Ruby's Studio: The Safety Show

By The Mother Company
Price $14.99
Age 2-8 yrs.

This DVD does an exceptional job of communicating to children specific ways to stay safe. These serious topics are presented as such, but in a way that is quite entertaining and non-threatening. Both the content and presentation are utterly age-appropriate. Live-action footage of Ruby (the bright, cheerful host) interacting with viewers and several adorable onscreen children is intermingled with original songs and animated segments. The production values here are very high, comparable to those of a scripted television series. The topics include staying aware of your surroundings, understanding physical boundaries, saying no when something makes you uncomfortable, checking in with a safe adult before doing something new, and what to do when approached by an adult stranger. Ruby and the kids play the Safety Game, using the UhOh! meter to help them understand clues our bodies give us (butterflies in the stomach) when something is not okay. Kids come away from even a single viewing empowered by the clarity and accessibility of the message, but typically want to watch it again and again. It's that entertaining.