Product Details

• Format: Box set, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: Unrated
• Number of tapes: 3
• Studio: So Smart Productions
• VHS Release Date: February 1, 1999
• Run Time: 90 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005AMR1
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #294,551 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This is a boxed set that contains the three volumes of the So Smart series:

So Smart
The first of a three-volume set, So Smart is one of the many tapes created to stimulate a baby's mind (ages 3 months to 3 years). Unlike the Baby Mozart approach, So Smart is more clinical. The video contains flat, simple animation of colors, shapes, and contrasting images (volumes 2 and 3 focus on letters and numbers). Geometric shapes transform into images of the real world with traditional recordings of Bach and Beethoven on the soundtrack. The tape box states that the "Brainy Benefits" of this approach lead to a child's increased ability to identify objects, soak up new information, and develop memory. A bunch of research backs up this prognosis, but it needs to be field-tested for you and your baby to see the benefits. --Doug Thomas

So Smart: All About Shapes
This is one of those blessed videos for babies, toddlers, and children that wholly entertains the youngsters, but is mercifully easy upon repetition (which it was indeed designed for) for parents and caregivers. So Smart! A Learning Video for Babies is just that. With an emphasis on moving, familiar shapes that evolve into perfect first-word, first-identified objects, a child will comprehend and learn. The soundtrack features beautifully produced classical music. The first segment, in which Cecil the Circle morphs into various objects including the porthole of a boat, the bubbles of a fish, and a clock, is set to music adults will recognize as the Masterpiece Theater theme. Part 2 centers on Suzie the Square as she turns into parts of a house, train, and truck. In Part 3, Traci the Triangle turns into boat sails, a mountain range, and more. It's more than appropriate, with initial viewings, for adults to watch closely with their children, pointing out what the letters and words (appropriately remedial) say and mean, and their relationship to the images. After the inevitable repeated viewings, then it might be effective to have the young viewer identify shapes and objects themselves. With Handel and Tchaikovsky providing the soundtrack, parents won't mind having this video in the foreground or background. --N.F. Mendoza

So Smart: All About Letters
Parent participation is a must for this wordless video, which plays notable pieces by Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Chopin, and other composers while presenting the alphabet one letter at a time. Designed for babies beginning at 9 months up through pre-reading 4-year-olds, this tape adopts a slow pace, starting with the drawing of each letter, forming a single image to go with it and spelling out that word. What separates this tape from other alphabet education materials is that it sometimes chooses verbs and then demonstrates them. For instance, the J begins jumping and the R runs. The simple images will attract babies, and the calm, single-word-per-letter approach will help toddlers focus, rather than be bombarded by too many images. Parents can fill in the rest when necessary. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars a flop, July 25, 2000

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: So Smart Boxed Set [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I purchased these videos when my infant daughter was abouttwo-months old, and she had just begun to respond favorably to otherinfant-stimulation videos. The unsophisticated computer animation and graphics failed to engage her attention for even 30 seconds. A total flop and waste of money.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, December 10, 2000

By 

David G. Mccool "mgd99" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: So Smart Boxed Set [VHS] (VHS Tape)

We bought all three So Smart videos before we had our baby boy. We played them when he was just a few months old and he sat and watched and listened to the beautiful music. Now the past few months he grabs us by the finger and takes us to the tv and cries until we put in any of the tapes. He loves them and he is now 18 months old. Some days we watch them 3-4 times a day, and while he is busy watching them we can relax to the classical music. These tapes are the only thing he will watch on tv, we have tried other tapes and will not sit still for them like he does for the So Smart tapes. Excellent tapes and would highly recommend them.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Video Series for Babies & Toddlers, July 10, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: So Smart - Triplets (3 Pak With Sights & Sounds/Shapes/Letters) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

So Smart! is a series of award-winning videos and music, specially designed for young minds. Organized around fundamental subjects, So Smart! introduces babies and toddlers to shapes, letters, colors, music, foreign language, and more.

I purchased my first So Smart video (Volume 1) when my son was around 6 months old. One night, my son woke up in the middle of the night screaming. Nothing I tried settled him down. Exhausted, I finally brought him in bed with us, turned on the TV and VCR, pushed the Play button, and turned on the So Smart! video. After a few minutes, my baby started watching the video and immediately stopped crying. He was mesmerized by the simple objects and soothing music. He sat in my arms (at 3 a.m!) and quietly watched the video for 30 minutes. I was astonished (and pleasantly surprised.) It was a god-send!

I immediately ordered two other So Smart! videos and was equally impressed. By watching So Smart! Volume 3: All About Letters with my son, he could recognize most of the letters of the alphabet by the time he was one and-a-half. It was amazing!

Our son is now 3 years old, and everybody keeps asking us, "How do you teach him all this stuff" and I tell them about the So Smart! video series....

So Smart! videos are an interactive way for you to spend quality time with your little one. I highly recommend these award-winning products. The videos may seem simple and uninteresting to an adult, but they're just what a little mind needs to grow!