My husband and I read to our two daughters on a daily basis. We love sitting down with a big pile of books and sharing the stories. But in our increasingly busy lives the art of actual storytelling seems to be slipping away.

PlainTails recently launched several CD collections that focus on classic storytelling. PlainTails First Tales is geared towards toddlers and preschoolers. “The Gingerbread Boy and Other First Tales” had my daughters’ attention from the minute I put it in our car CD player. They usually spend our commute arguing and tattling on who stuck their tongue out last. For 48 blissful minutes they were lost in the world of The Gingerbread Boy and The Frog Prince.

The stories start out with a few bars of music and then begin. While I had planned on enjoying some quiet time in the front seat, I actually found myself listening to the stories. There are a total of four stories on the disc. I assumed my daughters would be done with it once we heard all four, but they surprised me by asking to listen to them again.

PlainTales Explorers has several CDs with themed stories on each. “Animal Tales: Raccoon, Bear, and Coyte” are fictional tales about these three animals, but include a lot of educational material within the story. “Johnny Appleseed and Other American Legends” is a great way to introduce your child to some classic American stories about famous figures like John Muir and Lewis and Clark.

The CDs are $12.95 each and will really encourage your child to starting spinning their own yarns. It helps them look at the world through different eyes and forces their imaginations to expand as they think about each story.

Why Mommy? If you’ve ever answered the questions of a persistent pre-schooler you know how hard it is to explain the details of every day events they come into contact with. A new DVD series can help us out.

How’d They Build That? launched in November and their first two titles can help satisfy that curious little monkey that lives at your house. My kids love to drive by the fire station in our community. They love seeing the trucks lined up in a row as the firefighters wash them and prepare them for their next mission. But how exactly is a firetruck made?

Marvelous Media’s DVD goes behind the scenes at the Seagrave Fire Apparatus plant in Wisconsin to see how the trucks are put together. They’ve been making fire trucks for over 100 years. I will be honest and say I am not a “cars and trucks” kind of gal, but I found this DVD fascinating. They explain how different parts of the vehicle are combined to build the truck. You and your kids will learn about ladders, hoses, and sirens. Throughout the 38 minute feature “fun facts” pop up on the screen and give you even more information about these amazing machines.

The video shows real fire fighters on the job as well as the employees at Seagrave who work on the trucks by hand. The DVD is made for kids 4 and up and would be a perfect Christmas gift.

You can also see how a “Big Truck” is made in a second DVD in this series. Future titles include School Bus, Garbage Truck, Locomotive, and more.

September brings a brand-new full-length feature DVD starring Thomas and his Friends. “The Great Discovery” features all your child’s favorite characters and introduces them to a new engine named Stanley. The movie’s action centers around the celebration of Sodor Day on the Island of Sodor. It includes 5 new songs that appear in the movie as a sing-a-long with the words posted at the bottom of the screen. My daughters hopped off the couch and danced around each time a song came on.

The movie is narrated by a voice most parents will recognize, Pierce Brosnan. He adds a new element to the movies we’ve all had to watch over and over. You can also see Brosnan in a behind-the-scenes featurette that is included on the DVD. The other special features include a music video called “Thomas You’re the Leader.”

This hour long DVD is a must-have for all Thomas fans. The new story keeps with the tradition of the movies that have come before and doesn’t disappoint. It was a great DVD to watch as a family and the adventures of Thomas and his friends kept us all wondering what would happen next. I liked that it was a full-length story, rather than a collection of shorter stories. Thomas discovers an old abandoned city and Sir Topham Hat decides the city will be restored in honor of Sodor Day. The journey to get Great Waterton ready in time drives the plot and teaches valuable lessons along the way.

All aboard for this new Thomas DVD!!

Hard to believe we are already seeing candy corn and costumes popping up in our favorite stores. Like it or not, Halloween is just around the corner and there’s a new DVD to get your little ghosts and goblins ready for the big night.

The Halloween Spooktacular is another compilation DVD from HIT Entertainment. It includes five episodes from characters like Barney, Thomas the Tank, and Angelina Ballerina. Each one of the animated shorts has a Halloween theme and some, like Fireman Sam, teach valuable lessons your child needs to know.

The DVD runs just under an hour and kept my kids entertained very well. If they don’t like one particular character they only have to wait a few minutes before the DVD moves on to another story. My kids also enjoyed the two Halloween themed bonus episodes of Fifi and the Flowertots and Kipper.

Even though a Halloween DVD has a short shelf life, the Halloween Spooktacular is a nice addition to your library and a great way to get in the mood for this year’s trick or treating.

