Your baby's potential is immense. At Baby Einstein, we're committed to exposing young children to the greatest forms of human expression -- language, poetry, music, science and art -- in a way that they love. DVD offers three exceptional features: interactivity, multimedia programming capabilities, and stunning digital playback quality. The BABY SHAKESPEARE DIGITAL BOARD BOOK(TM) takes adv

Average Customer Review: ( 119 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.

I heard about Baby Einstein products from friends, but did not become interested until I learned of the company's dedication to providing financial support to MANY children's charities such as the Autism Society of America, Ronald McDonald House, The Eden Institute, a leading school for educating autistic children, and a host of other organizations committed to children with special needs. I now own several Baby Einstein videos and most of the companion books - they are excellent educational tools.

Additional recommendations - "Baby Mozart," "Baby Van Gogh," "Baby Dolittle Neighborhood Animals," also, Richard Scarry's "BEST" videos are excellent for children 1 year and up.

20 of 20 found the following review helpful:

Another success from the Baby Einstein's CompanyFeb 18, 2000

I was informed about Baby Einstein's products when my son was 3 months old. So the first video I tried was the Baby Mozart. When my husband and I first looked at it, it looked silly but my son absolutely loved it. The video somehow manages to capture baby's attention. So we bought Baby Einstein next. My baby just laughed at all the little silly things they do on the video. Baby Shakespeare, in my opinion, is a video you buy if you already have the other videos since kids will remember the puppets and the setup and they like the familiarity. I rotate the 3 videos for my son and he absolutely loves them all.

18 of 18 found the following review helpful:

(Mostly) Guilt-free PleasureJul 09, 2004
By R. Key
This video entertains my 16-month-old son without fail, and has for the six months we've owned it. He's seen Baby Van Gogh, Baby Galileo, and Baby Neptune, as well as cartoons and other child-directed video; this remains his favorite.

In brief, it consists mostly of vignettes featuring child-friendly themes such as trains and butterflies, with pictures and poems about each subject drawn from Shakespeare, Ogden Nash, William Wordsworth, W.B. Yeats, and others; these are interspersed with footage of mobile toys with Beethoven's music played behind (performed by a small ensemble featuring piano, guitar, drums, vibes, etc.) and quick shots of kids doing things like singing the ABC song. The gentle, quiet images and music--the other videos mentioned above are busier--seem to connect best with him in his generally calm household (and with his verbal parents).

I recommend it with only a couple reservations, and they're contextual. First, one can argue that the very young shouldn't get a lot of TV exposure, and I won't argue against that. Secondly, I can't swear that Alex is taking away a lot from this, only that he finds it more engaging than any other TV/video he sees, and we believe its content is wholesome and harmless... and that's what we ask of it.

Other Baby Einstein reviewers have ranted that the videos are "baby crack": mesmerizing, risking the creation of ADHD-speed attention spans, and indoctrinating about toy products. I think that's catastrophizing. My son watches this easily because it's colorful, simple, and has toys and kids in it--the things that interest him--without a lot of frenzy; he gets bored with cartoons or Sesame Street, but not this.

As other reviewers say: Maybe its greatest value is in holding little attentions for a half hour without damaging them, so bathroom or household tasks can be knocked out without howls and pleas for attention. It accomplishes this without turning Alex into a zombie, and he's always impressed that I know the ABC song or Julie's opening poem about the main character. Don't ask it to educate your child or babysit beyond one-showing's length, and I think you'll be happy (and mostly guilt-free) that it's in your house.

See all 119 customer reviews on Amazon.com