Great Petite Feet Ballet Adventures Liz
As a special educator for very young children, I do not recommend many videos for kids--especially those under the age of 5. As a mother of toddler twins, I'm still not big on videos.
This is the exception.
The pace is absolutely perfect for young children. Liz mixes in fast and slow movements in such a way as to keep kids interested, yet does the class overall with explanations and demonstrations that are easy for little ones to follow along. The music is simple and not distracting, matches the lesson, and is fun to dance to. Even the set is refreshing--unlike so many other "kid" shows out there, there are no flashing lights and computerized jibberish in the background. Instead, a simple, colorful backdrop of a sky with rainbows and clouds that does not distract, but rather creates a soothing and comfortable place to play.
As a teacher, I'm amazed at how Liz is able to construct a dance lesson that is so developmentally appropriate for even my two-year-olds. The gross motor skills of dance are paired beautifully with simple songs that aid in remembering the steps of the lesson. But what I love the most, as both teacher and mother, is the sheer creativity in which she goes through stretches and the introduction of some basic ballet moves. Incredibly imaginative and engaging! I also love that Liz lets the kids dancing with her be kids--the focus is on exploration and enjoying the class, and not on being perfect.
As a mom, I sit and smile at my daughter and son as they go through all the movements, answer Liz as she asks questions or gives other "interactive" prompts, and generally have a fabulous time getting up and moving to some music we all enjoy. We've tried some dance classes for tots locally, and even being in an actual class with other kids has not been as positive an experience as this video has! I wish, wish, wish we lived near to Liz to take her actual classes, but this video is a great substitute...and we hope to see more very soon!
We first found this by renting it on Amazon, but the kids asked for it so much it became apparent we needed to simply buy it outright. It's well worth the couple of bucks to rent and see how much your own kids will love it! I highly, highly recommend it.
We discovered this video by watching the youtube trailer. My four year old daughter started ballet lessons this year and likes to continue dancing at home. This DVD is a perfect way to let her dance at home. She loves the littles stories and sings the songs all day. Her two year old brother likes to participate as well. The DVD exists only in English, but even if my kids are Dutch- French and don't speak English, that doesn't seem to bother them. The way the moves are shown is very clear. And they even learn some English!
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ReplyDeleteI'm giving it 4.5 stars out of 5 (I can't give 4.5, so I'm just rounding up.) We couldn't take our usual ballet class this Winter, so I bought Petite Feet for my daughter to practice at home. She loves it. She takes out the DVD, puts it in the player, and then goes to her room to get her leotard, tights, and ballet slippers. She doesn't pay attention the whole time, unless I'm participating as well, but that's 3-year-old behavior. I think the video is great for this age. I'm holding back a half star because I wish there was one DVD with a few different versions of the class. I need a little variety (even though my daughter probably doesn't.) I also wish there were levels of learning - this is a great intro, and that's why I wish there were ways to advance with this story/playful technique. I'm very happy with the purchase.
ReplyDeleteI am very picky about what I let my children watch on tv. Usually I stick to educational DVDs like the preschool prep company series. But when my 2 year old daughter showed an interest in dance, I searched and read reviews on videos appropriate for her age. I have purchased other children's DVDs and been very disappointed and amazed at so many positive reviews. Sometimes they go straight to the trash because I don't want my kids eyes watching the jumpy animation. This video is exactly what I was looking for and best of all, my daughter LOVES it. At first she just watched mesmerized, but after a few times I got down on the floor and started following along with the class. Then my daughter followed along too. No, she's not very good at just 26 months old, but it is adorable watching her try. I like the music, the simple dance steps and the length of the DVD. Liz is just awesome! I have 2 other ballet DVDs and this one far surpasses the others in every way. Even my 3 1/2 year old son likes to dance along with it...although not nearly as gracefully. LOL.
ReplyDeleteI have bought a bunch of ballett DVDs for my almost 3 year old daughter, but this one is by far our favorite. It's playful enough to keep her engaged the entire time, not too fast or too rigid. Still, she has learned many ballett terms and has made real progress following the exercises and dance stories. I am hoping to see more Petite Feet DVDs coming out soon! We'll definitely buy them all.
ReplyDeleteLiz Vacco's Petite Feet DVD is a wonderful gift if you have an aspiring ballerina in your house! My four-year-old daughter, Helena, just started ballet class and she loves watching this DVD and practicing all her steps and also escaping into Vacco's creative, imaginative, and playful world. As a mom, I really loved that the DVD was enforcing the lessons she learned in her ballet class and using the proper language for the movements, but more importantly, the DVD allows the child to escape into a playful, imaginative world while learning to love dance. My one-year-old daughter also loves to watch her sister and mimic all the movements on the DVD. Excellent gift to give if you know a little girl or boy just beginning to love dance.
ReplyDeleteMy little girl is obsessed with ballet! She wanted to take ballet lessons but couldn't join the class until she was 3. I searched and searched for a Ballet DVD that would be enjoyable for her. When I came across this one I thought it looked interesting so we we rented on Amazon. We rented it 3 more times until the DVD arrived to us in Japan. My daughter loves it! She adores Ms. Liz and all of the wonderful songs and dances. She walks around the house singing "you put your toes in the toaster and you flegs (flex) and point" and all the other songs too. She even has started making up her own ballet story similar to the one in the video. She has now started taking classes but still loves to watch Ms. Liz and I feel she has learned more from the DVD than from the class. I hope that Ms. Liz will make many more DVDs with ballet adventures. My daughter adores you and my husband and I have just as much fun dancing along with her. She says "Come on Daddy dance with me and Ms. Liz!" Thank you Ms. Liz for bringing such fun into our home!
ReplyDeleteI bought this DVD for my daughters 3.th birthday. She haven't seen it yet but we are watching the shortcut on the youtube again and again and she loves it, even my 1 year old son when I sing the song to him he is going to the computer and demanding to see the Petit feet. He dances along with his sister. They both love it and I'm sure they will love to have the full version on DVD. It is an great ballet dvd for the smallest one. I highly recommend it!
ReplyDeleteNot only does my 3 year old enjoy this video, it is quite possibly her favorite thing EVER. In the first two days of having it she pleaded to watch it over and over - and I succumbed (7 times in fact) because she was having such a blast and getting so much exercise!
ReplyDeleteI don't feel so bad about the (usually prohibited) hours of video watching because she is moving the whole time, completely engaged. It is designed so well with simple exercises, memorable songs and captivating stories, there is so much room for imagination - she doesn't just follow the instructions, she keeps making up her own parts. She got all her dolls out for the magic doll dust, she plays the piano with Waldo, she made a meadow of blankets to dance on....And she is really learning all the ballet vocabulary (words and movements).
It's a BRILLIANT video - one of the very best videos for kids I've seen, educational or otherwise.