Sahamamama Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 We have the Brainy Baby Preschool Pack (ABC, 123, Art, Music, Animals, Shapes & Colors). Our three young daughters enjoy these. They watch a BB DVD about 1-2x/week. Since we have no TV, and they are not allowed on the computer, this is all the media time they get. I only wish that Brainy Baby had more DVDs on the preschool level! For example, a program (with the same or better quality of production) on the Human Body would be great -- Bones, Senses, Your Brain, Eating & Digesting, etc. Or a program on Plants and Growing Food... or a program on Earth & Outer Space... or some Sign Language... sigh.... My 4 year old is in Mega-Data-Absorption mode, and (like I said) we have no TV, so a few more DVDs (for the computer) would be nice right about now.... Can you tell it's winter here? :lol: I know, I know, it's all supposed to get into their little heads through Mama's Read Aloud Time, but I DO have to cook, ya know! Help? :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmroberts Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 The Signing Time dvd series is excellent. www.signingtime.com HTH. Gretchen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplain Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 We've had the Leap Frog Letter Factory DVD out from Netflix for a while. I don't get the appeal, but my almost 3 year old seems to like it. Mind you, I don't think she's really learned anything from it, nor do I care. ;) Both my 5 year old and the almost 3 year old are really enjoying any and all Reading Rainbow DVDs I can find. Our discount store has been selling box sets ~ $10 for 8 episodes ~ so those have been a good value for us. Along the same lines, they've enjoyed the Scholastic Video adaptations of picture books. Last year we gave them a 16 DVD set when Amazon was selling it for 60% off. But I've seen lots of those DVDs at the library too. If you're looking for nature-type documentaries, Microcosmos, Genesis (not religious, just referring to beginnings), and Winged Migration are all fantastic and not inappropriate for younger kids. Good luck! :) Carolyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 My kids *love* the Richard Scarry "Best __________ Video Ever" ... they might be VCR only, though. We picked up a couple used and borrow the others from the library. Then, again, they also love the Richard Scarry books [grin] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumping In Puddles Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 (edited) Leapfrog Letter Factory. Brilliant. Not what you asked... but I just remembered when I needed to get something done, my kids would listen to this Curious George audiobook and follow along with the book. It got my kids into audio books and now they LOVE, LOVE them! Makes it easier for car time too... we just listened to Alice in Wonderland and my kids didn't want to get out of the car! It gives you a little break from read aloud time too :) Edited February 3, 2009 by Jumping In Puddles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 The Signing Time dvd series is excellent. www.signingtime.comHTH. Gretchen :iagree: Even I learned some ASL:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetbaby Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Leap Frog ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenS Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Ditto the Leapfrog and also the Scholastic DVDs. If you're using them on the computer, Reading Rainbow has DVD/CD-ROM episodes with games ... pricey but the one we got was fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfatherslily Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Those these are not FOR preschoolers, my children LOVED the BBC videos called Planet Earth and The Blue Planet. We had borrowed some from the library and intend to purchase the whole series someday. Be warned, though, that there are parts where animals eat other animals. My kids weren't bothered by it (but want to skip parts in Ratatouille... go figure...). They are very beautiful films! Today I was showing my dd some simple adding with the abacus, and she noted that "they do that on the Professor Quigly movie!" meaning Leapfrog Math Circus. I guess it's time to watch that one again!:) Letter Factory is like magic, once the child is ready. DD recognized most letters and knew just a few letters sounds, then watched the movie several times and suddenly knew almost all letter sounds! Such a fun, easy way to learn! I don't know of any specifically about the science things you mentioned, though I heartily agree that Signing Time is great, albeit somewhat annoying at times;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbeaser Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 My older 2 kids learned their alphabet from Leap Frog letter factory (although I think we have all the dvds now). Now, my little is watching them (we lost Letter Factory in a move, so I bought it again, if that is enough of an endorsement). Can't say enough good things about it. I give it as a gift for nearly every 2-5 year old I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmom Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 another for leapfrog dvds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 Not what you asked... but I just remembered when I needed to get something done, my kids would listen to this Curious George audiobook and follow along with the book. It got my kids into audio books and now they LOVE, LOVE them! Makes it easier for car time too... we just listened to Alice in Wonderland and my kids didn't want to get out of the car! It gives you a little break from read aloud time too :) Thanks for that reminder! Actually, we DO love listening to audiobooks from the library -- except that our library's collection has been mostly cassette tapes, and our tape player went into retirement. :glare: I've looked all over and can't find another tape player! Last week I learned that the library is switching over to CDs and something new (podcast? not sure). So we'll see how that works and start listening again. Thanks for the reminder, though! I could get her the next Little House CD set for her birthday. We listened to LH Big Woods and LH Prairie several times each and really enjoyed those. