The Shelly T. Turtle Show: Ant's Life and Other Bugs (NR, 1991)

First shown on PBS stations, The Shelly T. Turtle Show releases two of its best episodes on this educational and tuneful video. Audiences will be amused by one beetle's plight to turn back over onto its tummy. Ants chew away at leaves, only to find themselves flying to the ground. Buzzy the Bee searches for nectar in pretty flowers. Bear cubs wrestle with each other, while we learn about their paws and claws. Cheetahs' spots are another hot topic, as well as the shells of tortoises. Most of all, interesting animation, dialogue, and narration create a dynamic video that kids of younger age groups will enjoy.

At first glance, adults will most likely think of THE SHELLY T. TURTLE SHOW: ANT'S LIFE AND OTHER BUGS as another rendition of Sesame Street -- that is, perhaps a little more interesting than most children's television. No problem! For television-savvy kids, this mix of interesting animation and funny narration is just what they need. One 2-year-old viewer became a copycat of the dialogue being used. Visual footage is emphasized as well, with the pace fast enough for a preschooler's/kindergartner's attention span, yet slow enough for them to learn a few things. Not only is real footage used, but also some decent animation.

In addition, there is nothing like original rhymes and songs to nail down the importance of language use. Educational concepts are brought into the video and then reinforced with quality rhymes and songs. Thanks to the producers, there is also a review of each episode's content at the end. Obviously, they know that kids need a little repetition in order to fully learn a concept.