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• The Poison Bottle: Canada and Walmart Take BPA Off Market

  Thanks to Canada’s proposed ban on plastic baby bottles with the chemical BPA, Walmart stores have announced they look to have such bottles free from their stores by next year.   Playtex, manufacturer of baby bottles, has also jumped aboard the anti-BPA bandwagon, announcing the company will discontinue BPA products by years end.   BPA, or bisphenol A, is a common plastic component  found in dental sealants, baby bottles, the liners of food cans, CDs and DVDs, eyeglasses, water bottles and hundreds of household goods. If you are not familiar with the possible dangers of BPA... Read More... Posted Apr 23 2008, 09:00 AM by Cole Gamble with | with 16 comment(s) Filed under: Cancer, Canada, puberty, toxic, baby bottles, DVDs, BPA, plastic, bisphenol A, water bottles, prostate, health scare, household items

• Sesame Street Unsafe for Little Kids?

  Awww. Sad. According to this witty article by Virginia Heffernan in the Sunday New York Times magazine, Volumes 1 and 2 of the Sesame Street: Old School DVDs carry a parental warning. To wit, according to the story: “These early ‘Sesame Street’ episodes are intended for grown-ups, and may not suit the needs of today’s preschool child.”   Read More... Posted Nov 20 2007, 04:18 PM by AmyinMotown with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: sesame street, DVDs, parental advisory

• Peppa Pig and the Adorable Accent

  Oh, British children's cartoons, what is it about you? Granted, I have slight Anglophile tendencies, but if an animated cat starts talking about prams and teatime, I'm totally mesmerized.  When I was in London earlier this year, I made my husband sit through an entire episode of Postman Pat, during which absolutely nothing happened except that cute clay characters puttered around being British. So I'm pleased to present the latest UK cartoon import: Peppa Pig, which comes to DVD today. Normally, this much grunting and burping in a children's cartoon might get to me, but in this case, the accents make it worthwhile.  At least, for the duration of this clip.  Anybody out there actually seen the show?   Posted Sep 25 2007, 11:46 AM by Gwynne Watkins with | with 4 comment(s) Filed under: children's television, DVDs, peppa pig

• Knocked Up on DVD: Like Being Pregnant All Over Again

  More than any other major film this summer, Knocked Up was worth the cost of a babysitter. But if you missed it, the DVD goes on sale Tuesday – in both a thrifty Unrated Edition and a Two-Disc Collector’s Edition.  Fans of the Special Features menu will get good mileage out of the two-disc set, which features very funny deleted scenes, blooper reels, and “documentaries” about the making of the film, not to mention extra footage of the director’s adorable children.  You can preview some of the deleted scenes on the Knocked Up website – and while you’re there, check out the disturbing “Babymaker” game that allows you to meld two pictures into future-baby photos. I don’t care what you say, Babymaker – Paul Rudd and I would make beautiful children.  UPDATE - Win a copy! Karen Rani on Droolicious is hosting a Knocked Up DVD giveaway here. Posted Sep 20 2007, 11:00 AM by Gwynne Watkins with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: Knocked up, DVDs

• Russell Crowe's New Flick: Parenting DVD

  The Australian government is giving away a free five-hour parenting DVD to every new parent. The interactive DVD, creatively named The Raising Children DVD, features celebs like a couple rugby players, a television personality, and Mr. Russell Crowe, as well as some regular old parents (we call them "rising stars"). The whole thing was reviewed by a couple parenting experts, who said, "I laughed, I cried, I loved it" and "A roller-coaster ride of thrills. Don't miss it!" In addition to resources and information about child development, the DVD includes parenting tips. Crowe has a nice moment when he gets all oiled up and shares this bit of wisdom: "To my son - I tell him I will see him again soon. To keep his heels down while riding his horse." Wha? Oh sorry, that was Gladiator.   Read More... Posted Aug 21 2007, 08:37 AM by Kelly Mills with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: australia, parenting advice, Russell Crowe, DVDs

• Straight-to-DVD Disney Sequels Get the Axe

  When superstar Pixar animators and new Disney hotshots John Lassetter and Ed Catmull announced last week that Disney, now their parent company, is putting the kibosh on their extremely lucrative and truly crappy straight-to-DVD sequel line, my first thought was "What took so long?" Those movies are truly lame.  Have you seen Lady and the Tramp 2: Scamp's Adventure? Don't.  The only things dumber than the story is the music, which is grating at best.  And don't even get me started on Return to Neverland, the sequel to Peter Pan, which is set against the charming backdrop of the Nazi regime's blitz on London during WWII.  You know, because you're never too young to learn about the Third Reich.  Good times! Read More... Posted Jul 24 2007, 10:20 AM by Alisyn with | with 4 comment(s) Filed under: entertainment, Movies, disney, DVDs, pixar, family films, hayao miyazaki, ed catmull, john lassetter

