Little UpStarts: Babies Moving Right From the Start! Vol. 2

When childhood obesity began to appear in print coupled with the word “epidemic,” we all knew baby workout videos wouldn't be far behind. Following in the footsteps of the innumerable Baby Einstein knockoffs, this program features exercise instruction geared toward babies approximately 5-8 months of age, rounded out with “eye stimulation” (in the words of the jacket copy) such as fast-motion footage of an artist at work and skits with finger puppets. Exercises include “commando crawling,” the “cab ride,” “baby hoops,” “tilt-a-whirl,” “ball toss” (apparently it's best to develop that all-important eye-hand coordination as soon as possible), and “wheelbarrow walk,” concluding with the injunction to “let [the baby] do as much as possible on her own.” BINGO! Babies get lots of exercise already, doing what they want at their own pace without overachiever parents pushing them. In fact, babies have learned how to crawl and walk for millennia without DVD instruction. Not recommended. Aud: P. (R. Reagan)