Customer Reviews

Baby Einstein: World Music

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I purchased this video hoping to find joyful music from the world: polkas, tango, mariachis, african music.
But you can't find any of those.
The dvd is a collage of images with music composed by the baby einstein musicians, which doesn't represent the Music of the world.
It is very boring. My children, who are the Baby Einstein biggest fans hardly look at it.
Dissapointing.

Get out your drums, shake your maracas and flip a rainstick. The Baby Einstein World Music DVD features songs and music from around the world in performed in the typical mellow, synthesized Baby Einstein fashion. Images from each of the seven continents and a variety of musical instruments accompany the music. Jane the jet setting monkey flies a plane over a spinning globe and takes babies and kids along for the journey. The monkey also stars in the silly puppet shows that break up the segments, each segment featuring a different continent. The DVD includes a few new play modes: "Grow with Me", "Select a Segment" and "Discovery Cards." The main feature runs 37 minutes.

We prefer viewing mode 2 over viewing mode 1. Intended for toddlers and kids, the "Grow With Me" viewing mode (#2) plays the images along with text and spoken language, instead of just visuals and music. Also, the kids really enjoy the DVD when I bring out some instruments for them to use while viewing. The instruments featured in the DVD are a wood flute, maracas, a rainstick, didgeridoo, djembe (drum), harp, and pipa (stringed instrument). My kids especially like watching the bonus Select a Segment: World Music Songs. Sung by children, the songs include "Shoo Fly", "Aloutte", "Arroz con Leche" and "Kogame, Kogame".

To be honest, I was expecting a little more lively variation of world music from Baby Einstein. The slower tempo segments (Asia, Antarctica) aren't as interesting for my kids as the upbeat ones. We are used to listening to Putumayo label music and would have liked to see Baby Einstein incorporate more energy in their musical selections this time around. I also wish the segments included more images of babies from around the world and fewer landscape/water shots. The DVD and CD are recommended if you want calming, soothing world music and have enjoyed previous Baby Einstein music products.

We own a number of other Baby Einstein videos, and while we do cycle through them all, I usually keep this one on the bottom of the stack. It has all the elements of a typical Baby Einstein video: puppets, toys, music, bright imagery. However, it really isn't very engaging. As an adult, I'm acutely aware of the fact that Julie Clark's "creative consulting" wasn't enough for Disney to create the magic of the original series. My 2 year old watches it, but doesn't seem engaged at all.

The entire show is centered around the theme of 'continents.' Each continent is introduced and then there is a medley of music (all or mostly synthesized) that is supposed to represent that continent. You'd think that if they went to all the trouble to organize the video in this way they'd have also made an attempt to show a large range of folk, classical, and indigenous styles. Unfortunately, the styles are rather limited. This really is not a video that will introduce your child to new musical styles. It's more like elevator music.

Next problem: Why did they include Antarctica? There are (obviously) no cultural traditions from that continent, so they chose to use it as a backdrop for new age style music. Had they simply eliminated this continent, they could have used the time to further explore Asia, which is given very incomplete coverage, even compared to the other continents. Better yet, why not scrap the whole "continents" theme and mix things up entirely? It's certainly not educational they way it is.

Even if the musical style/continent thing doesn't bother you, I suspect the 'Baby Einstein Kids' will. While I admire the attempt to include a group children who look like they come from around the world, the result is awkward. The kids clearly don't know each other and are uncomfortable on screen. The lip-sync song at the end is forced and hard to watch. I'd have rather they showed less of the kids "singing" on stage and more international video segments.

All in all, I think this is one of the weakest videos in the series, and I suggest you watch a library copy before purchasing it.

This is the one trick in our hat that NEVER fails. Our now almost a year daughter has been enjoying this dvd since about 6 months. She LOVES this! I don't let her watch alot of tv, but have tried a few other baby einstein dvds and barney, seseame street etc... Doesn't really care for any of it, but this one dvd. So she watches it a few times a week and never gets tired of it. The music is great...and generally very fun to watch. I do have to say that the typical baby einstein dvd is pretty boring. This is not. One of our best purchases!

Our grankids love this musical video. They learn so much from watching it: world geography, traditional music from all continents, various customs and how music can be a common theme for all of us to live together.Our grandkids become totally involved in this great presentation.

The Baby Einstein DVDs have been a great, before bed, treat for my 2 year old. She looks forward to watching her DVD as an end of day treat. They are also great when you have to get things done! World Music incorporates wonderful tunes and instruments that I didn't even the know the names or origins of. Highly recommend.

