As a mother of a 3 year old son I have had the pleasure of being thrown back into the world of childrens animation, and stories of lands far far away that the eye cannot see, but the imagination can imagine. I get to watch cartoons without guilt, hum nursery rhymes for a reason, and generally be a child all over again, and share innocent fun and pleasure with my son.

The world of childrens programming today is a give or take situation. Certain programmes you either love or hate -it's as simple as that. I find that I don't like programmes like Power Rangers of Pokemon etc, as the childlike innocence and fun seems to have vanished from the television screen, instead to be replaced by programmes that have more adult themes. So when my son started showing a keen interest in all that was Winnie the Pooh I was delighted. At last! My son and I can watch a fantastic programme that has delighted children for many years.

Winnie the Pooh - who are you?

Winnie the Pooh was first introduced into the literary world in 1926 through the writings of Alan Alexander Milne, or A.A Milne for short. The stories of Winnie the Pooh were based around his own sons(Christopher Robin) teddy bears and soft toys. Children got to step into the world that was the Hundred Acre Wood, and meet characters such as Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet and Tigger. Following the success of books came the televised cartoon stories that captured the imagination of many a child.

Why we bought this DVD

When my son first started showing his love for everything Winnie the Pooh we went on a mini rampage mission, trying to find DVDs, books and cuddly toys to fuel his interest and ignite his imagination. However, we are not a family with money to throw away on DVD after DVD - as many families aren't. So, being an intuitive online shopper, I decided to hunt around on places such as Ebay and Amazon for DVDs that had been out for a while and were selling at a cheaper price due to this. I ended up buying about half a dozen DVDs, and this DVD in question was one of them.

Volume 3 - It's Playtime with Pooh

The Look

The DVD case is an attractibe, colourful looking sleeve. The background is a pleasant mint green colour with a large coloured illustration adorning the centre of the front of the DVD case. This illustration is set in the Hundred Acre Woods. It depicts Winnie the Pooh and Tigger playing with an array of sports equipment and toys. Also you can see Gopher coming out of the ground with his yellow safety hat.

Above the illustration there is the Walt Disne logo in a pale gold colour. Above the actual characters, within the illustration, is depicted the title of the DVD. The guidance rating on the bottom left hand corner shows that this DVD has a U certificate, which means it is suitable for viewing by children and adults of all ages.

The Content

When we received this DVD my son was rather excited to watch it. He had systematically insisted on watching each DVD the second it arrived in the post. This DVD was no exception to the rule, so at 8:30 on a weekday morning I was told to put on the DVD before I had even let the caffeine from my coffee absorb through my veins!

This DVD contains four episodes, that are typical of the charm and magic that Winnie the Pooh and his friends bring to children all over the world. The episodes are designed to teach children the fun of playing together with your friends, learning how to share, how to not leave anyone out, and how to have fun with your friends. The DVD also explains the importance of caring for your friends around you. This is why I enjoy these episodes so much, as they are not just a money making venture by the manufacturers - they help teach my son valuable life lessons about friendship building, just as he has reached the stage of making his first real friends.

The Episodes included in the DVD are:

April Pooh - This episode is based around April Fools Day. Winnie the Pooh and his friends are having a series of April Fools tricks played on them - but the problem is that they are being frightened by them, especially Piglet. This episode shows how Winnie the Pooh and his friends have to come together to solve the mystery identity of the April Fool prankster. Through their journey of discovery they also help alleviate each others fears.

What's the Score Pooh? This episode is about friends working together to play a sports game. Winnie the Pooh is chosen to referee a ball game, and he is struggling throughout to keep score whilst his mind keeps wandering to thoughts of honey at lunchtime. Also an unenthusiastic Gopher has to learn that all work and no play makes a dull Gopher!

The good, the bad, and the Tigger - This episode is a Wild West bonanza packed with lots of fun Western style! Winnie the Pooh and Tigger play two desperadoes who acquire a runaway train and recklessly drive it through the Wild West, with Sheriff Piglet hot in pursuit, supported by his deputies Rabbit and Eeyore. When they are finally captured, they are put into a jail cell, where they have to reflect on the consequences of their actions, and realise what they did was wrong.

Bubble Trouble - Within this episode it all goes dreadfully wrong for Winnie the Pooh and his friends. After being fascination by blowing bubbles, Tigger sets out to make the best bubbles in the Hundred Acre Wood. However, they are TOO good, as one literally swallows up Winnie the Pooh and traps him inside. Whatever Tigger and friends do, they cannot set Pooh Bear free. The episode shows how the friends join together to help rescue Winnie the Pooh and save the day.

Extras

Also included with this DVD is a "Lets play Ball" game. This is an interactive game that your child can play with Winnie the Pooh and friends, and it is suitable for children aged 2-7. Obviously with younger children you will need to give them a helping hand, as I did with my son. It is hard for a 2 year old to play a game using a remote control.

Within this DVD you can also do Scene by Scene selection, and you can choose to either watch one episode, or run all the episodes one after another. The running time of this DVD in total is 59 minutes.

Costing

Originally when this DVD was first released in the UK in 2003 this DVD would have cost around the region price of £15.99. However, 5 years down the line it is much cheaper. You can find it being sold online at places such as Amazon and Ebay for as little as £3.97 -this is exceptional value for the fun and entertainment your child gets from this DVD.

Conclusion

This DVD captures the innocence and naivety that is Winnie the Pooh and his friends. The four episodes are fun and adventure packed for children to enjoy, whilst at the same time teaching them valuable lessons regarding friendship, and learning right from wrong. I found that after watching the DVD I could discuss with my son about why Winnie the Pooh and Tigger were naughty for stealing the train, and how you mustn't take things without permission. We were also able to discuss how Winnie the Pooh and his friends had fun playing games, as they played together and shared.

I feel that DVDS such as this are great building blocks for childrens education in the ways of socialising. They back up a parents teaching to their child, and teach it in a fun and interesting way that the child can relate to.

A 5/5 form our house for sheer fun packed education mixed in with a big dollop of nostalgia for myself!