Braincandy 5 Senses DVD Series (NR, 2007)

BRAINCANDY'S 5 SENSES DVD SERIES is a thoughtful and well-conceived effort to underpin how young children learn, not just what they learn. The series integrates many different activities to teach about each of the human senses (sight, touch, taste, sound, and smell), engaging learners of all different stages and approaches. (Each sense is covered on a single DVD.) Puppet guide Bruce Brain, with the help of puppet friends like Ana Ear and Harry Hand, talks in very simple terms about the sense in question. Repetition through various techniques drives the lesson home. For instance, the Taste My World DVD introduces the concept of "eating." We then see a baby being spoon-fed, listen to a grandpa talking about eating his sandwich, and watch a fun picnic with a mom making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a group of kids. Dance intervals are spaced perfectly for young viewers who may have a hard time sitting still through the entire episode, and the music is thoughtfully chosen.

Although the recycled-organic DVD packaging suggests that the series is appropriate for age 6 months and up, parents should know that both Common Sense Media and the American Academy of Pediatrics advise against allowing children younger than 2 years old watch TV and other screen media. Studies have raised concerns that early exposure to TV could be detrimental to attention span and cognitive development.

That said, the DVD models positive, fun, and easily replicated interactions for caregivers and young children ages 2-4, and may prompt creative thinking about how to reinforce learning through all the senses.

Studio: Braincandy
Director: John Dagnen
Cast: Jane Mandelson, Peter Orr, Roger Mara
Genre: Family and Kids
Run time: 40 minutes
Theatrical release: December 26, 2007
DVD release: October 1, 2007
MPAA Rating: NR