Customer Reviews

Backyardigans - Polka Palace Party [VHS]

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this DVD because it had my all-time favorite episode, "High Tea" on it, which features Celtic music and a little Irish dancing. Polka Palace Party is a very close second, though. The creators of Backyardigans keep getting better by combining creative adventures for the 5 friends with terrific song and dance numbers. The clarity of the video is so clear it's almost 3-D.

This is the third DVD of the series, and contains another four adventures of the five colorful friends known as the Backyardigans.

Polka Palace Party introduces kids to four new genres of music. The songs in the four adventures are themed to Polka, Irish folk music, Gilbert & Sullivan and Rockabilly.

Unfortunately, the grouping in this DVD puts the two slower musical themes back to back, and between "High Tea" with its Irish theme and "The Heart of the Jungle" based on the music of Gilbert & Sullivan, my son lost interest and barely glanced at "Viking Voyage".

Because of this, I am forced to watch Polka Palace Party repeatedly, as nobody wants to go any further.

Not the best one to get for a first purchase, but still worth a look.


Amanda Richards, February 5, 2006

The Backyardigans are the best kid video entertainment, and coming from a die hard Sesame Street fan that is saying a lot. I came home from work to an empty house, started fixing dinner, and thought - hmm, maybe I'll listen to the High Tea video. With no kid around! After watching it a million times!

The characters are real individuals. Pablo is hyper and frenetic, Tyrone thoughtful and smart (also a little tone deaf), Tasha bossy and authoritarian, and Austin (who is often left out of these episodes) seems to usually play the mysterious or quiet "other". Uniqua is the engine of each Yardigans episode, energetic and engaged.
The videos are long: 4 episodes = 2 hours. Each has high production values and is packed with singing, dancing, and really fine music. Especially after watching Little Einsteins, where the characters shout everything at the top of their lungs, or the Wiggles where the silliness wears thin, the Backyardigans are really refreshing. I also recommend "Snow Fort", which has the Yeti episode, one of the best.



Cookie Monster still rules.

Well, I don't know why some reviewers...or one reviewer is complaining about the quality, especially after admitting they have a cheap DVD player, which is probably the real problem. I've either bought outright, or borrowed from the library, each Backyardigans DVD and have never had any problems, even with the "been around the block" library ones.

The main cartoon episode on this DVD is Polka Palace Party. This episode revisits the characters as cowboys, and brings back Sherman the Worm from the Tarzan episode. This show is pretty cute, but not one of the most memorable.

The other cartoon on here is the high tea episode. I thought it was one of the poorest ones I've seen, not making much sense. When I think "High Tea", that's a British term, and yet they're going to see a Chinese Emperoress, although I understand tea is a very important thing in Asia as well, as that is where tea originated from. But overall this episode certainly didn't hold my interest, nor that of my son, and we like the Backyardigans.

The ONLY reason I would recommend this one is because of the Viking Episode. My son LOVES this one. My son wants me to sing him the "Hush Little Mermaid" song everytime he gets in the tub or bed. I love Pablo in the viking helmet, looking to discover a new land.

What it comes down to is, look at all the available DVDs, and if your child has absolute favorite episodes, just get them that particular DVD; for the rest, try your local library, then you'll know if you like it BEFORE spending your money and being disappointed.

My three year old grandson loves the Backyardigans. We watch several of the programs over and over when I visit him in Orlando.. This is "MY" favorite. Love the music. The voyage to the Polka Palace is delightful! Now when he visits me in Wisconsin, we will enjoy this one together.

This product is exactly what I was looking for. The price was great and the shipping was incredibly fast. This was a perfect transaction.

My grandson loved this! Thank you for being so prompt. It was delivered on time and it was in perfect condition. Thanks again!

I have a 3.25-year-old son who's pretty energetic and doesn't normally stay focused for a long time on most TV shows, but he loves the Backyardigans, and really pays attention. These things are super well-done - they don't really "talk down" to kids, opting instead to put in just enough subtlety and complexity so as to allow the child to discover different things on his own. The characters are great - varied and unique, and they don't constantly "yell" (like that annoying "Dora" and that whole crew). There's a tiny smattering of "real world" in the plots (unlike the also-annoying "Franklin") , so as to very gently address certain real world issues, but not go over the kids' heads or scare them. And the music is fantastic, blending cowboy scenarios with Brazilian or Vaudeville with 50s rock - very clever and original songs, too, straying tongue-in-cheek often into Broadway musical territory (unlike the annoying and cheesy Backyardigans rip-off "Wonder Pets").

Get all of them, like I did, you won't regret it.

My 2 and 3 year old boys really enjoyed this DVD. This Backyardigans DVD is their favorite so far (they have the 2 others Snow Fort and It's Great to be a Ghost also). The music is lively but not loud and obnoxious like some kid's videos. It introduces kids to different styles of music and has great characters whose behaviors you don't mind your children copying. The Backyardigans are one of my favorite shows for them to watch.

This video is one to have. I watch my son's face light up every time I put his video on. I, myself, enjoy listening to the music and watching the characters dance with such rhythm. My son is 10 months old and is a serious fan of the dancing, color, and music. I believe the older he gets it will definitely help him with his imagination, and teach him to play and share with others. If you haven't seen their show, tune in to Nick Jr. and you'll be impressed like I am.