Disney's Little Einsteins: Mission Celebration

How can preschoolers learn about Mozart, Michelangelo, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the meaning of "adagio" and "allegro"? Little Einsteins, of course. The brainchild of Disney and the creator of Baby Einstein, this charming, clever, and highly interactive animated series incorporates elements such as classical music, cultural landmarks, and art into adventures that whisk the four main characters all over the world.

The characters repeatedly weave musical terms into the fun: Urging the red train to go faster or slower, they shout "allegro" and "adagio." Kids also learn to distinguish between the sounds of different instruments, like trombones, clarinets, and violins. The characters encourage young viewers to participate in the action. Little Einsteins ask direct questions to the screen ("Do you help clean up?" "When is your birthday?"), and they also get kids to "help" the missions along -- for example, by taking deep breaths and blowing to keep Annie's balloons from popping on the tip of Seattle's Space Needle. The DVD also does an interesting job of blending animation and real-life photographs and video.