I’ve heard my fair share of kids’ CDs since my daughters were born. Some are awesome and some make me want to toss them out the window of our minivan as we drive down the highway.

I recently came across some CDs that parents and kids can enjoy together. Universal Music just released a “Family Collection” of six discs. We have been rocking out to Motown for Kids as well as Songs for the Car.

The Motown disc includes Stevie Wonder, the Jackson 5, the Four Tops, and more. It’s 38 minutes of upbeat songs that had my kids swaying in their car seats. It was so nice to have a group of kid-friendly songs that I also enjoyed listening to. It would be a great disc for grandparents to share with their grandchildren as well since it includes music from their generation.

Songs for the Car runs about 40 minutes and has songs from James Brown, Hanson, and Lionel Richie just to name a few of the featured artists. The songs are upbeat and will definitely be accompanying us on our 12-hour trek to Disney World next month. There’s nothing quite like grooving along to Mmmmbop with your husband and your kids.

The family collection also includes Ella Fitzgerald: Miss Ella’s Playhouse which can introduce your kids to Ella’s great jazz hits. The Future Idols CD will prepare your child for their Broadway debut with hits from Annie, The Sound of Music, and The Music Man. Jazz Lullaby will make sure your kids drift off to dreamland with soothing sounds and Totally 80’s for Kids will have you celebrating with Kool and the Gang.

I think all six of these CDs need to find their way into your collection. That way when your kids squeal “Play it again mom!” from the backseat, you won’t mind at all.

It’s funny to me how something that was so popular twenty something years ago can get my daughter excited in 2008. I guess what goes around really does come back around. On August 12, Strawberry Shortcake is dancing and singing her way on stage in a new release called “Rockaberry Roll.”

Despite the hokey name the DVD is actually pretty good. It’s only 45 minutes long and centers around Strawberry Shortcake and her friends who start a band to try out for a talent show. In typical Strawberry Shortcake fashion the girls in the band learn that teamwork and practice are the name of the game. My daughter has only seen it once and she is begging to see it again for our family movie night this week. I somehow doubt Rockaberry Roll will go over well with her dad.

In addition to the DVD you can also purchase a CD of the songs from the movie. I can tell we are going to wear out our CD player with it before too long. For the preschool girls in your house or on your shopping list this DVD is a must!

This month brings two new DVDs from HIT Entertainment. First up-Bob the Builder: Let’s Build the Beach. This 45 minute DVD is all new and has never been shown on TV. All of the episodes focus on the building of the Bobland Bay promenade. My girls both loved these 5 new episodes of their favorite construction worker.

Your kids also get to meet two more of Bob’s friends. Bristle and Splasher are introduced during the DVD and you learn their specialties in the construction process. I liked how all the episodes were tied together and my kids were fascinated to see how it was all going to come together in time for the promenade’s grand opening.

The DVD also includes bonus episodes of Fireman Sam and Fifi and the Flowertots. Overall I thought this was a great addition to our DVD library and feel like Bob lived up to his reputation as quality children’s programming.

The second release this month is “Fireman Sam to the Rescue!” My kids had seen a few Fireman Sam episodes on other DVDs as bonus material so they were somewhat familiar with the characters. The animation is a bit different from what my girls were used to, but they seemed excited about Fireman Sam all the same. My four and a half year old watched every minute, while my two year old grew bored easily.

The stories about Sam and his friends are well-written but do involve some words your kids are probably not familiar with having grown up on this side of the pond. My daughter asked me what something meant a few times while watching the episodes. The DVD also taught some basic fire safety skills which my kids have brought up since we saw the movie. The bottom line is, if you have a child interested in firefighters and what they do…then this is the DVD for them! It would make a great birthday gift for a child who lights up every time they see a fire truck in action.

My kids first spotted “Johnny and the Sprites” as mini featurettes on The Disney Channel. Finally Disney wised up and realized what a gem the concept was and gave it a full show slot.

Their first time on DVD, “Johnny and the Sprites: Meet the Sprites” takes you to Grotto’s Grove for six episodes. Each one includes the colorful puppets Basil, Lily, Roots, and Ginger as well as Johnny, played by John Tartaglia. Tartaglia has worked with puppets for many years, including on Sesame Street. Some parents find he was more saccharine than a packet of Sweet and Low, but I personally enjoy his energy.

The sets are varied and offer some artistic depth you don’t usually find in kids’ shows. Music is a prominent feature in every episode as well as a life lesson. My four-year-old daughter really enjoyed the “Root’s Dadoots” one and replied “How sweet!” at the end. They place importance on friendship and respect as well as problem-solving.

