DVDs for fun and learning
By Jason White -- Playthings, 11/1/2004
Barbie is coming once again to DVD but this time it's her first animated musical. Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper, from Calif.-based Mattel, has Barbie playing duel roles and is designed to teach young girls that every person has a gift and with that gift people can find their way in life. There is also a bonus music CD packed with it featuring seven songs. It will debut November 14, on Nickelodeon.
The Wind in the Willows is a classic children's book brought to life by New York-based A&E. In this stop motion film children will get to meet Mole, Rat, Badger and Toad and watch their adventures along the English riverside. The extras on the DVD include Toad's Road trivia game and character descriptions.
Teaching young children a second language can be tough but Bonjour les Amis! can help out. It has a mix of animation and live action, the main character, Moustache the cat, gets into different situations and introduces the French language in an easy to understand way. There are three DVDs in the series and each has extras like word and phrase puzzles, printable word puzzles and song lyrics.
