Friday Finds (review + giveaway): BabyFirst DVDs
I’m not one of those people who think TV is evil or even a necessary evil. I believe short segments of monitored TV-viewing can actually be very educational, even for babies. Especially for babies! Why? If nothing else, for the same reason we use mobiles over cribs: watching patterns in motion helps stimulate and develop baby’s vision, one of the few things not fully formed when baby is born.
Emily grew up on Baby Einstein DVDs, she could count to 10 in 10 languages before she was 2. Back then, quality baby-TV options were limited, but things have drastically changed with the advent of baby-geared TV channels. Which brings me to my Friday Find: the newly released BabyFirst DVDs.
BabyFirst TV programming: education and entertainment all rolled into one
If you haven’t heard of BabyFirst TV, you’ve been seriously missing out. Here’s a snippet of what it’s about:
BabyFirst’s content is created by leading experts in child development and education, and provides interactive opportunities for parents and baby to bond, learn, and explore together. Featuring language development, abstract ideas like numbers, music, and art, they entertain baby and teach at the same time. If you have been reading my blog, you know that I’m a huge proponent of early education and intervention, and that’s a big reason why I endorse these DVDs. Of course it doesn’t hurt that they’re made by award-winning producers who know how to put on a show 
BabyFirst DVD, tested and approved by a 4-month old
This is Lili, my four-month-old niece watching the DVD intently. I get to babysit her once in a while, and the last time she was here, I played the BabyFirst DVDs for her. I didn’t think to videotape her, I was so taken aback by her reaction.
There are eight BabyFirst DVDs available right now:
- Art & Music, Sensory Wonderland
- Sweet Dreams, Calming Music and Imagery
- Shushybye Baby, Bedtime Stories & Songs
- Baby Class, Building Blocks of Learning
- Numbers around the Globe, Adventures in Counting
- Best of BabyFirst, An Educational Adventure
- Harry the Bunny, Come Along & Play
- Color Crew, All About Colors
The DVDs retail for $9.98 each, available in a variety of places, including Amazon.com and MillCreekDirect.com
The lovely folks at Mill Creek were kind enough to extend a 20% discount off all BabyFirst DVDs, for the next two weeks, to all Behavioral Child readers (Use code: MCDbaby20). Thank you Amy!
You can find more information about Mill Creek Entertainment at their lovely website. They have an extensive collection of DVDs, not just limited to children or family entertainment. Be sure to follow them on Twitter and Facebook so you can be apprised of their latest news, freebies, and cool promos.
BabyFirst DVDs, the giveaway
Thanks to the generosity of the good folks at Mill Creek Entertainment, I’m giving away the full collection of BabyFirst DVDs (8 DVDs, total value $80) to one lucky, random drawing winner.
how to enter this giveaway:
As usual, there are TWO things you need to do, to participate in this giveaway:
1. Leave a comment with your answer: Which TV shows do you let your baby/child watch and why?
2. Enter your info in the form below. (Must do both, otherwise it doesn’t count, okay?)
Open to US residents only. Must be 18 years or older to enter. Ends 2/14/13.
Optional: If you share this giveaway or follow me or the sponsors on social media, be sure to tell me in the comments, so you can earn an additional entry for each share and follow. Thanks!
Random drawing winner will be announced on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. Winner must respond to notification within 48 hours or new winner will be selected. Subscribe for free updates from Behavioral Child so you don’t miss any awesome Friday Finds!
The winner of Friday Finds: SurpriseRide giveaway is…Lindsey MertzCongrats!! |
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Don’t forget to check out
This giveaway is now closed, thanks for participating!
{Disclaimer|Disclosure: I received the BabyFirst DVDs for review purposes. I was not compensated in any other way. See my full disclaimer/disclosure policy here.}
I also exposed my babies to TV in a limited way and I think they enjoyed the experience. When I put the dvd on the babies would turn their heads towards the TV recognizing the music and smiled. Thank you for the review that I will share with my daughter who is expecting.
As long as it’s monitored and limited, I think there are a lot of TV programs that can actually help children with language, aesthetics, and other lessons, Maria. Wishing your daughter a fast and painless delivery
i let my son watch most shows on the sprout channel because they are mostly teaching him things
I love the Sprout channel, very cute shows! Thanks for participating Nikki, and good luck!
