Audio and Video Boosts for Kids’ Imaginations

Audio

Movies in My Mind, Volume 1: “Captain Cook--The Voyage of Endeavor” and “Amelia Earhart--A Flight Into History.” Imagination Development Group, LLC. 60 minutes. CD and cassette together, $20. Ages 3 to 10. (800) 546-4440. www.moviesinmymind.com

This ambitious new storytelling series comes with a lot of parent-directed information about countering TV and computer-game overload, which affects children’s ability to concentrate. It suggests fostering listening skills and stimulating imaginations with these two educational audio adventures instead, although in fairness it also recommends other audio books, old radio shows and reading aloud, too.

But don’t use a “because-it’s-good-for-you” approach with kids about these radio theater-style productions. Let them discover the pleasure of eventful stories unfolding in their mind’s eye as a pair of modern-day 6-year-olds discover a magical old-time radio. It’s inhabited by a friendly wizard who plunks them down in the middle of the brief but lively fictional and historical adventures.

Created by psychologist and learning specialist Mark E. Cooper and TV and film composer Carl Johnson, the tales include lessons in courtesy, courage and other worthy attributes. The child characters are spirited; the narrative, voiced by David Huddleston, is colorful and descriptive; and the performance is enriched by evocative sound effects and a lush, original symphonic score.

Country Goes Raffi. Rounder Records. CD: $18; cassette: $12. (800) ROUNDER. www.rounder.com/

Can it really be 25 years since children’s music’s first superstar, Raffi, started singing about baby belugas, shaking those sillies out and all manner of zany goings-on down by the bay? In this Nashville-style tribute album notable country artists put their individual spins on some of Raffi’s classics. Eric Heatherly’s “Down by the Bay,” young Billy Gilman’s “Baby Beluga” and Kathy Mattea’s “One Light One Sun” sound different but just as heartfelt. Raffi makes an appearance too, singing his more recent soulful anthem, “Blue White Planet.”

Video

Newton in a Bottle: Physics for Kids! Video: $15. 27 minutes. Ages 3 months to 6 years. (800) 840-4460. www.newtoninabottle.com

Yes, it might seem to be just another product in the dubious line of brainy baby products, but this computer-animated, wordless physics primer, produced by Hilary Heinmets, an engineer with a degree in applied physics, is a visual wow that captures toddlers’ attention with vivid colors, a variety of motion and fascinating shapes. Guided by an unlifelike, but curiously appealing animated yellow cat who morphs into a glossy yellow ball, viewers see demonstrations of cause and effect, gravity, momentum, changing spectrums of light, leverage and projectile motion.

The pace is slow and the visuals are big, colorful and chunky gears, incline planes, wheels, pulleys, levers, pipes, blocks and balls--and a Teletubbies-like periscope. Each demonstration is set to a different piece of music, from Strauss waltzes and “Nutcracker” themes to zydeco and salsa. A parents’ guide is available through the video Web site.