made of Cookie," and "What Is a Friend." Cookie Monster and Telly demonstrate the difference between fast and slow with their cookie eating speeds. Annette Bening teaches Cookie the concepts of here and there by tempting him with a plate of fresh goodies. Educational and fun, this video even covers subtraction in a skit in which the characters keep stealing baked goods from Cookie's plate. The video concludes with Cookie Monster sharing his last cookie with a friend. Great fun for ages two to five. ~ Heather M. Fierst, All Movie Guide

When Monty stops by Elmo's Exercise Camp to do a report, he ends up joining Elmo, Rosita, and Tarah in the fitness fun. Kids will bend, twist, hop, and jump into shape as they learn body parts through songs such as "Elbows and Knees," "Elmocise," and "Do the Benny Hop." This video is perfect for youngsters. It is short and emphasizes movement and health over structured exercises. It also provides an excellent role model for children of all ability levels, as Tarah is in a wheelchair. Preschoolers who like to shake and move should also try Dance with the Teletubbies. ~ Heather M. Fierst, All Movie Guide

If you're looking for a gentle video to entertain your preschooler quietly, this is NOT it! Sesame Street: Get Up and Dance is an all-star musical dance-a-bration! Kids will need lots of space to dance the "I'm a Little Airplane," "Birdland Jump," "Do the Dog," "Do the Jelly," "Cat Had a Birthday," "Doin' the Grouch," "A Very Simple Dance," and "A New Way To Walk." Guest dancers include Rosie O'Donnell, Michael Chang, Garth Brooks, and Maya Angelou. Great active fun for ages two to six. ~ Heather M. Fierst, All Movie Guide

This compellation video features many of the little red Muppet's silliest moments on Sesame Street. Elmo performs his famous head and arm bopping dance, explains the difference between heavy and light, sings funny songs, and has fun with guest star Whoopi Goldberg. Toddlers and preschoolers who can't get enough of Elmo on public television will enjoy this video. ~ Heather M. Fierst, All Movie Guide

Tai Chi is a gentle form of exercise that originated in ancient China and improves flexibility while strengthening the body. In this 70 minute video, Dr. Paul Lam, a martial artist, gears the workout toward young people by making the movements more fast paced and challenging. It is designed to improve young people's fitness and concentration skills. The video begins with a warm up followed by the 15 movements of Tai Chi forms. Dr. Lam demonstrates the complete set from the frontal and back views, and then demonstrates the International Competition Forms, followed by wind down exercises. This video is fine for beginners. ~ Karla Baker, All Movie Guide

What to do with the kids on a rainy day? Many parents have asked this question and this videotape provides the perfect answers with a variety of creative arts and crafts ideas. Hosted by TV's Roger Rose, children are taught 30 activities to fill time when they can't go outside and play -- like learning to make homemade clay, how to be a rock star, how to create a time capsule, or how to become a pen pal to a child in another country. This tape is designed for children ages four to 11, and it allows parents to supervise and interact with their kids on fun and educational activities. ~ Forrest Spencer, All Movie Guide

Every episode of Awesome Bible Adventures presents one or more of the major events of the Bible in a format designed to grab the attention of young children. Each film tries to bring the stories down to kid level, showing how analogies can be drawn from the situations Biblical heroes found themselves in, and how each is a lesson to draw daily strength from. This particular episode presents the story of David's confrontation with the fierce Goliath. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide

In this video designed to introduce babies and toddlers to the concept of transportation, youngsters are presented with such vehicles as cars, trains, boats, planes and more. By combining real-life images of various vehicles with fun puppet shows and the classical music of Rossini, Mozart, Beethoven, and Haydn, curious youngsters are encouraged to explore the world and get excited about the prospect of travel. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide