It's time again for our picks of the year's best videos made for kids. This crop of outstanding videos for children features old friends (such as Thomas the Tank Engine and Arthur) and new ones (like little puppy Kipper and young princess Ruby). Our list also includes new takes on classic tales (picture Sesame Street's Elmo in glass slippers!), memorable music (from Mozart to Woody Guthrie) and such fascinating information as why volcanoes erupt and how the Weta cricket can withstand freezing. Talk about must-see TV!
Ages 1 to 3
"Video Soup: Mozart Nature Symphonies" ($13, Munchkin, Inc., 800-344-2229). Dozens of colorful animals—including butterflies, hummingbirds, geese, penguins, zebras, bees, sea horses and frogs — are accompanied by lovely Mozart melodies. The scenes fit the music so well that they seem choreographed.
Ages 2 to 5
"Kipper: The Visitor and Other Stories" ($10, Hallmark Home Entertainment). In four charming vignettes, an adorable canine plays parent to a goose, flies to the moon, saves a friend stranded at sea and discovers a magic wand. Kipper is a friendly, frolicsome pup with a human smile and a host of equally appealing animal pals. The airy, expansive animation creates a magical realm.
"Noddy Makes a New Friend" ($13, USA Home Entertainment). Always upbeat and friendly, Noddy stars in three short stories that sparkle with gentle humor and weave in lessons on honesty and responsibility. Whether dealing with a friend's mischievous antics or just repairing a broken clock, Noddy's pals, such as the silly policeman, Mr. Plod, are equally engaging.
Ages 2 to 6
"Baby Songs: Rock & Roll" ($13, Anchor Bay Entertainment, www.babysongs.com. Expertly choreographed, supercharged scenes of frolicking kids mix perfectly with rock-and-roll classics. Just press "play" and stand back: Tiny boppers are sure to sing and dance along. Two slower songs come at just the right time to provide some needed cardiac relief.
"Nighty Night" ($10, Peter Pan Entertainment, 800-272-4214). Suitably somnolent music — including, of course, "Brahms' Lullaby" — complements a beautifully photographed parade of initially frisky young animals who soon succumb to the call of the night. As puppies, polar bears, seals and tigers gradually lose steam, little viewers will happily follow.
"Thomas & Friends: Spills & Chills & Other Thomas Stories" ($13, Anchor Bay Entertainment). Adventure lurks around every curve on the island of Sodor, where colorful model locomotives and other machines live together. As always, Alec Baldwin narrates with genuine enthusiasm.
Ages 2 and up
"The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland" ($22, Columbia TriStar Home Video). Get ready to giggle as Elmo visits Grouchland in a quest to recover his blankie. Vanessa Williams makes a vibrant Queen of Trash, especially in one of several full-scale musical numbers. And Mandy Patinkin is a delight as Huxley, the conniving blankie thief (though he might scare a few viewers).
Ages 3 to 5
"Snow" ($38, Live Oak Media, 800-788-1121). Deceptively simple and artfully conceived, the six-minute story uses still pictures and text from a Caldecott Honor book by Uri Shulevitz. The unseen narrator has as much fun telling the tale as children will have listening to it, and the shifting camera perspectives give the colorful illustrations an illusion of movement. (Live Oak Media sells primarily to schools and libraries, which is where you may have luck finding this gem.)
Ages 3 and up
"Birthday Stories" ($12, Abbey Home Entertainment). Seven witty children's books are brought to life with careful animation, sprightly music and whimsical animals in bright, silly costumes.
Ages 4 and up
"Franklin's Birthday Party" ($13, USA Home Entertainment). A talking, walking turtle faces the problems and emotions familiar to most kids—like what to do if you break a promise. The animation is exceptional — vivid colors, finely drawn animals — and the dialogue entertains while emphasizing the virtues of patience, listening to Mom and Dad and sharing.
"This Land Is Your Land" ($60, Weston Woods, 800-243-5020). This video adaptation of a book by Kathy Jakobsen is a treat for both younger and older generations. Arlo Guthrie, son of composer and folk artist Woody Guthrie, sings his father's signature tune as the camera pans Jakobsen's funny, sometimes sad, and inspiring drawings. (Marketed primarily to institutions, this is a tape worth asking for at the library.)
Ages 5 and up
"Arthur Gets Lost" ($10, Sony Wonder). Frightened thoughts race through Arthur's brain as he prepares to take his first solo bus ride. Once aboard, he falls asleep, and then, sure enough, he's lost. Engaging and adorable, the perennially popular aardvark experiences feelings all kids can relate to and is smart enough to figure his way out of most jams.
"Bugs! Voyagers" ($10, Time Life Video, 800-846-3843). Cockroaches are a hardy species: They've been around practically forever and could probably hang on after a nuclear blast. Kids will eagerly glean these and other facts as they watch a stream of dazzling video footage of some of Earth's most extraordinary insects.
Ages 6 and up
"The Big Boom" ($15, Little Mammoth Media, 800-543-8433). Kids will get a bang out of learning about things that go boom, including spectacular Hawaiian volcanoes and a jet aircraft breaking the sound barrier.
Our Judges: Jeff Unger, video reviewer, Parenting; Thelma Adams, contributing editor, Us Weekly; Sue Ellen Beauregard, media editor, Booklist; Ranny Levy, president, Coalition for Quality Children's Media.
This article first appeared in Parenting/Family Life magazine. © The Parenting Group