Baby Einstein DVDs - suitable Activity if age appropriate??

[babymunkey]

Hi

Was just wondering what people think of the Baby Einstein (and other similar) DVDs. Are they appropriate activity for their age ratings? For a 3 month old do they count as low level activity or are they potentially over stimulating? Any ideas on how long would be Ok per session?

thanks!

[mommy2mason]

I have heard mixed reviews regarding the DVDs. I have one Baby Einstein but haven't used it yet based on some info. I read but I know many people love them. I think it may be over stimulating at 3 months. The DVD I have says I think 9+ months. One article I read claimed that with every hour per day that a baby spent watching these types of DVDs, they learned 6-8 fewer new vocabulary words than babies who didn't watch them and that babies who watched scored about 10% lower on language skills. So I'm a little up in the air if I should let my LO watch them or not. I think maybe when he gets a little older I may.

[trisharushbrook]

I have the entire library of Baby Einstein and with twins I have to say it was a god send.  I think it would be too much for a 3mth old.  My girls really didnt' start watching until they were about 10-11mths old. I read that 20mins per day max should be enough but I admit to more - just out of need.  If they are both fussy or I just need to get them to eat dinner and not play I just put it on and I can get through the task and on to the next thing quickly. 
Personally I think it's good and I'd much rather have them watching that than some of the other stuff on TV.   They love the puppets and the animals.  And now that they are older they will watch and they will make the noise of the animal that's on or they will remember a piece and laugh because they know whats going to happen.   The Santa one is their fav....it's nearly April and they are still watching that one.  There is one piece in it where two puppets play peek a boo and both my girls crack up laughing at that bit every time.... 
It's a personal choice.  We travel a lot too so BE comes with us on the plane or wherever we go.   Not sure how I would have got through some of those loooong flights and visits without it !  It gives me a few mins breather too so I can regroup and get myself together and ready for whats coming next (bath, change, play,eat, etc etc)  which ultimately I think is good for the babies too !

[Layla]

I also have the entire series and mine started watching from around 12months or so (well Isabella) and Jasmine much younger cause she would join Isabella.

At 3 months I do think they are a bit too young and you really only need something simple like tummy time with some toys on the floor or one of those floor gym sets (with the toys dangling above them, if you know what I mean), or a jumping joey (although not sure if 3 months is too young)

[Deb_in_oz]

i am a big fan and in my case they are DVDs that alex still likes at 4 1/2 yrs old (certain ones) and was just about to sell them when she even rediscovered ones that she stopped watching (or did not like) when she was under 2yo.
alex started between 6-10 mo (she got her 1st ones for xmas so that made her 6-7 mo but have no idea when we watched them). she loved them and we watched them together (1st child so i had the time) - she said her 1st non mama dada word at 10 mo (was cow when i said moo) and her vocabulary was well above her age range by 18 mo (had hundreds of words) and she probably watched them twice a day between 10mo - 18mo. then liv arrived when she was 19 mo and Alex watched a bit more due to me feeding and settling etc (has always loved watching shows and is one of those who learns from them - without my involvement she was counting to 10 by 18 mo, learned spanish from dora and is still at 4 1/2 well above her peers in language)

i know there are studies and all, but i do think there is a difference between a child sitting by themselves for hours  inactively watching at 6 mo old vs. watching WITH parents when they are young and then when they are older balancing DVD time with more active pursuits in a day - all without harm and in some cases it is to great benefit.

if you have not purchased any yet i could recommend some i think are worth buying if you don't want the whole collection (we accumulated about 8 i think as gifts over the first 2 years)
Monet is about seasons and at 3 and 4 1/2 it still holds my kids interest
Newton is about shapes and is the one alex recently rediscovered and is asking for every day
Baby MacDonald is all about animals
and for non-farm animals either neighbourhood animals or world animals
Baby Neptune is all about water

i think the music is nice and we were also given a CD of theirs which woudl be great for a 3mo (Playtime music box) which is all the classical pieces they used.  my girls request "classical music" regularly and really have an appreciation for it that i know came from watching those DVDs - they take in the music, the images, the humour (i still remember alex laughing at something at a year old that i thought was over her head but she laughed at the "right" time each time and showed me that at a year she had a real sense of humour)

that's me off my pro-DVD soap box.  as a part of their day it is fine from anywhere from 6-12 mo using your judgement and as Layla said - for now tummy time  and gymini etc is your best bet as they are working on developing their muscles etc and learning to do physical stuff like rolling and crawling...

[RyansMum]

I had 2 DVDs when Ryan was 3 months and started to incorporate it into his wind down routine before bed. Half hour before bath I would put him in his rocker and turn on the DVD. He loved it and it meant a nice bit of quiet time while he was also learning things!  I had in all about 9 of them but Ryan lost interest around his 2nd birthday. I may try them again with him at some stage as I think the ones like the Seasons and Words around the house are great learning tools!

