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Learning about animals is always better when there are Muppets involved. Jim Henson’s The Song of the Cloud Forest and Animal Show with Stinky and Jake are two new DVDs about our favorite animals and the rain forest. Children can enjoy watching the zany antics of puppets and animals, while learning some valuable lessons in the process.
The two DVDs offer several different episodes to watch, each talking about different species of animals from our friends at the rain forest, to Africa’s finest. There are also plenty of songs to keep you entertained and educated.
Puppet Power
The Animal Show with Stinky and Jake is a silly and fun little show that is sort of a talk show for animals. Jake is a polar bear who hosts the show, and Stinky is his off-beat skunk side kick. The two of them interview different animals (all Muppets) and also show clips of actual animal footage. The interviews are usually silly and kids and adults will get a good laugh out of them.
The videos are nice to watch too because along with seeing real animals in their own environment, the cast will narrate what is going on, usually in a humorous fashion. For instance, there is a segment called “baby talk” where they will show baby animals walking around and Jake gives the animal an inner monologue.
There is also a taper (anteater) who is very upbeat and a rather sullen chicken hawk who makes you laugh because of his bored almost angry nature whereas the taper is very upbeat and overly happy. I laughed the most at his parts.
The Song of the Cloud Forest was a bit more serious and even sometimes scary. Cloud Forest was the first video on the DVD and it was about the creatures of the rain forest. It talked mainly about the golden frog who the humans or “up rights” say is on the brink of extinction, so they captured the only female of the species left in the forest and are trying to capture the male as well to breed them in a lab. The rest of the animals must now help him out, and teach the “up rights” that what they are doing is not good for the rain forest, even if they have good intentions.
Both DVDs are full of songs and important messages. The rain forest one shows that by taking even one creature out of the forest, you effect the entire ecosystem.
Laugh While You Learn
Though both DVDs had good messages and jokes, I think kids will like the Animal Show better than The Song of the Cloud Forest. Kids like silly and off-the-wall and Animal Show delivers on that a lot more than Cloud Forest. There was also a creepy scene in Cloud Forest where they are singing a song about how humans eat everything in the rain forest. It depicted humans as these black creatures with rock-like heads and sharp teeth, munching on rain forest creatures and leaves. Plus the song itself was very dark.
Other then that, I can say that I really got into the story of the rain forest. In fact towards the end I was saying to myself, “Just let the frogs mate on their own already!” However, I am an adult who understands about these things a lot more and I don’t know if very young kids (who this is geared towards) would get all the messages. They might just understand that the frog is sad and lonely and that they are afraid of the “up rights.” But, on the other hand, children will enjoy the colorful creatures, the songs and the humor involved.
There where some good jokes in the rain forest story though. At one point they talked about Milton, who is the golden frog, experiencing paradise lost. The Animal Show, too, had a lot of adult humor as well as jokes children would get. I think this is important because lots of adults watch these shows with their children.
I also loved the animal clips in Animal Show and would like to see some more.
Not paradise lost after all
I enjoyed watching The Song of Cloud Forest and Animal Show with Stinky and Jake and I think children would enjoy them as well, especially Animal Show. Though the kids might not get all the messages of The Song of Cloud Forest, they will still enjoy the colorful characters and fun songs. Plus, you never know, the messages may become clearer as they watch..
These would also be great additions to the classroom as well, especially pre-school through First Grade.
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