Infant edutainment titles ho-ho-hone seasonal selection

DSN Retailing Today, Oct 2, 2000 by Molly Prior

To promote the event, Columbia TriStar has enlisted the help of Amtrak. The two will offer consumers a special fare on pack for Amtrak kids passengers as well as a Thomas tot giveaway. In addition, Random House Books, publisher of the original series, will promote the VHS/DVD release through ads in 450,000 Thomas books.

Jim Henson Home Entertainment's Bear in the Big Blue House will help children learn about various winter holidays such as Christmas, Chanukah, and Kwanzaa with its holiday release "A Berry Christmas," at an SRP of $12.95. The video highlights the true meaning of Christmas when characters help a homeless dog find his way home. The Emmy-nominated series utilizes music and storytelling to encourage creativity.

Nickelodeon will present Blue's Clues fans with a furry little present this Christmas, the new character Periwinkle the cat. Paramount Home Entertainment and Nickelodeon have teamed up to create Blue's Clues first feature length movie, "Blue's Big Musical Movie," a direct to VHS/DVD release. The movie, on retail shelves beginning Oct. 3, will teach children the elements of music from G-Glef, voiced by jazz great Ray Charles, and his friends The Notes. The DVD will feature extra such as behind-the-scenes features and two music videos with vocals by Ray Charles.

These videos will be lined up neatly on retail shelves well before Thanksgiving, gearing up for the holiday rush. Luckily for retailers, educational videos for children are perennial and ought to fare well after the fourth quarter.