Videos - Brooklyn,NY

Hi R.,
You don't need videos for a baby. The AAP recommends no t.v. before age 2 and there is no evidence that these "educational" programs do anything to improve your baby's skills. Babies learn by having interaction with people - you talking to her, holding her, playing with her and reading to her, and her getting to explore her environment. TV is neither necessary or beneficial.

More about the AAP's recommendation that I copied from another site:
The AAP has the following very clear position on kids/babies and television:

“Children of all ages are constantly learning new things. The first 2 years of life are especially important in the growth and development of your child's brain. During this time, children need good, positive interaction with other children and adults. Too much television can negatively affect early brain development. This is especially true at younger ages, when learning to talk and play with others is so important.

Until more research is done about the effects of TV on very young children, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not recommend television for children age 2 or younger. For older children, the Academy recommends no more than 1 to 2 hours per day of educational, nonviolent programs. “

How can TV negatively affect early brain development? First, TV takes away from the precious time babies have to interact with people and explore their environment. Second, possible links have been found between early television exposure and subsequent attentional problems in children. (See the AAP Study) Could TV cause ADD? The subject needs further research, but the current information is enough to elicit the strong response from the AAP.

2 moms found this helpful

Dear R., Mindy T is absolutely right! The American Association of Pediatrics recommends that children under 2 years old should NOT watch any TV at all, "educational" or otherwise. One of the main reasons is that at that age, the brain is not yet wired to be able to interpret the fast-changing scenes on a screen. It has been postulated that this exposure can lead to Attention Deficit because it can affect the way that a child processes information at a very critical period in development.
Instead of parking your baby in front of the TV, try to talk to her as much as possible. When you need a break, play her some music and expose her to books or other toys.
good luck!

The Brainy Baby videos are good!

I used a combination of Little Einsteins but more Baby Signing Time. We would watch signing together ...... and we learned together. Because DD learned sign she really did not speak until she was 2 but signed everything and never cried for anything because she could communicate. Our 3 year old watched and learned too and he still uses some of the signs when he really wants to get his point across by verbalizing and signing at the same time..... Love it and the kids loved it too!!!

As others have stated, a 7-month-old does not need to and should not be watching tv. Put on music and surround her with toys and board books if you need to get some things done. Turn the tv off and keep it off until she's at least 2!

Baby Einstein (Mozart, Bach, Van Gogh, etc), and any of the Sesame Street videos. I especially recommend SIng YourSelf Silly. I would not rely too much on tv for one so young, but I dont think that it will hurt in moderation. I let mine watch those when he was young, which gave me some much needed respite for a few moments, and he is now almost 12, is EXTREMELY articulate, loves art, loves music, writes poetry and really appreciates his surroundings. He remembers those videos to this day and although they were by FAR not the only reasons for his continued success, I believe that they did make a positive difference. Best of luck!

My boys LOVED the DVDS from www.signingtime.com (if you do a search on youtube you can see samples of the cute songs) The songs are catchy and the signs are easy to learn and it helps SOOOO much with communicating with children ata young age -and now my boys are older 2 and 3 and both still love to learn the signs of new things and uinderstand a whole new language (not to mention it comes in handy whle on the phone and I can sign for them to go and do something rather then have to stop talking to tell them something!!) I completely recommend it. The baby signing times are the best for that age then my next favorite is the one called My Day--- all great relivant words to learn. Feel free to email me... (You don't have to know signing to watch these... I learned with my boys as we watched them together)
S.

My son loved all of the Baby Einstein videos! LOVED them. Good luck!
L.

your baby can read by Dr R. Titzer.

I also agree with Mindy about avoiding videos at such a young age. Do you want to show a video because you need a break or are you hopeful that it will help with your child's development?

If you are going to show a video, stick with something short with "little movement" as in the camera focusing on objects for at least 10 seconds. They do say that the camera jumping from object to object may be linked to ADD. Little Einsteins is a great video series with classical music (which is great for development).

I agree that a baby should not be watching TV. Why not try music? There are many great CD's out there for children. My son's all time favorite is by this folk singer Elizabeth Mitchell, You are my Little Bird (I think that is what it is called). I know, you may think folk music is crappy, but believe me it is not! Her music is so pleasant and sweet, and perfect for a little baby. She also has other CD's out, You are my Flower and You are My Sunshine. Laurie Berkner is lots of fun too.

Hi R.-
You should try the Baby Einstein dvds.

At 7 months old, I really don't think a baby should be watching TV. There are some good shows for older children such as Super Why, Word World, Sesame Street, and a couple others. I would talk to your pediatrician though, cause I even think babies watching TV that young can harm their eyesight - I might be wrong about this though. I am not an "no TV at all" parent, but my child is now almost 2 and we still limit the amount of TV she watches and what she watches. Try just playing with your baby, put on music and dance with her.

There are some good suggestions by other responders. Before you buy anything, check your local library. Most libraries lend out videos & Music CD's. You may find a lot of choices that way, including the Baby Einstein Videos & CD's, and many other similar items, teaching shapes, colors, letters, numbers, etc. Most are marked with age ranges, so it makes it easier to decide if your baby is ready & able to watch & understand.

My nephew enjoyed Baby Einstein at about trhe same time and he still enjoys them at 7 years.