Playtime With The Motion Potion Kids

Fyllis Nadler hosts this interesting approach to children's exercise (running, jumping, stretching, etc.). Taking a group of pre-schoolers, she asks them to help her play make-believe. Together, the group visits the imaginative playgrounds of Kandyland (where they jump and grab lollipops off of an imaginary tree), a big kitchen (where they wriggle on the floor as spaghetti in a pot); and outer space, where they meet the sort of scary, sort of friendly Shapes. The production is generally well done, with the single drawback of Nadler occasionally looking at the wrong camera when she speaks (since the video is meant to involve the audience, this is rather annoying--but it happens infrequently). And kudos must go to Ms. Nadler for carefully walking the line between allowing her young charges absolute freedom, while recognizing the necessity of adhering to the script. Her manner is ebullient, but firm, with only the occasional note of stress in her voice. Recommended for public libraries and pre-schools. (Available from: Best Film & Video, 98 Cutter Mill Rd., Great Neck, NY 11021.)