I think having the shows on DVD is a brilliant idea, very practical. My two youngest watch cartoons and Sesame Street. Thanks for the giveaway.
I thought so too, Michelle, the DVDs are very practical. Thanks for participating and good luck!
He’s too young to watch tv.
How old is he, Amanda? Thanks for participating and good luck!
they pretty much watch whatever they want in terms of cartoons and family shows
Thanks for participating, Sandra, and good luck!
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Thank you Cheryl!
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Thanks, Cheryl!
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Thanks, Cheryl, I appreciate your time!
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Thanks again, Cheryl!
Too many things…..use it mainly as a form of “chilling”
Thanks for participating, Phxbne, and good luck!
My grandchildren like to watch anything that has Thomas the Tank Engine in it. They also watch Disney movies.
These DVDs are mostly geared towards smaller children, Cheryl, though I have to confess they are very easy on the eyes
Thanks for participating and good luck!
I let my baby watch Sesame Street. I like that it is educational! These BabyFirst DVD’s sound even more age appropriate. Awesome!
Love Sesame Street but I think these are definitely more appropriate for younger babies. Thanks for participating, Danielle, and good luck!
Sesame Street – I love that it is a show that I grew up watching and it is now something that can be passed on
Big fan of Sesame Street here too… so glad nobody will be pulling its plug anytime soon
Thanks for participating, Jessica, and good luck!
My daughter is 2 1/2 and she watches Sesame St. the occasional Dora, and some Disney movies as treats. Nothing with commercials, sh doesnt even know what they are. We watch early in the morning before Mama’s coffee sets in and then we play!!!
Zoe Lee
madforfashion at aol.com
http://www.everythingforana.com
That sounds like a perfect plan, Zoe
I love the BabyFirst DVDs better than BabyFirstTV channel because they naturally ends after a while (instead of being tempted to leave the TV on for indefinite lengths of time) and you can easily take them with you on trips in the car, etc. Thanks for participating and good luck!
I prefer videos to tv, then they are not exposed to all the commercials, I think even at a young age it makes a big difference
I completely agree, Cathy. It is very rare for me to let my daughter watch regular TV, almost everything she watches is videos or DVR-ed programs where we fast-forward through the commercials. Thanks for mentioning this, I’m so glad you did. Good luck!
I let him watch baby signs DVDs
I let him watch baby signs DVDs
Lots of child development studies I’ve read about sign language find them to be an excellent precursor to verbal language. Plus they’re fun to learn
Thanks for participating Deb, and good luck!
Dora and Baby first TV
Excellent choices, Brittany
Thanks for participating and good luck!
Both my boys love Baby First TV! I like the sand man personally and I find myself watching intently to them drawing pictures it’s very soothing!
They are very soothing, Whitney. Even as an adult, I’ve enjoyed that about them. Thanks for participating and good luck!
I let my 4 &2 year old watch Dora and Thomas the train and such my 1 year old liked baby’s first tv it really appeals to him!
I watched Thomas the train with my daughter but I have to admit that the whole “useful engine” thing started rubbing me the wrong way. Luckily my daughter outgrew it and we moved on to Caillou. Thanks for participating, Alyshia, and good luck!
I let my 17 month old watch Dora the Explorer. She loves the music and all the cute characters. Plus I think it helps for her to hear Spanish words!
Brooke Bumgardner recently posted…Wicked Valentine’s Read-A-Thon
The repetition sequence in Dora and the 1-2-3 rhythm, the making a list and sticking to it, all are marvelous tools to teach kids. Thanks for participating Brooke, and good luck!
Signing time…. Helps reinforce asl we learned.
I love, love, love that show, Anne. Emily and I learned quite a bit of ASL signs from it, without even trying. Thanks for participating and good luck!
My granddaughter is almost 9 months old. We let her watch some of the shows on Disney Jr like Doc McStuffin, Chuggington, Jake and the Pirates. She doesn’t really watch the shows but she loves the music from them and will occasionally stop playing and watch. Try not to let her watch much because we do not want to over stimulate her.
That’s a good move, Nan, it starts the habit of limited TV. The sooner you start implementing good TV habits, the less they’re likely to change them later on. Thanks for participating and good luck!