Thoughts on Signing Time Vol. 4-6

[corrie23]

So I was wondering who else has received and viewed volumes 4-6. We've had them for 3 days now and have watched them A LOT (DD has been getting over the flu or something so we've been squirely shut-ins). DH has been a bit critical, saying they jumped the shark with the addition of "Hopkins" (he's joking), but they do have a different flavor to them that I'm still getting used to. They seem more "commercial" for lack of a better term. More computer generation, integrating the songs more into the teaching of the signs, etc. And what's up with Rachel's fingers and those colored bands? Is that because of the blue screen or something? I miss Alex and Leah. They are definately supporting roles in these with Rachel as the lead. DD was a bit upset by this. She keeps signing "Alex!"

Some changes I'll need to get used to...the extended dance mix version of the ST theme, the aforementioned colored fingers, "Hopkins" and other additional computer animation, the "treehouse" seeming more llike a boat....

Things I really like....the tons of extra signs and bonus features, DD LOVES the DVDs (although now she cries if volumes 1-3 come on-she just wants to see the new ones, I hope this will pass), I still love the concept and how much DD has learned by watching.

So what are your thoughts, do tell!

P.S. I feel creepy everytime I hear Rachel react to the xylophone in the "x" song. It sounds like she's having sex IMO.

[Vajrastorm]

We just got ours today, and watched 4 and 5 a few times each. (I think? The one we have not yet watched is the alphabet one).

The style is very different and I haven't quite gotten used to it.
Hopkins is just ... strange. Kind of gimmicky without a point?

Aine was pretty darn excited to have new ST shows, and in the end that will be the real test - how much SHE likes them. During the song about various ways to move, she started dancing when Rachel signed/sang dance, and it was too cute not to love.

The grumpy ranting duck was very amusing.

[suz]

So far, I've only watched vol 4 and 6. I like the format of the previous set a lot more. Maybe I just need to get used to the new format. I think 4-6 is definitely more advanced and there is less repetition. Overall, still a good concept, but my DD just doesn't seem as interested as the previous set.

Also, I'm not sure if I have a bad set or what, but the dvds periodically skip. Anyone else having this problem?

[westchicagomom]

I probably shouldn't comment since I have only watched 4 once (we just got them today), but I completely agree w/ you on several of your points as does my DH.

His first comment was that they lost the "filmed in the garage" feel which in this case is a negative which I didn't understand until I watched it for myself.

I feel like the theme song should say ST w/ Rachel now. Alex and Leah are definitely not the stars anymore (at least in 4) which is sad IMO. Alex is such a character too and was so cute and entertaining in the other videos - they just didn't seem to capitalize on it this time around.

I miss the voiceovers of kids as there seems to be less of those. I don't understand the frog. I don't really care for the new theme song (apparently they slowed it down due to customer requests). They do a lot less repetition which is okay considering the amount of times we have watched 1, 2 and 3. And to me they just seem more distant - in the previous shows they seemed to jump into your living room. Now it feels like you are watching tv - they are kind of removed IYKWIM.

Maybe it will just take some getting used to, but after I watched 3 for the first time I about cried just because it was so well put together and it just made you feel good. I didn't get those warm, fuzzy feelings after watching this one.

I know it is hard to make a sequel to something so successful, Rachel seems like a real sweetheart and I am 100% behind her in the reasons she started this project, so I hate to say anything critical about them. I am on their yahoo group and she just mentioned tonight that all the changes they made were in response to what customers said, so maybe they will change things back for the next 3 which are scheduled to be animals (zoo, farm and pet), places I go and tenatively around the house.

I doubt there is anything else better out there and DD learned so much from 1,2 and 3, so there is no doubt we will remain customers. Look for new board books to go along w/ the videos in February!

Oh and the colored tape on her fingers is to help differentiate which fingers she is using. Sometimes it was hard to tell (like for airplane).

[westchicagomom]

There was a MAJOR problem w/ the dvd production. Whoever you bought them from should be sending your name in to the company so you can get new ones sent to you. You will keep the cases and send the old dvds back. If you bought them from Amazon, you might have to contact the company yourself.

[egoldber]

I do not have these videos or seen them at all. I just wanted to point out that Alex and Leah and not "young" any more. :) They are both elementary school age. I know that part of the point of the videos is to see actual babies, toddlers and preschoolers signing. Since Alex and Leah are so "old" now, maybe that is why they are no longer in the videos?

But I think its odd they don't at least make a cameo appearance. :)

[MartiesMom2B]

I'm glad that you are posting this. I was considering to get the extra volumes, but what Martie loves about it are the kids. So I think we'll just stick to Vol. 1-3.

-Sonia

[rrosen]

I love the videos! I think Rachel's personality really shines through in all of the new songs. I also like that her daughter Lucy is in so many of the shots. I am aleady walking around singing all of the new songs.

On Rachel's yahoo group she explained that the colored bands were painted on her fingers to help you see what they were doing when moving very quickly.

Also, for those that have faulty DVD's they are working really hard to correct this. Those who ordered directly from Signing Times should already have the new disks, those who ordered through a distributor should contact them to get the new disks.

HTH!

[Jennamax]

DS loves volumes 1-3 - I didn't even realize there were more!

[westchicagomom]

Sonia, there are still a lot of kids in the video. I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea.

Alex and Leah are still in the video which is meant for kids 1-8 so I don't think their age is the issue of them not appearing much. They are just in a supporting role as OP mentioned.