Bottom Line: Grow your DVD collection by adding Johnny and the Sprites. Although be warned you will find yourself humming along to the songs!

We have a 12 hour car trip to the beach coming up soon and my husband and I are always looking out for some new DVDs to add to our rotation.

“Summertime Fun” consists of five episodes of your child’s favorite characters. The episodes of Barney and Thomas the Tank are new to DVD and there also appearances by Angelina Ballerina, Fireman Sam , and Bob the Builder. Each featurette is less than 20 minutes and that really kept my kids’ attention. The shorter length helped stave off boredom.

It was great to have so many characters on one DVD. My girls have a tendency to pick completely different movies so this was a crowd pleaser. There is even a bonus episode of Fifi and the Flowertots. All the stories focus around summertime activities so it is things your kids are already experiencing.

Bottom line: This DVD would make a great gift for kids with summer birthdays and for families hitting the road!

Available for purchase here.

It’s easy to pop in a DVD when you need to get dinner made or fold another load of clothes without “help” from your toddler. And if you’re like me, you’ve noticed it’s rare that you will find a DVD that doesn’t just require your child to sit on the couch.

Tot-a-doodle-do has created entire kits that include education DVDs and a fun hands-on activity for your kids. We got the Animal set which included the 30 minute DVD and a craft kit with everything we needed to make animal masks.

The DVD walks your child through the mask making step-by-step. It also includes other sections like Hop-n-Bop that encourage movement and hand-eye coordination. SuperSnack shows your child how to make a fun, creative snack that makes healthy eating fun.

I found the DVD to be a little dry and forced but the craft portion of the set is fantastic. They give you everything you need right down to the scissors and a bottle of glue. My two-year-old made the sheep mask while my four-year-old made the rabbit. The kit is for ages 3-7 and I would recommend it for the older end of that range. My husband and I had to pretty much do everything for my kids. They certainly enjoyed the project, but it wasn’t as hands on for them as it would’ve been for an older child.

The masks are a huge hit and we were woken up this morning to a rabbit and sheep parading around our bedroom. It’s given our daughters’ imagination a spark of creativity that has encouraged other conversations like why do sheep have wool, and what else do rabbits eat besides carrots.

The craft and DVD kits would be a perfect birthday gift and certainly offer an escape from the same old, same old things that keep piling up in toy boxes everywhere.

www.totadoodledo.com

The arrival of a newborn, especially if it’s the first born, brings a flurry of child proofing. The problem is that the initial bout of safety consciousness can give way as your child or children grow up. And that of course is a problem since safety hazards tend to increase with a child’s age. The other issue is that nobody likes a lecture that is nothing more than a list of “no, don’t, you can’t, and never.” Stressing the importance of safety is like talking about saving for retirement. It’s necessary, but not very much fun. Not nearly as much fun as skateboarding down a flight of stairs without a helmet or spending money today.

Enter the Danger Rangers: Sully, Burt, Kitty, Gabriela, Burble, Squeeky and Fallbot to make safety meaningful and… fun. Yes, we know, hard to believe. However the the Danger Rangers are more than up to the task by using “action-adventure, comedy and fantastic music to entertain, educate and empower children to Think Safe, Play Safe & Be Safe!” Orginally a half hour series, Emmy nominated, no less, the Danger Rangers now are a complete multimedia experience with DVDs, books, coloring books and activity kits. Each character has his or her own personality. Kitty is the brains of the operation, for instance, and there are male and female characters so the Rangers have relevance for both boys and girls.

It is also not possible to stress how important small safety tips that might be taken for granted or overlooked, can save a child’s life. Ranger topics range from safety at the pool, safety with medicine, fire-safety, you name it.

The story lines are well developed, age appropriate and non-threatening, so that they manage to be instructional, but fun and meaningful as well. It’s not surprising as the outfit behind the Rangers, Educational Adventures is staffed with Emmy and Oscar award winners and backed by health and safety experts and a professor from Harvard Medical School.

The Danger Rangers are viewable on Video On Demand and public television as well as through DVDs, story books and coloring books.

My four-year-old daughter is a ballet school dropout. After just one eight week course at our local community center she decided the life of a ballerina was not for her. Despite not wanting to pursue ballet as a hobby she continues to be fascinated by the art form.

There aren’t many DVDs out there about ballet that are made for young children. I recently came across Prima Princessa. It’s a 40 minute DVD that combines a performance of Swan Lake by the Paris Opera Ballet with ballet instruction from students at the School of American Ballet.