• One-Stop-Shopping for Cool Music and Media at Pokey Pup

  The Pokey Pup is a sweet online resource for parents looking to expand their kid-friendly music and media collection.  Don't roll your eyes - you won't find any heinous "Music Together" or Barney sing-alongs here.   What you will find is cool for all ages, and maybe even something for the hard-to-buy-for dude in your life for Father's Day: classics like The Electric Company Greatest Hits and Bits, and thoughtfully selected discs like The B-52's Time Capsule: Songs for a Future Generation,  Bruce Springsteen's The Seeger Sessions, and Shonen Knife's Let's Knife - music that is not made with kids in mind, but that kids can appreciate, enjoy, and even learn from. The media section boasts oldie-but-goodie books on CD like Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel, Dr. Seuss Presents: Greatest Hits, and Casey at the Bat, as well as DVDs like They Might Be Giants Here Come the ABC's and several Pancake Mountain selections, which rock so hard, I watch them without my kids.  There area also some really intriguing "world music" selections that don't include Enya - stuff like New Orleans Playground, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Los Lobos.  You can search the site by age or category, and everything that pops up is virtually guaranteed not to make your ears bleed.  Pretty cool, right? I had no earthly idea that Johnny Cash made a children's album but, thanks to Pokey Pup, it's what my girls are getting their dad for Father's Day!  Check their selection out, and tell me what you were happy to find.  Posted Jun 04 2007, 09:09 AM by Alisyn with | with no comments Filed under: music, media, kids music, DVDs, father's day gift guide, books on cd, pokey pup

• Babble Talk: New Children's DVDs Reviewed

  Television.  Love it or hate it, there will come a time when you'll need/want your kids to watch it.  The nice thing about DVDs is you can free your kids (and yourself) from the undue influence of TV advertising and unknown content streaming into your living room. Lucky for you, Babble reviews a slew of new children's DVDs to save you from Barnie hell, or Dora overload.  Think of this as your Netflix and Blockbuster Clif's Notes. Here is a selection: 1. Free to Be You and Me - A classic from the 1970s that is at times dated, but still a great watch.  Marlo Thomas and friends sing songs and tell stories. 2. It's a Magic Al World - Potentially annoying for parents, but great for kids who appreciate magic (aka: "loving lie"). 3. Gustafer Yellowgold Wild Wide World - Apparently, best viewed when high (parents only). Lisa Carver's kids thought it was boring. 4. Peter Pan Two Disc Platinum Edition - You'll feel guilty as hell letting your kids watch the totally inappropriate racist carryings-on with "injuns" and sexist nonsense about how girls and boys act, but the children will enjoy it, so fair warning. For more suggestions, go here.  Posted Apr 15 2007, 01:19 PM by Rachael Brownell (Redsy) with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: kid movies, babble talk, DVDs, reviews

• Gimme a Beat: Hip-Hop for Preschoolers

  Entrepreneurial mom Candi Carter noticed that her son loved rhythmic music so much that she decided to create a beat-heavy video called It's Hip Hop, Baby to get her kid (and your kid) moving. After scouring the market for "cutting edge" musical DVDs she found nothing that she liked so she went out and did it herself. It's Hip Hip, Baby contains a mix of kid classics and original songs.  Even though Carter says she is more of a Pat Benetar and Foreigner fan (rawk!), she felt that hip hop music had broader appeal to kids. On the next CD, crunk kings Lil Jon and the Eastside Boys teach your kids how not to "Act a Fool," Akon reworks his ode to strippers "I Wanna Love You" into a lullabye, and Ciara teaches kids the "1, 2 Step." (Um, which my kids already know. *Hangs head.*) It's Hip Hop, Baby is available on Amazon.com.    Posted Apr 12 2007, 01:02 PM by Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) with | with no comments Filed under: products, music, hip hop, DVDs, it's hip hop baby

• Disney Expands Popular Electronics Lines in Time for Summer

  Disney is launching new electronics products for summer, including mobile DVD units with panels for more than one viewer, video MP3 players, and other tools to help stressed out parents get through road trips as well as the "I'm bored" complaints of family vacations. The Disney Mix Stix Audio MP3 players allow kids to listen to their favorite music and videos, as well as view personal photos.  All of these electronics come in popular Disney themes such as Hannah Montana and Pirates of the Carribean. My kids are still young enough to be entertained in the car by reading books and eating graham crackers.  If we ever get to the point of requiring movie-watching to get through a road trip, I'm sure we'll turn to Disney, but that doesn't mean I have to be happy about it. Posted Apr 12 2007, 11:34 AM by Rachael Brownell (Redsy) with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: traveling with kids, Movies, disney, products, summer, DVDs