best video I have ever found for my children This is one of those rare pieces of entertainment that restores harmony to the household at the 6-8 pm witching hour and pleases my 5-year old son as much as my 2 1/2 year old daughter. You have not lived until you've watched the "Diva Hen" episode, with Hen singing somewhat raucously to Bizet complete with costumes. My kids just roar every time we play it. With its emphasis on kindness and friendship, no hint of violence, and a great score, Little Bear is QUALITY kids' entertainment. And this video may be the best of the bunch.
Wonderful stories and music, but not so great video quality. This tape of four stories contains my favorite Little Bear story, Little Bear Sings a Song and also the humorous Diva Hen (with snippets of real operas) and fun Little Bear's Band. Also included is a cricket story. These four stories focus on music, mostly vocal and the homemade variety (banging on pots and pans, etc.).
My only complaint is that the video quality is grainy and just barely adequate. All the Little Bear tapes (except the new 2001 movie?) are recorded at EP for some unknown reason (Nickelodeon is cheap?), which is too bad. You would probably get better quality just taping at home off your own VCR at SP. I would be interested in Little Bear on DVD if it were ever available!
Little Bear is definitely one of the best series on television for young children. It's creative artwork, music and storytelling are superior to just about everything else out there. Highly recommended for children aged 2-6 (and up?).
My son's favorite video This is, by far, my 2 year old son's favorite video. And, considering the fact that he can watch the same video over and over and over and over again, I find that this particular one is actually tolerable.
Gentle and Entertaining Stories Like all of the Little Bear videos, this charming collection of four 7-minute tales is so good that it almost justifies watching TV instead of playing outside! These stories are about kids just being kids (or rather, animal kids just being animal kids): exploring, playing with friends, laughing, and using their imagination to make up playful games with eachother. In this way, they are like A.A. Milne's original "Winnie the Pooh" stories, in which the characters' games and discoveries are the main attraction, and we come to love the characters not despite their flaws but because of them. And, in the Little Bear stories, mom and dad are supportive presences, mirroring the real world in which mom and dad are usually the most significant people in young children's lives.
My 3-year-old daughter loves the stories, and enjoys acting them out with me afterwards. The stories are neither too simple, nor too complicated. Similarly, the action unfolds at the perfect pace for young kids, neither the sluggish pace of Mr. Rogers nor the frantic and incomprehensible jump-cuts of the Power Rangers. Little Bear won't insult your kids' intelligence, and you may enjoy them yourself, too!
Unlike so much of TV/movies for kids, the Little Bear stores are not about conflicts with bad people [who, invariably, are bad for no reason other than to move the plot along (e.g., the wicked queen or stepmother, etc.)], or are about loud-mouthed kids who argue with eachother and avoid adults at all times (Rugrats and the like). I recommend all of the Little Bear stories, and the Little Bear show on Nicklelodeon, for any parent who wants a positive alternative to the brain-rotting noise that one usually finds on TV.
Hurray for Little Bear!
Sweet and charming If you're a fan of this endearing, gentle series, this newest video will not disappoint you. Each of the four stories are cute and memorable. This is a refreshing break from the typical children's fare. The delivery is deliberate and thoughtful, with charmingly performed voices, fine drawings, and pleasant- even intelligent background music. We're not big TV-watchers and we don't care for Saturday morning cartoons, but Little Bear is a treat for the young and young-at-heart!
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