Movie Square

Little Bear DVD’s are the next best thing to reading a story to a child…sometimes you just don’t have the time. Little Bear is there to buy you some peace and quiet and entertain any preschooler with simple story lines.
Rating: 5 / 5

You can get a sense of how awesome the Little Bear videos are from the fact that they almost never come up for sale used much cheaper than the new ones, here or on ebay. I’ve been combing the internet for used Little Bears, and they are like gold, for good reason!

If you are tired of shows that are loud and fast-paced, or tired of commercials on tv, and just want wholesome, engaging, fairly low-key entertainment for your child, Little Bear is IT! Another reviewer recommended renting first to find out which ones your family likes best, and I heartily agree.

That said, once you start buying Little Bear videos, it’s hard to stop! This one was initially not one of our (me and my daughter, now age 2 1/2) favorites, but we just re-rented it from the library after not seeing it in a while, and it really grew on us. The clincher was that after watching the Valentine episode, while I was making dinner, my daughter spontaneously made me her first ever Valentine, then came into the kitchen to surprise me with it, saying, “Happy Birthday Valentine’s Day, Mommy!” Way to go, Little Bear!

I am really surprised at how often my daughter is thinking about Little Bear plots and characters even when she’s not watching it. We’ll be driving somewhere, and she’ll start talking about an episode, asking what happened with a certain character after the episode ended, etc. If that’s not one sign of quality children’s tv programming, I don’t know what is! I also like that the characters all tend to treat each other with love and respect, so I don’t have any worries about my daughter repeating words or actions she learns on Little Bear.

In addition, I really love how Little Bear has adventures using just his imagination and occasionally some simple household props. So many tv shows make you feel like you have to buy “stuff” to have fun. Not Little Bear! He can make a mountain out of a blanket, or a doll out of a scrap of old cloth, or a space helmet out of a box, and before you know it, he’s off on an exciting adventure with his animal friends. I also appreciate that nontraditional families are shown: LB’s friend Emily lives with her grandmother, and for some episodes, LB’s father is “away,” so it’s just him and Mama Bear. I think it’s good for children to grow up sensitive to and appreciative of all types of families. It’s also neat that despite being an only child, er, bear, Little Bear is never bored, and always finds ways to create his own entertainment.

We will probably end up buying all the Little Bear DVDs, just to have a good variety to choose them. I hope my daughter likes them for a long time, because I like them too! They are cozy and sweet, and seem to embody everything that’s good about children’s tv. Two thumbs up, way up!
Rating: 5 / 5