I’m a little skeptical about DVD’s for babies and toddlers so when I was asked to review the Baby’s First Words Series produced by So Smart, I was not enthusiastic. Luckily for me, my almost 2-year-old grandson was more open-minded and so we watched it together. He barely moved a muscle and being the critic that really matters we sat there together and watched all five skits. The characters Edward the dog, Iggy the pig, DeeDee the duck, and Larry the lion are precious, and their high contrast images are perfect for very young children. These engaging characters introduce new words while exploring common themes of Sounds in my House, Taking a Bath, Hiding in the House, Where is Edward’s House?, and Clean-up Time.

I appreciated a DVD that was not frantically blasting music and movement faster than my grandson could process it. The series is developed for 1-3 year-olds and the gentle, rhythmic pace is a winner with me. It gives children an opportunity to listen and watch at a pace their eyes and brain can keep up with. The follow-up questions at the end of each adventure were perfect. Printable activities can be downloaded from their website:  www.SoSmart.com. I highly recommend that you check this award winning company out. They also produce CD’s for older children.

You have probably seen the Good Night Our World series in all kinds of places from libraries to airports. Each board book celebrates a certain area or topic such as Denver, Montreal, California, the Beach or the Farm.  But Good Night World, the latest book in the series allows toddlers and preschoolers to travel the planet just before they’re tucked into their own cozy beds for the night.  As if mountains, dinosaur digs, and volcanoes aren’t enough to stimulate the curiosity of any child, this board book introduces children to camel rides in the desert, kayaking on the Arctic and a quick tour of the Great Wall of China.

New and exciting vocabulary words are just a page away, and new concepts like protecting wetlands, cleaning up beaches, and conserving water and electricity are presented in rhyming words and colorful illustrations little kids can understand. The book ends with that wonder of all wonders, gazing at the stars above.