It’s unanimous:  Baby IQ’s new DVD, “The World Around Us”, is a hit with both parents and babies alike.

As in the first group of reviewers, the second group lauded the music, stating that “What sets Baby IQ apart, in my opinion, is the caliber of music.”  And again, the parents were relieved that not only did their children enjoy the show, but they did too: “Most importantly, unlike a lot of kids shows and music, it’s not irritating to me as an adult, and I don’t mind when my kids want to watch it again.”

But a new theme emerged in the second group - how “The World Around Us” inspires conversation between parents and children.  As one mother described it:

“When I first became a parent, I found it awkward to have conversations with my newborn. It made me feel silly. I really didn’t have any experiences with babies, and I had very little experience with young kids. In our childbirth classes, we were told this was very common, and we were encouraged to give our babies a tour of our house when bringing them home from the hospital. The tour helps start a conversation. I think this DVD possesses the same quality: it gives you something to talk about with your baby.”

Another mom agreed, citing Baby IQ’s production ”in association with the UK’s National Literacy Trust campaign Talk To Your Baby. This campaign encourages parents to talk and share experiences with their children during the critical foundation years from birth to three.”  She added that, “It is difficult to talk to someone who is non-responsive and I could have used something inspirational like this.”

One mother to a toddler commented that ”I personally would be happier if the images in the animals segment were real, as opposed to puppets, but that is a minor price to pay for an educational video that engages the girl for more than five minutes.” Another mother whose baby is still quite young laughed that he “smiles when he sees the puppets, and I think he likes them because they have about the same amount of hair that he does.”

While it’s always helpful to find a show that engages children long enough to allow parents to cook dinner or fold the laundry in peace, it’s even better when that show is enjoyable and educational.  It seems that the defining points of Baby IQ “The World Around Us” are the quality of the music and its ability to engage parents and babies in naturally stimulating discussion.  Can’t say that for those creepy creatures with the screens in their bellies, can you?