My son and I both love watching and listening to this DVD. While some of the backgrounds are a little annoying when it comes to contrast with the puppets, most of it is simply wonderful.

As far as music goes, this is the WORST Baby Einstein DVD. Each section is centered around a 'continent', although even that should be applied loosely. N. America is dominated by a faux Native American music selection then by some faux Southwestern music too. Asia is centered around some loosely based Oriental music, even though Asia encompasses so much more in terms of music and culture. Antartica?!? Seriously. Europe portion is mostly some Celtic mumbo jumbo.

As a former Music Educator, this DVD's soundtrack just makes me cringe with how wrong the music selections are. My son though, is engaged throughout this collage of bad musical representational 'world' motifs. I guess he really likes the puppets acting out scenes in between.

What drives me batty is the song with real children at the end. They all look bored and like their parents are making sing and dance in the end video (my guess is they are the creators children, so I'm probably close with that one). My toddler can tell the kids aren't happy to be singing and dancing and he normally gets up and walks away at that point.

If you're going to buy a children's video, by all means buy this video for your toddler. I highly recommend it compared to other kids' videos because it is engaging, fun, educational, not cartoon animated or fast-paced, and the puppets are really cute. This was actually one of my kids' favorites and they have always had a love/interest in musical instruments.

Having said that, I have a beef with the title "Baby Einstein" and marketing this to BABIES. It seems to imply that watching these videos is good for babies, which they are NOT! These videos may be great for older kids, but definitely NOT for babies' brains!

After some research I found out that: 1) brain wave activity in babies is slower when watching television than when sleeping. 2) for every hour of television a baby watches a day, their chances of acquiring an attention deficit disorder increases by 10%, 3) for every hour of television viewed daily at 4 yrs old, there is a significant odds increase for being a bully later on, and 4)consistent, heavy television viewing (more than 2 hrs daily) throughout early childhood can cause behavior, sleep and attention problems.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no television for children under 2, and no more than two hours of media (tv, videos, video games & computers) daily after age 2! I think it's important for parents and caregivers to be aware of this so they can make better informed choices. I hope it encourages some people to limit television usage for babies and look for other outlets when possible.

For those looking to calm babies and build better brains, I recommend baby carriers because studies show that infants who are carried an extra 3 hours per day cry 40% less, and this effect is lasting over time! Frequently held babies pick up verbal skills faster and develop better core muscle strength and balance. Also, learning to communicate in sign language can reduce frustration and tantrums, accelerate language development and promote parent-child bonding in infants and toddlers.n's video for your over 2 year old to watch, I highly recommend the Baby Einstein videos. Buy this video. They are definitely better than most children's videos out there and are not cartoon animated or fast-paced, and it also holds their attention.

Having said that, I have a beef with the title "Baby Einstein" and marketing this to BABIES. It seems to imply that watching these videos is good for babies, which they are NOT! These videos may be great for older kids, but definitely NOT for babies' brains!

After some research I found out that: 1) brain wave activity in babies is slower when watching television than when sleeping. 2) for every hour of television a baby watches a day, their chances of acquiring an attention deficit disorder increases by 10%, 3) for every hour of television viewed daily at 4 yrs old, there is a significant odds increase for being a bully later on, and 4)consistent, heavy television viewing (more than 2 hrs daily) throughout early childhood can cause behavior, sleep and attention problems.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no television for children under 2, and no more than two hours of media (tv, videos, video games & computers) daily after age 2! I think it's important for parents and caregivers to be aware of this so they can make better informed choices. I hope it encourages some people to limit television usage for babies and look for other outlets when possible.

For those looking to calm babies and build better brains, I recommend baby carriers because studies show that infants who are carried an extra 3 hours per day cry 40% less, and this effect is lasting over time! Frequently held babies pick up verbal skills faster and develop better core muscle strength and balance. Also, learning to communicate in sign language can reduce frustration and tantrums, accelerate language development and promote parent-child bonding in infants and toddlers. I like the Signing Time series: Signing Time Volume 1: My First Signs DVD.

The bottom line is that if a parent could theoretically, ideally (not to say this is realistic in this day and age) eliminate all television, videos and video games for their child during early childhood it would most likely be best for the child!

This video has some beautiful cinematography. The music is pretty, but sometimes doesn't match the country that is being shown. My biggest problem with this video involves the misbehaving puppets. In one segment, one puppet steals the other puppet's hat and runs away. In another segment, one puppet has more fruit on its head so the other puppet pushes her. I think these puppets are modeling bullying behavior.