How to Buy Books, Videos and Music for Your Children

Every parent knows that exposing your kids to books and music fosters a lifelong appreciation for both. Not only that, but it's so much fun to see your daughter enjoy reading her own stories, or watch your son rockin' his 2-year-old booty. Movies can also be great learning tools. But how to select from so many choices? Talk to your local librarian or bookseller, browse the age-appropriate recommendations at online stores, and preview all movies first at ScreenIt.com before handing over the remote.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Birth to 1 year. Books include Jamberry, I Am a Bunny, Goodnight Moon and any touch-and-feel book or nursery rhymes. Baby Einstein is a popular video series appropriate for this age, as is Gymboree, Babymugs! and So Smart. Raffi has been classic children's music for years, while classical music is said to be good for cerebral development.
2. For children 1-3 years old, look for items with a bit more substance. Now is when books like The Little Engine that Could or The Itsy Bitsy Spider should be read. Dr. Seuss can be introduced around this age, as can Eric Carle books like The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Anything with ABCs, numbers, shapes and colors is good. Public broadcasting has great television and video series for toddlers (Dora the Explorer, Clifford, etc.), while Winnie the Pooh, The Wiggles, Peter Rabbit and other favorites can be viewed, as well. At this age, the children still haven't grown out of Raffi, but can be opened up to the music of Barney, Country Bears and Sesame Street songs.
3. For 4-5 year olds, Maurice Sendak and Shel Silverstein titles can (and should) be introduced. Berenstain Bears and Make Way for Ducklings are favorites perfect for this age group. Public television is still a a life saver, while the slightly more mature content (good vs. bad) of Disney movies can be handled. Musical tastes have matured at this point, but so, too, should have your willingness to open the child up to more music. The Sound of Music soundtrack is a given, but Peter, Paul & Mary, Bob Marley and Peter and the Wolf are good tunes.
4. When the children are between 6 and 9 years old, the Harry Potter and Lemony Snicket series are safe. Classic titles like Madeline, Amelia Bedelia, Encyclopedia Brown and Charlotte's Web should be read. With videos and music, the children can be opened up to more pop-culture pieces in small doses. It's a judgment call for parents, but so long as there are age-appropriate themes and language, they should be acceptable. Some examples might include, the Harry Potter movies or the film The Princess Diaries, while mild radio pop is good music. However, kids are also curious at this age like they haven't been at other times. It's a good time to expose them to world music, jazz and other genres that might otherwise be tagged "grown-up."
5. Once a child reaches 10 years old, they can begin to explore and educate themselves a bit more. Reading, listening and viewing becomes something to think about and participate with, rather just do or entertain. J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Judy Blume come into view about this age. Films rated up to PG-13 might be acceptable, even if the child is a bit younger. Again, that's a parent's personal judgment call. Find versions of pop music that might even be a bit racier, but have been edit for a younger audience. At this more independent age, it's especially important to preview books, videos and music for evaluate for language and subject matter appropriateness.

Tips & Warnings

• Be very cautious about movie content. Disney movies, for example, are too intense for kids under 4 or 5 years of age even though many grownups think they're benign.