My daughters (two and four) were enthralled with this production. Prima Princessa narrates the selections from Swan Lake which are thrilling to the eye. The lavish costumes of the ballet combined with the music had my daughters dancing and leaping around. Swan Lake is broken down into a few simple acts that make the storyline easy to follow for young viewers.

In between trips to the ballet we learn simple ballet steps from the students at the School of American Ballet. The younger students give your child a great way to relate to the steps and get moving.

I found this to be a great DVD and was surprised to learn it was created by two moms without any film-making experience. It is a quality show that your kids will love to watch again and again. I think the DVD could spawn a fun sleepover or birthday party where everyone involved can get up and experience the true beauty and art of ballet.

www.Primaprincessa.com

Thomas and his friends have been around the tracks a few times, but their new DVD doesn’t disappoint! Engines and Escapades is the latest adventures of the loveable Thomas and his pals as they travel around the Island of Sodor.

The DVD also introduces us to the little truck Madge. My girls were laughing at her antics as she tried to help the trains get clean for the country fair, only to end up covered in mud herself. She appears in several of the episodes on this new DVD.

The storytelling in Engines and Escapades is what we as parents have come to love about this series. Good classic tales that teach our kids about friendship and cooperation. We actually all sat down as a family for this one and it appealed to both my four year old and two year old. The movie runs a little less than an hour and includes six different episodes.

There is even a bonus episode of “Fireman Sam” that my kids very much enjoyed, despite not knowing who the character was. Sam taught us fire safety, without really making it seem like a lesson.

Bottom line: this DVD would be a perfect addition to your child’s Easter basket this year!

Learn more and buy here.

When it comes to entertaining and educational DVDs for your kids there are thousands of choices. Braincandy, pardon the pun, is the brainchild of two Seattle parents. They’ve created a series of five DVDs that help your child explore their senses. With the help of “Bruce the Brain” your child gets to hear, smell, see, taste, and touch their world.

The brightly colored (and eco-friendly) packages had my kids attention from the minute they landed on the kitchen table. My two year old was hopping up and down saying “Movie!, Movie!” I swear she doesn’t see as much TV as her reaction may imply.

The DVDs are broken down into chapters and are each about 40 minutes in length. In “See My World” the chapters include: Eyes, Colors, Close Up, and Working Together. The DVD combines puppets with live action kids in both indoor and outdoor settings. My four year old looked bored, while my two year old was enraptured.

Between each chapter there is a one minute dance break that encourages your child to get up and bust a move. While my kids enjoyed the music, neither one of them moved from the couch for any of the breaks. The music used throughout the DVD is pretty basic. Classical pieces you and your child will recognize. It’s mostly done on a synthesizer, which I was less than thrilled with.

The children starring in the DVD come from a variety of backgrounds which is great because your child will certainly find someone to identify with. The kids are bright-eyed and very active as they explore the various aspects of their senses.

I found the puppets to be a bit creepy. “Bruce the Brain” and his friends shaped like an ear, a hand, a pair of eyes, a mouth, and a nose are pretty strange. My daughters kept asking where the rest of the puppet was.

The bottom line is these DVDs offer a good education on your child’s senses and how they work together to give us an accurate view of their world. They are well-produced, but don’t really offer anything new to the world of children’s DVDs. Although they have won numerous awards I found them to be lacking in innovation. It’s pretty much the same old snack.

Learn more at www.braincandykids.com

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with West Music Company, today announced a voluntary recall of about 5,500 Transparent Toy Egg Shakers. Small beads within the egg shakers can spill out of the end cap, posing choking and aspiration risks to young children. To date, one report of the end cap of the shaker detaching has been reported.

“This recall involves clear, plastic egg-shaped instruments with various color beads inside. The beads inside the shaker instrument come in five colors: red, white, green, dark blue and aqua. “Basic Beat” and “Jumbo Egg Crystal” is printed on a label attached to the plastic bag packaging. Model numbers “BB5102” and “202212” are printed on the side of the label.”

The $2 shakers were sold at West Music stores in Iowa and Illinois, through the West Music catalog, online through www.westmusic.com and at West Music exhibit booths nationwide from October 2006 through December 2007.

Consumers should immediately take the recalled egg shakers from young children and contact West Music for a free replacement product.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact West Music at (800) 397-9378 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or e-mail the firm at rcousins@westmusic.com

Bob the Builder is going on site in his new DVD “Roads and Bridges.” Unfortunately the new flick falls flatter than a stretch of pavement after Roley comes by. The DVD starts out with an introduction to all Bob’s favorite friends, the ones your children know and love. Unfortunately that’s about the only time you will see them in the movie. Bob goes “on-site” by logging on to his computer to see how a real-life road is made. It starts from the very beginning and takes you all the way to completion.

