We received the "Your Baby Can Read: Early Language Development System" from Parent Bloggers to test with our boys. It included 5 DVDs and a set of several unique flash cards with basic words and phrases. After using them for a couple of months, here’s our feedback:

1. The quality of the DVDs is great - engaging and geared toward young children. No overly complicated sequences or gratuitous graphics, though I thought the pace was sometimes a bit too fast for toddlers and infants. The length is perfect and my boys were speaking back to the cute little girl who hosts the show!

2. The flashcards were a big hit! They slide open to reveal the written word so children associate one with the other. The blank card was a good idea, too. I wrote each boy’s name on one side and they liked flipping it back and forth --- though Jonah was miffed that his name didn’t have a “B.”

3. The way the system is marketed would not appeal to me in a retail environment. The box recommends that children watch the videos twice each day to help them develop reading skills, which seems to contradict most studies about the effects of television-watching on young children. I’m not convinced that teaching my boys to read as toddlers will help them academically/socially/emotionally. I would put more emphasis on the effective educational and brain-stimulating aspects of the video series. They’re certainly much better than most videos for young children.

4.  My boys sit still and watch the entire video when I play it.  Do you need more of a recommendation than that?!

Amazon carries the Baby Can Read DVD series - the $79.95 price for the five videos is a good value -- and the flashcards are an added bonus!

Check out Parent Bloggers to find out what other families think about the Your Baby Can Read DVD series!