Brain Food

Can Baby Einstein books and DVDs turn a child into a genius?

By Renea Arnold and Nell Colburn -- School Library Journal, 1/1/2007

One of the most frequently asked questions we hear from parents today is “What do you think about Baby Einstein books?” or “Should I let my baby watch Baby Einstein DVDs?” These questions about the popular series of books and audiovisual materials for babies come up at almost every parent training session, which tells us that parents are concerned and confused. They want what’s best for their children, so naturally, parents are interested in products that promote superior cognitive development, but they are equally skeptical. Thankfully, they are looking to us—librarians—for guidance.

We’ve found that Baby Einstein books are no better or worse than many other titles. It’s the marketing that’s troublesome—keying into parents’ feelings of competition and responsibility to create a “genius.” Actually, the Baby Genius series has great pictures for babies and even prompts parents to ask questions about what their children see on the pages. In truth, there is nothing wrong with the books themselves—except for the manipulation of parents’ emotions.

Katie O’Dell, a mother of a three-year-old, said of the Baby Einstein series, “I knew it was really more gimmick than something actually 'good’ for my baby. Every baby is already an Einstein and with touch, reading, music, and play, a successful start is guaranteed!”

The fastest-growing segment of the educational software market is programs designed for children under five. Much of it is “lapware,” aimed at children six months to two years old who sit on a parent or caregiver’s lap.

Most early childhood educators agree that computers are not effective for developing the kinds of skills that children ages six to 23 months need to master. They need interactive experiences and need to hear language that’s related to those experiences. DVDs are visual representations of life, not real life. The best toys aren’t static. They’re interactive, motivate a child to problem solve, and can be used in a variety of ways. In short, the best toys broaden a child’s world.

The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that children under two years old have no screen time; yet 61 percent of children under two use screen media every day. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation found that 99 percent of all children between the ages of six months and six years live in a home with a TV, 93 percent have a DVD or VCR player, 78 percent have a computer, and 50 percent have a video game player. The National Association for the Education of Young Children affirms the potential learning benefits of electronic media for children ages three to eight, but doesn’t recommend them for children under three.

We empathize with parents. Besides being enticed to “build a better baby” through Einstein books or DVDs, many parents turn to TV or computers for practical reasons—to entertain or to keep their children busy. Librarians can help parents determine what’s best for their children by sharing what children need to learn and the best way to learn it. Here are the basics: children are born with a natural curiosity—an intrinsic drive to make sense of their world. Children are active learners who need to touch something to know something. Children expand their knowledge of the world though play. Play is their work.

Early childhood specialist Sally Skelding says it best: “The secret to cognitive development is a child’s relationship with his parents. Positive interactions with a caring adult help a child become a thinking, feeling, creative individual—not media games, not DVDs, not battery-driven toys, not TV, and not a computer.” Instead, she says, “The best toy for a young child is an interactive adult.”