My four year old kept asking “Mom, when is it going to go back to Bob the Builder?” The video of the construction site isn’t the best. It is sometimes out of focus and down right boring.

The DVD is an hour long but my kids lost interest after about 10 minutes. It drags on and is worse than a Driver’s Education film strip from high school. It is very repetitive and disjointed.

I did like when they showed video of children at the park creating their own roads with sidewalk chalk. It was something my kids could relate to and even asked to do outside. We also get to see kids make a bridge right down to the support beams. These two portions are the bright spots in an otherwise lackluster DVD. Even die hard Bob The Builder fans will be disappointed as you don’t get to spend very much time with our construction buddy. This mom says save your pennies and skip this one!

What: Rockabye Baby! CDs

Why: You probably wouldn’t think of playing Metallica, Green Day or Led Zeppelin to get baby in the mood to snooze. Maybe Bob Marley, but even that’s pushing it.

Think again because there’s a whole slew of CDs by Rockabye Baby! that have updated your favorite rock songs into sweet lullabies. Just imagine Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” with soft chimes, glockenspiels and other gentle instruments. You’ll have to hear it to believe it.

My favorite is the Lullaby Renditions of U2 (it’s always a Beautiful Day with baby, isn’t it?), but they’ve also got music from No Doubt, Pink Floyd, The Cure, Radiohead and more.

Price: $17

Find it: babesta.com

The following companies and performers donated DVDs, CDs and/or Video tapes to the families honored by Operation Shower:

Your Baby Can Read provided DVDs

Want to jump-start your child learning a second language? Boca Beth is for you! Using music, language, movement and a series of tools including DVDs, CDs, music makers, activity books and Boca the puppet, the Boca Beth program gets your child excited about learning a new language.

Boca Beth creator, Beth Butler, is a mother of three who has been speaking Spanish as a second language for 25 years. Beth started the bilingual program due to a lack of programs available designed to teach second languages to babies and young children that were both affordable and fun to teach. Beth’s program is not only fun, easy to use and affordable, but kids LOVE it!

Pop in a DVD and join your child with Boca and shaker in hand and you’ll be amazed how soon your toddler is singing ‘Hola! Hola! I say hi.’ Our favorite product is the Boca Beth Bilingual Bag which comes with Boca the puppet, Boca Beth’s three bilingual fun music CDs and two DVDs presented in Spanish and English, a 44-page coloring/activity book and an egg shaker and a mini-maraca.

One lucky Clever Parents viewer will receive a Boca Beth Beginner Set. Simply email info (at) cleverparents (dot) com and tell us why you’d like to win. The Beginner Set includes Boca Beth’s first DVD “Mi Casa/My House”, her first music CD “My First Songs in Spanish”, BOCA the lovable puppet and a How To Guide for second language instruction.

Learn more about the Boca Beth program at www.bocabeth.com

There is plenty of evidence to suggest that music is a great stimulant for little minds and, unlike other things that are good for kids (brocolli anyone?), music is something that kids love. The problem, as any adult who has The Wheels on the Bus stuck in their head will attest, is that ‘children’s’ music is rarely tolerable except in very small doses. And most adult oriented music is either unpalatable or inappropriate to little ears. (Though our almost two year old is a fan of the White Stripes.) What a dilemma.

How fortunate then that Belinda Takahashi became a parent and encountered the same quandry. Unlike the rest of us who can only lament and suffer through Old MacDonald, Belinda is an award winning composer and educator. So when her baby was born, Belinda went to work creating a series of classical music pieces specifically for children. Then she had the music recorded by actual orchestra musicians–a refreshing break from the electronically produced sounds of most children’s music.

Belinda then paired the music with a cast of puppets, peformed by veterans of Fraggle Rock, to capture the interest of little ears and minds. The result, Juno Baby, is a set of DVDs and CDs of music that kids will love all the while learning to appreciate classical music.

Since its release, Juno Baby, has won awards and accolades from critics, educators and parents. And it’s not surprising, we here at Clever Parents can attest that the music is great for kids–not too heady or adult by any means–and a very refreshing break for Mom and Dad as well. Juno Baby is well done and worth it.

The Juno Baby Original Music CD runs $18.00 and the DVDs (there are 4) run $20.00. There is also now a line of t-shirts celebrating the Juno Baby characters. All are available from the Juno Baby Store.