Customer Reviews

Baby Genius - Mozart and Friends [VHS]

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I have a rather complete library of infant stimulation / development videos, including all of the 'So Smart' Series, Baby Einstein Company's videos, and the BabyScape videos. I decided to try the Baby Genius series for some variety for my infant daughter. The overall tone of the Mozart & Friends is more clinical and sleepier (even though it is supposed to be an infant 'stimulation' video).

I have reviewed many other videos in this category, so, I will compare this with what I consider to be the 'state-of-the-art:' the Baby Einstein Company's latest production: Baby Van Gogh. First, Baby Genius's "Mozart & Friends" relies much more heavily on animation, and less on real world objects. My infant daughter is much less interested in the rather mundane animation. The musical score is superb, but it is not interspersed with other sounds / voices which would bring an infant's attention back to the video - unlike Baby Einstein company's videos. One thing Baby Genius does 'right' (in addition to the musical score) is to include shots of animals which is a real attention-getter, but for older infants / toddlers - definitely NOT the 1-5 month age group. There is a lot of counting & recitation in this Mozart & Friends (in a sort of "Brave New World" tone), which is absent from Baby Einstein's products. I am not a specialist, but I really doubt that rote memorization of the alphabet and numbers helps overall intellectual development in any way at an infant / toddler stage. I would also note that babies generally like to look at other babies / kids. Baby Einstein shows pre-schoolers that directly engage the viewer, while the Baby Genius video shows infants / toddlers just playing in an un-engaging way (from the viewer's perspective). Another 'downside' of the Baby Genius tape is that the information for parents clip is at the front end of the tape, while on Baby Einstein it is at the end. So to watch Baby Genius, there is inevitably a lot of fast-forwarding and an fidgety infant / toddler to deal with.

My recommendation is that this is not a great video for infants under the age of about 4-5 months. The best videos for this age are the baby Einstein Company's products. From about that age (5 months) to 12 months, the Baby Genius' "Mozart & Friends" might be nice for variety (my daughter became interested in the Teletubbies at this stage, too). But at the age of about 10-11 months, my toddler became more interested in videos like Elmo's World and BabySongs. She still likes Baby Einstein, Baby Shakespeare and Baby Van Gogh (from the Baby Einstein Company) too. Baby Genius' strong point - their musical scores - might be best appreciated in their CDs: I don't think the video media is their best venue. As a change of pace the video is OK, but having viewed it repeatedly with my daughters, and with the frequency it is actually watched, I would not have spent my money on it - in retrospect.

If you have purchased all of the real Baby Einstein videos and are searching anything similar, buy these, otherwise buy Baby Einstein first, they're better.

I felt defrauded when I realized I had not purchased another Baby Einstein, but another company which had chosen a nearly suspiciously similar name.

This became painfully obvious when the tape started, because of the annoying, intrusive introduction and low-quality "animation" (more like bits of drawing slid around the screen) which interrupt the flow of the video every few minutes.

Overall, these videos are as similar to the "real thing" as the name (read; unoriginal), but the few differences hurt instead of helping. Quite a shame.

To be frank--music good, video non engaging.
To compare--videos that are worse:
So Smart Series
Baby Einstein vol. 1 Baby Einstein
Bee Smart Baby Series
Baby's First Impressions
Brainy Baby

Videos that are better:
Baby Dolittle 6 months-3 years
Baby Know-It-All Smartypants 6 months-3 1/2 years
Baby Know-It-All Lil Bloomer 6 months-3 1/2 years
Baby Van Gogh 6 months-1 1/2 years
Blues Clues Big Musical Movie 1 1/2 yr. plus
Blues Clues Arts and Crafts 1 1/2 yr. plus
Bilingual Baby any of them 1-2 1/2 years

We love the Baby Genius videos, they are so much better than the other baby videos we tried. The music is really composed so professionally, and the video has our baby glued to the TV. We gave the other 14 baby videos to the neighbor after seeing the Baby Genius videos.

Our baby boy (16 months) really gets into the Baby Genius videos with such enthusiasm, no comparrison to the other baby videos we purchased and are now stuck with. Wish we had known about Baby Genius before we wasted out time and hard earned money on the other baby videos we tried, they all put our child to sleep with boredom. The Baby Genius folks really did their homework for their two videos, we really want to see more volumes soon ! If your reading this Baby Genius Company....MAKE MORE VIDEOS...PLEASE!

My child loves the Baby Einstein series -- I bought this video because I thought it would be unique. Unfortunately, it's poorly produced and has not come close to being original. I'm sorry to have purchased it, and my son is completely bored by it.

This teaches my child numbers,counting, alphabets,shows his favorite animals both in photos and in pictures. Exactly the sort of thing he will be tested for entry to his kindergarten, all this while listening to Mozart, not some annoying loud music that other videos have on, while I, the harrassed mother, gets soothed.

My baby can count! This video is amazing, all the other baby videos put her to sleep (which is ok at nap time)but the Baby Genius video really gets my 18 month old engaged in the great learning tools this video uses. The smooth classical music is in perfect rhythm with the video. I am a music teacher (piano) , and this video just shines above any other baby videos.

We will buy more as they come available without question. Good show Baby Genius...

I found this DVD at my local Dollar General store for $3 brand new. My baby is watching it right now. She is 4 months old and loves it. I enjoy the music. It keeps her so engaged that I can get some things done, or just some much needed relaxing time for myself. I'm a former school teacher and think this video is great for stimulating her brain as well. It's so enjoyable to watch her eyes light up as she watches this video and hear her giggle at the babies in the video.

My one year old grandson, Kyle, loves all the Baby Einstein and Baby Genius videos. His attention span is amazing. He hears the music and right away he heads for his rocking chair or my chair. When I sit with him I follow the directions given in the video and say whatever is showing on the screen. Kyle has his favorite parts which leads me to believe he is learning as well as enjoying.