Pros: Catchy, wholesome fun for kids that won't inspire homicidal impulses in parents.
Cons: The puppets are a little creepy at first.
The Bottom Line: This video is fun for your kids and for you. It won't get on your nerves, and you may even catch yourself singing "Fruit Salad, Yummy Yummy" at work.
DiamondDave's Full Review: Wiggles, The: Yummy Yummy
"If I hear that d#$% Barney song one more time. . . ." I'd bet I'm not alone in that sentiment. You probably don't even have to have a kid of your own to know that you dislike Barney, or at least are ambiguous about him. . .her. . .whatever it is. Your kids will probably love The Wiggles, and you just might find yourself enjoying them too.
What? You've never heard of The Wiggles? Well neither had I until about a week ago. My son kept asking for "Wiggle-Wiggle" but we had no idea what he was talking about. It turns out he had been exposed to The Wiggles at stranger-care. He seemed so enthused that we decided to pick up one of their videos, Yummy Yummy to see what all the hub-bub was about.
Well, his enthusiasm was not without warrant. The Wiggles are four guys from Australia who have videos and CDs and seem to have a pretty good time. They're kind of like The Monkees meets Crocodile Dundee, without the knife and the blatant LSD references. Each guy wears a different colored t-shirt, black pants, and black shoes. They sing and do aerobic, kid-friendly dances, play instruments, have fun activities like food preparation, throw in the occasional simple magic trick, and have videos of some of their songs performed by these creepy looking puppets of themselves.
I know what you're thinking: What makes these guys so special? There is plenty of child entertainment out there. But these guys really do stand out. The songs, while simple, are very catchy. I've even downloaded a few off Napster just because I wanted to hear them again. The dances are easy for kids to do, and dare I say offer a pretty good degree of aerobic workout. They make kid-friendly, healthy food like "Crunchy Munchy Honey Cakes" (where your kids will learn cool new Down-Under lingo like 'Muesli flakes') and "Fruit Salad", each accompanied by its own fun song and choreography. There are also some regular other characters, like "Captain Feathersword the Friendly Pirate", "Dorothy the Dinosaur" (hmmm, I wonder who that was derivative of.), "Henry the Octopus", "Wags the Dog", and "Paul the Cook" (who coincidentally, was the drummer for the band "Crowded House.")
You can look to other opinions here if you're really curious about what songs, bits, and running order the tape has, but the flow of the video is good overall, and the production, although simple, is well done.
The Wiggles are absolutely HUGE in Australia. Its been estimated that something like 50% of Australian households with children have either attended a Wiggles concert, or have a Wiggles CD or video in their homes. Olivia Newton-John should be so popular. I personally think that these guys could well end up being the next big thing here in the states. They will definitely be taking a nice chunk of my money over the coming years as I, . . . I mean, my son collects their CDs, videos, and attends their concerts.
So spend a few bucks for this great introduction to The Wiggles. Its about time you and your kid(s) could agree on what to watch on TV.
(visit The Wiggles website at http://www.thewiggles.com.au )
Recommended:
Yes
Viewing Format: VHS Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children up to Age 4
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