Baby Einstein—Meet the Orchestra: First Instruments

This noteworthy addition to the Baby Einstein series presents young viewers with a section-by-section, instrument-by-instrument introduction to the members of an orchestra. Of course, just how much a six-month-old is likely to appreciate the differences between various woodwinds is subject to debate (as is the question of whether these types of programs have any of the advertised-but-unproven positive effect on a child's development), but it's definitely engaging stuff. The puppet characters, live-action footage of musicians playing solo and in groups, images of little ones interacting with real and toy instruments—accompanied by a classical music soundtrack—are truly delightful, and toddlers' ears will no doubt perk up during the demonstrations of the various percussion instruments, with all the banging, jangling, and crashing. However, parents might want to make their pianos baby-safe, lest aspiring young Vladimir Horowitzes imitate the puppet character's keyboard pounding here. Little viewers may well demand encore performances, and with the generous-for-a-baby-program 41-minute length, that will be music to busy parents' ears. DVD extras include “Discovery Cards” segments (with images, words, and sound effects) and puppet shows. Recommended. Aud: P. (D. Liebenson)