Recommendations for great Aussie kids DVD's/CD's....

[Beach Mama]

Anyone who comes in here telling me not to use a tv as a baby sitter is gonna get a big one of these

Now that I've got that out of the way I put a DVD on for about 30 mins a day in the arvo for Isabelle after her nap. She knows the routine - sits on her Dora couch with her fruit and sultanas and watches whatever is on while she eats. This gives me time to get dinner on etc... after about 20-30mins she gets up and starts dancing and seeing what I am doing etc.

Anyway, so far we have The Wiggly Safari - which we loves because it has the wonderful Steve Irwin in it plus it's all about Aussie animals, Pop Go The Wiggles with lots of nursery rhymes, and although it's not Australian - Baby Einstein Mozart which she also loves.

Being a new mummy I have NO idea what is good for kids as far as this stuff goes and I'd love something educational as well as musical and fun!!
There is so much out there.... HI-5 is an option I guess but maybe I am missing something fab!

Any recommendations that will see her through from now for a few years would be great! Just thought I'd mention too that she loves anything with music and singing... talking DVD's like Dora just don't cut it right now!

TIA

[MrsFabuloso]

Peter Coombe is a great childrens musician. Not sure if he has any DVD's (don't think he does) but he has some pretty good songs. Lots of nonsense and funny songs.

[mummy of many]

hi transtar, i found a wonderful music cd from the abc book shop,called lets sing,from one of the girls off play school,her name is justine clark,she has just release another one too,but havent checked it out as yet.her songs are played on pay tv on the nickjunior channel,its great for the little ones and easy for the mums and dads to sing,we have it on in the car for our two smallest bub and toddler.my dd use to love hi-5,but she is over them now.

[Shellbelle]

Tan, as you know from our BB group, my boy is not one to sit still for very long periods of time!! Funnily enough, the ONLY show he stops to watch for a few minutes is In the Night Garden! Is the most pathetic show I have seen with silly characters, but he loves it!!! DD 2 was on the abc site playing the game, he heard the music, ran to the comp and started dancing!! Crazy crazy boy!!!

[Mum0809]

Raggs!!!!!! They are great dvd's. I know Big W and target have them. My ds LOVES them.

[mrsmac]

Playschool videos usually have a mix of singing and stories etc. DS will sit for Bob the Builder and Thomas.

[diva det]

instead of buying DVD, can i suggest you get a Digital set top box- they are around $30 plug it into you tv and you pick up ABC2 which has ABC kids on it from 10-3pm weekdays and on part of the weekends
well worth the investment!

mummy's sanity time!!

[Lulu]

Go the Hi5, BOTH my kids love it.

I'm shattered to here you dis the Night Garden Shell! I love it to bits and I'm strangely excited that the toys will be here soon. DD would love an Iggle Piggle doll!

[Beach Mama]

Shell and Lulu - Oh lordy - In the night garden... what is it with that freaky show!!!!??? She loves it as well - not sure what the fascination is - must be some sort of subliminal message I'm sure coz those things are WEIRD!!!!

Odette - we have a built in tuner so we get ABC2 already - some of the shows she doesn't really like though and I like putting something on that get's her full attention!

I think I will definately go for Hi-5 next and maybe the Justine Clark stuff - I have heard that they are pretty good too. Thanks for the suggestions and keep them coming peoples!

[Arimeh]

Hmm.. DS likes Raggs, In the night garden, play school, in the night garden, thomas, in the night garden, bob the builder, did I mention in the night garden?

Funny thing is, he'll carry the bob dvd over to me and say something similar to bob and point to the tv, but he only wants the theme song!!!!! arghhhh... so I have to listen to the damn theme song over and over....

[monnie]

Yep...I'm a Justine Clarke fan too!

"I like to sing" is great! Great music and choreography is really fun!

You can get the DVD/CD from your local library to check it out before buying it!

[~clover~]

How about Dora The Explorer. My DD's have a Dora dance thingy.
It comes with a DVD, Dance mat, Your own Dora clothes, & Maracca's. It's noisy, but keeps them busy, coz Dora gets them up to dance with her.
My mum got it for them. Jaz is a bit old, but Bri loves it. It cost around $40 at Big W.
I like it coz it gets them off their butts. Or they can just sit & watch if they want. It still has all the problem solving that she usually does, but it may work better than expecting her to sit still the whole time.

[Beach Mama]

Ok is it just me or are Hi-5 annoying?? I taped it the other day for her so she could watch it when she woke up from her nap (didnt' even realise when it was on, no TV on during the day here really!) anyway, she did like it and danced and sang (babble) but far out - they are annoying! I might keep Hi-5 for when she actually asks for it rather than subjecting myself! I think Id rather hear Queen of the Roses a billion times a day!

Mel - at the theme song - that is sooo cute!

Might look into a more musical Dora one, she loves pictures of Dora and her Dora couch as well as music and songs right now to dance and sing to rather than listening to much talking, but likes In the night garden - go figure. I still think they are weird.
Thanks again!

[AnyDream]

See if you can track down some stuff by Funny George off playschool. Umm...George Spartells is his name, very entertaining! Well actually I would endorse anything with the Playschool name attached, consistently good.

Also, IMO you can't go past The Fairies. They're a couple of mums from Adelaide!