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 If you're looking for nature-type documentaries, Microcosmos, Genesis (not religious, just referring to beginnings), and Winged Migration are all fantastic and not inappropriate for younger kids. Good luck! :) Carolyn Thanks, Carolyn. Where could I find these (to purchase)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplain Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Amazon :D Microcosmos Genesis Winged Migration :) Carolyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 Thanks! And thanks for all the votes for Leapfrog videos. I'm going now to check them out..... :auto: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sew happily ever after Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Leap Frog videos--letter factory, talking words factory, math circus...my son knew his letters AND sounds by the time he turned 3 (he watched the videos and listened in on big sis' lessons) Follow Jade--beginning Chinese for young children...very cool videos and my kids impress all of our Chinese friends by how well they can speak and that their dialect and intonation is correct--which is very important in learning to speak Chinese. Signing time--my kids know a lot of sign language from these. Little Einsteins from Disney--these would cover the fine arts, music, art, and such. they really do have great educational value and teach fine art appreciation and music appreciation as well as music concepts such as beat, rhythm, accent marks, loud and soft, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumping In Puddles Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Leap Frog videos--letter factory, talking words factory, math circus...my son knew his letters AND sounds by the time he turned 3 (he watched the videos and listened in on big sis' lessons) Follow Jade--beginning Chinese for young children...very cool videos and my kids impress all of our Chinese friends by how well they can speak and that their dialect and intonation is correct--which is very important in learning to speak Chinese. Signing time--my kids know a lot of sign language from these. Little Einsteins from Disney--these would cover the fine arts, music, art, and such. they really do have great educational value and teach fine art appreciation and music appreciation as well as music concepts such as beat, rhythm, accent marks, loud and soft, etc. Great recommendations! I have never heard of follow Jade, I'm going to check it out. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethben Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Another plug for Letter factory...Ds 3 has learned all his letter sounds VERY WELL - enough so that I didn't have to teach them to him at all. LOVE IT! Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 Leap Frog videos--letter factory, talking words factory, math circus...my son knew his letters AND sounds by the time he turned 3 (he watched the videos and listened in on big sis' lessons) Follow Jade--beginning Chinese for young children...very cool videos and my kids impress all of our Chinese friends by how well they can speak and that their dialect and intonation is correct--which is very important in learning to speak Chinese. Signing time--my kids know a lot of sign language from these. Little Einsteins from Disney--these would cover the fine arts, music, art, and such. they really do have great educational value and teach fine art appreciation and music appreciation as well as music concepts such as beat, rhythm, accent marks, loud and soft, etc. Thank you so much, Rose! I'll check these out, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkeller Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Another vote for Leapfrog Letter Factory! My 2.5 yr old knew all his letters before we got this, but now he knows all their sounds and can write several of them on the whiteboard! And we have had it about 2-3 weeks. He loves them, and I can't recommend them enough! We also love all the Signing Time Videos. We started with the Baby Signing time, but he now loves the regular ones. We get most of them from our local library since they aren't on PBS anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gracesteacher Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 My dd love signingtime and knows about 400 signs because of it. She watches the Muzzy Mandrin DVD's and can speak Mandrin to my SIL I watch these with her and still cant figure out what they are saying. Movin N Groove has three exercise video's that also teach and Giam Yoga series that she picks up things from. She also loves Kinderbach and asks for that. We listen to classical music and she will tell you if they are playing high and or low. She loves loves loves the Leapfrog videos. We have a few of the scholastics ones and she loves to watch them and "read" her book. You can down load stories from the internet on to cd's for books on Cd too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I think we have every Magic Schoolbus episode on either dvd or VHS. My kids LOVE these and they learn a TON of science from them. Oh, and we own all the Leapfrog DVDs too. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phathui5 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 The Electric Company Magic School Bus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 My girls also enjoy Signing Time and Letter Factory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyco Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 We really liked the Scholastic animated book ones too...I still remember "Zin, Zin, Zin, the Violin." Great movies often come from books, even for the preschool set! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Ledge Academy Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I loved the leap frog...my younger kids learned letters, upper and lower case and the basic sounds from them. Magic School Bus is neat, Nest videos has a great history series that all of my kids will watch over and over. Charlie Brown has a 2 dvd set.."This is America Charlie Brown" that for some reason caught my twins' attention when they were 2 or so....there is a segment on the Trans-continental rr...that is probably why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Actually, my favorite preschool dvd is Preschool Power. It's not academic at all, but it's great demonstrations of practical life skills. Just good, wholesome activities. We love Signing Time. And Magic School Bus, although my 3 yr old finds those a bit scary. Letter/ Talking Word Factory are hits. We love the Richard Scarry videos, but they are hard to find on dvd. We've checked out the vhs from the library many times. My daughter loves Fantasy Garden ballet, and they both like Gaim's Kid's Yoga. They have watched some Nest Bible story dvds at church that they adore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
profmom Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 Little Einsteins from Disney--these would cover the fine arts, music, art, and such. they really do have great educational value and teach fine art appreciation and music appreciation as well as music concepts such as beat, rhythm, accent marks, loud and soft, etc. Which of the videos focus on music concepts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sncstraub Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 My older ds started watching the National Geographic Really Wild Animals videos when he was about 3yo. He loved them...still does at 6yo. They're fun nature videos directed towards young kids with a globe-character called "Spin", voice by Dudley Moore. We found them at the library first but ended up buying all of them for a Christmas gift since he liked them so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasharowan Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 Probably hard to find, but when my oldest was in preschool, He loved Henry's Amazing Animals with a gecko that taught about animals, usually by being corrected by the narrator. Magic Schoolbus and Leapfrog are other faves around here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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