I still think your DD would be happy w/ the videos and I hope that these videos are as much of a learning tool as the first ones for my DD because we would have never taught her as many signs as quickly as the first set did. It was pretty unbelievable!

ETA - and I just talked to my DH who watched them again last night while I was gone and he now likes the new format. He says while Rachel is in front of the camera a lot more, she is doing more then just staring at it and signing. And he mentioned that Alex and Leah are still shown a lot but they are just in the background doing "stuff". I guess I am just resistant to change.....

[supercalifragilous]

ITA what the other moms have said - it's taking us a long time to get used to this "commercial" version and I feel like the signs are changing too fast. I wish there were more clips of actual kids signing. By the time DD is starting to copy the kids in the video, the sign changes to the next one! DD really LOVES watching the actual kids signing.

I miss Alex & Leah too. DD really loved the pizza song from the last set but this time it seems like some of the songs are going too fast for her to follow. I can't even follow them myself! :(

I gotta say though that I love seeing Leah's little sister a lot more in this video and I like the fact that they're letting Leah talk more - I love to see her being so confident - she's so cute in the veggies sequence! And I love that they added "extra" signs at the end of each video - but I think they could have made the actual video a little longer to incorporate them instead of adding them at the end...

Can someone direct me to the Signing Times yahoo group?

[sbaker]

The Signing Time group can be found at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alexandleah/

Just my two cents...
:) :+ :)
Sara
Mom to:
Rayce 02/09/02
Charlye 12/20/03

[supercalifragilous]

Thank you!

[corrie23]

Thanks for mentioning this. There were serious technical probs. with my Vol. 5 the first time we watched it but I didn't want to mention it in case it was my DVD player or something. I guess now I'll have to contact the distributor and pass the message along to my sister (who hasn't even received it from the distributor yet but I know it's in the mail)

-Corrie

[Jennamax]

I didn't even know there was a group - cool!

[ohiomom]

We got our new DVD replacements in the mail already.

As PP noted, we are not really thrilled w/the new format. DD will just sit and stare at vol 1-3 (esp. 1 and 3) and just this weekend started signing the first 4 or 5 signs before they even get to the signs. This is the only TV she watches and she's been sick and watching a LOT since it makes her happy. She watches Vol 4 or 6 for about 5 minutes and just walks/crawls away. DH and I were SOOOO ready for some new DVDs since we are getting tired of 1-3, but i think DD is at an age where familiarity means a lot and she is so proud to do the signs she already knows and is now picking up a new one every few days.

That said, the pace of 4 and 6 is soooo fast w/such little repetition that I"m having a heck of a time learning the signs. (Didn't get vol 5 since i already know how to finger spell and DD is so young, we'll wait for that later). I am really touched by Rachel's ending songs and working in health care I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the fruits/veggie song and move your body-- activity songs. (I don't know the names of the songs to post properly!)

Bottom line, I'd buy them again, just having a hard time accepting change, and I think the faster pace is probably better for older kids than 17 month olds. We are visiting my deaf cousin in March and can't WAIT to show him what DD and I have learned. I only wish these were available when I was a child so I could have learned and communicated w/him more easily. We have resorted to finger spelling and a note pad in the past...Now I'm looking forward to easier and faster exchanges!
Nicole's Mom 7/03

[murpheyblue]

DH watched Vol. 4 first and told me they were "different." We've watched 4 and 6 several times (I watched part of 5 but it's way to advanced for DD at 15 mos.) and they've definitely grown on me. DD is as engrossed as ever and we've learned tons of new signs.

The new format is definitely different and I think the change from that which is so familiar is a little hard to accept but overall I really like them. I really like the In a House song and the Do You Know the Colors of the Rainbow one as well and since there always must be a tearjerker, the Shine song at the end of 6 I think did me in.

[jec2]

Admittedly, we've only wathced vol. 4, but I like it! And, I think Alex and Leah were in it quite a bit. I wasn't expecting to see much of them after reading some of the posts but I felt as if they were in it as much as the previous ones.

Oh, the colored bands on Rachel's fingers don't add much, imo. However, I really do like that she takes a second to explain the sign more clearly. Overall, I think they will become fast favorites here :O)

Oh, and I really like her outfit. It is so colorful!

[babymama]

My two cents...

Santiago, DH and I have only watched one of the new videos (I think it was the Family and Fun one), but we turned it off halfway through. My personal feeling about it is that it too fast paced for my 13 month old. We generally don't let him watch television bc of the research around kids, TV, and ADD. I felt like the newest ST volume we watched (sorry I don't know exactly which one it was) was paced along the lines of a music video - quick shots, lots of switching back and forth between Rachel and animation. We put them away, and may not let DS watch them until he's at least 2, maybe even 3. *I* felt ADD watching them. The slow pace and repetition was what I liked about volumes 1-3.

All of that said, I really admire Rachel for bringing a product like hers to the marketplace. We fully support their products, but feel like our kid is just not ready for the newest volumes just yet. I think I'll try to watch them and show the signs to DS without the video.

DH and I also had a conversation about how it must be hard to evolve your product to meet the needs of such a diverse audience. I think in the future it might be good for them to have different "lines" - one for younger babies (slow pace, lots of repetition, lots of pictures of other babies) and another for older kids (faster pace, not as much repetition, action).

Thanks for starting this thread and letting me get this off my chest.

Lydia
Mama to Santiago, born 11/16/03