Mommy and Me

Mommy & Me helps you create a "playgroup": An interactive, together-time experience in your own home with favorite children's songs, with fun to sing on-screen lyrics, easy to follow movements, animation, advice from child development expert Dr Cindy, and Q & A with Dr Cindy. Promotes language and listening skills, develops physical coordination, enhances self-esteem, encourages imagination, and builds the parent child bond. For children aged 6 months to 5 years old. Color, not rated, 2.0 Stereo English/Espanol, captions in English, subtitles in Espanol, full frame 1.33:1, running time 32 minutes.

More Playgroup Favorites piles on a second batch of predictable songs--nothing you won't find on any preschool compilation--the main difference being that they're sandwiched between a solid five tracks of Mommy & Me-specific songs. "Shake My Hand (Hello Song)" and "Take My Hand (Goodbye Song)," call to mind snuggly together time for moms and tots across the country, and this CD capitalizes on their lovey-dovey devotion to the weekly groups that make interacting (goofing around on the floor and clapping out simple rhythms together) mandatory. Nothing wrong with that--some parents will even salute themselves for extending the enriching environment to their living room rugs. But this kind of fun, can grow formulaic fast, despite the performers' best stabs at loopiness. --Tammy La Gorce