Before I sing the praises of Baby Einstein: Baby Mozart, I'll disclose that I support the recommendation most doctors make on the basis of what for years has been the recommendation of the American Association of Pediatrics. That is, that parents should discourage television viewing for children younger than 2 years, and encourage more interactive activities that will promote proper brain development, such as talking, playing, singing, and reading together. Among the commercial and self-congratulatory special features on this disk, you'll find segments that pertain to using Baby Einstein: Baby Mozart as the basis for activity with children. Approaching this DVD as a learning tool is a bit of a stretch, especially when the majority of parents who are honest will admit to using it as a part babysitter and part sedative for their child. If the endorsements were more honest, you'd see parents saying things like, "This is a great DVD for keeping my Little Johnny quiet and happy while I cook dinner, make a phone call, take a shower, catch my breath, etc. If you don't need to justify this as an educational tool, you can just relax and appreciate it as great entertainment for toddlers.
If you're new to the whole Baby Einstein brand, you'll need to understand that it is nothing like Little Einsteins. The founder of Baby Einstein, as the story goes, started by filming play sessions with her children in her basement, showing off neat toys, puppets, and games. No animation, no speaking characters, and only a few children (her own) made appearances. The tapes were distributed and went viral, and another millionaire was born. The Baby Mozart label tips you off to the musical content, in this case the work of W.A. Mozart, that is rendered in a very ice-cream-truck version of the master composer's works. Parents that never appreciated Classical music will find themselves humming along to these tunes, and here lies the connection to Little Einsteins and that show's marriage of great music with great art. The camera work in Baby Einstein: Baby Mozart fills the screen with a close-up view of each toy, and the toys are always in motion. Puppets doing funny things serve as a segue between viewing the toys, and occasionally kids will appear and interact with toys or puppets. It is a ridiculously simple formula and is brilliant exactly for that reason. Parents will appreciate the engagement and attention paid to this show by their children, and there is the possibility that Baby Einstein: Baby Mozart serves as the basis for some active play with your child. Most likely is that it helps your child relax during those times when they might otherwise be upset (long rides in the car or when nap-time approaches) or agitated.
Special features are included here that did not make it onto the DVD I purchased five years ago. The toys are now showcased in their own interactive feature that allows parents to flip through and see the company that made the toy, and their Web site. Call it shameless commercialism, but any parent that is honest will tell you that there are some toys in Baby Einstein: Baby Mozart that are well worth hunting down. Other features include some interaction with Baby Einstein founder Julie Clark and her now grown-up children. The entire package is nicely produced and worth the investment for any parents that have young children.