[EmMUK74]

I was given one (baby mozart) when Rachel was 4 months and when I put it on to see what it was like she was mesmerised.  it was always a stimulating activity (definitely not wind down) and got her attention grabbed.  she watched it until just after her 1st birthday when she lost interest and preferred to make her own music.  we would do 15mins or until she lost interest, whichever was shorter.  it was a great activity for later afternoon which we both found relaxing; we would lie on the floor together and watch it.

[hattie]

love them love them love them! I think there is so much hype about ADHD and all the other possible negatives of kids seeing telly but I really think it is a mute point (the scientific jury is still out the last I read) and as we all know, every kid is different.  If your baby has a good reaction to the dvds and enjoys them then surely that is a positive.  Everything in moderation right?

[mommy2mason]

Great to read all the positive reviews! That's a really good point about watching them WITH your child and not just putting them in front of the tv to watch themselves.

[Alison_3]

Charlie started taking an interest when he was around 12 months.  His big brother (3.5 years)watches with him and spells the words!  I use it normally when I am making dinner!      I think in moderation, it's no big deal.  I would imagine that there are some people that just plop their kids in front of the TV and that is about it for activity for the day.  

[EmMUK74]

I think that's the key, and I have done LOADS of research into TV since I was determined never to have Rachel near it but quickly discovered the benefits.  I have never let her watch TV on her own; I am always with her and we chat about what we are watching.  we watch kids TV progs and she will then tell everyone about what she has watched; numberjacks are fun (she knew how to count to 10 by 18 months!!), noddy did this, fifi did that, tigger bounces, pooh bear loves honey etc etc.  we also watch animal wildlife films, I find small bits which we watch and then we do pictures of the animals or pretend we are that animal.

I know the research is very divided but I honestly believe that Rachels communication skills have been enhanced by TV and the way we watch it, that she has learned how colours can be mixed to make other colours, and the importance of friends; it has a place in our life but it's not a baby sitter.

[Stace]

Yip, we have the collection to, and as a pp said, Robbie has started to re-discover them and he loves certain one's too - "mummy, oh wow baby Einstein" is frequently said at the moment!!

We always have the telly on in our house but the kids are hardly ever in the room that has the TV on and when they are they hardly ever watch it as they are far more interested in playing with their toys or interacting with me/each other.

I think age appropriate TV is a good thing to have on in the background, DS has learned LOADS from his DVD's, his latest trick is too count backwards from 10 courtesy of the singing kettle!!

I also believe that as far as over stimulation goes - this strongly depends on your babies "type" for example - DS would get over stimulated if I sneezed 10 mins before putting him to bed, where as my DD can be in her jumperoo bouncing like mad one minute then fast asleep in her cot 5 mins later!

JMHO.

Stace x

[babymunkey]

Great response - thanks guys! I bought a few off Ebay recently and have started with the Monet one  as it states for 3 months +.....

Harris and I were struggling for activities - he doesn't really lime being under his play arch just yet, we do try tummy time everyday, but is hard to ifnd the right spot between feeding and tired - if he's getting towards bed time he just plants his face on his arms and dozes off! His favourite thing really is still just looking at stuff - like our skylights/downlighters or lying on our pouffe (how do you spell that?!) in the window and watching the trees. His not too interested in toys or anything yet.

I was looking for something we could watch/look at together....I tried it yesterday and he was transfixed.....didn't seem to rev him up too much either - I sat him on my lap and poiinted things out to him, and generally joining in.

Glad to hear positive reports - I loved the idea, but just wanted to make sure we weren't falling into a trap. Does anyone know whic of the others are better for younger babies if any?

[RyansMum]

Ryan had Mozart and Beethoven to start off with and then we got ones like Monet, Van gogh, Wordsworth, Neighbourhood animals, the Christmas one, and a couple others that I can't remember at the minute as they had more specific items shown whereas the first two are just music and different pictures. Thats why I liked them for when he was really little and as he got older the others were better, more educational.  I think it helped his understanding of things along with playing, me, and nursery.

[trisharushbrook]

I just pulled out what we have and these are the age recommendations on the boxes....

Baby Beethoven 0-3yrs
Babys First Moves 6mths and up
Baby Galileo 9mths +
Baby McDonald a day on the farm 9mths
Discovering Shapes 9mths +
Baby Santas Music Box 1-36 mths
Language Nursery 1-36mths
Baby Mozart 1-36mths
Baby Bach 1-36mths

All the others are for 1 yr +
Baby Van gogh
On the go
Baby Newton
Neighborhood Animals
World Animals
Baby Shakespere

The Van Gogh, Shakespere, Mozart and Beethoven are prob best for smaller babies.

My girls fav are the "Day on the Farm" (music in it is good and we dance to it), World animals (again good music) and the Santa one (lots of puppets and animals)

Trisha.

[laurenhendo]

I bought the whole series off Ebay, and i am really happy with them. We have one on in the morning in the background and my lo will sometimes watch a bit but mainly follows me around the house while i clean and get stuff sorted, then there is on in the afternoon while i am cooking dinner. Paige is often playing with other things while she is watching and was never 'mesmerised' by the tv, altough we got them when she was 6 months old.

LH