National Geographic's Geokids: Camouflage, Cuttlefish and Chameleons [VHS]
Sunny the Australian honey possum and Bobby the African bush baby are playing a game of "I Spy" in the forest. When Sunny tells Bobby that she sees something brown and twiggy with long legs, Uncle Balzac (a chameleon from Madagascar) rescues a confounded Bobby by explaining that the insect is a walking stick. Uncle Balzac then introduces the concept of camouflage in the wild, citing examples such as a butterfly hiding on a leaf and an owl hidden in a tree. Sunny, Bobby, and Uncle Balzac are, by the way, adorable puppets created by Emmy winner Hank Saroyan of Muppet Babies fame.What really makes this 35-minute video work for kids is its fast pace and variety of rhyming verses, songs, animation, and live nature photography. Children's participation is actively encouraged as an animated Francisco Flamingo challenges kids to find the hidden animal (like the scorpion fish) and a singer beckons kids to create and sing their very own "Animal Doo-Wop." Also sprinkled throughout are "fashion updates" discussing things like a Ptarmigan's ability to change its feather colors depending upon the weather. Uncle Balzac even sings a blues rendition of "I'm Moody" in which he changes color according to his mood.This entertaining video captivates even the youngest of children and does a great job of explaining the concept of camouflage. Parents are likely to learn something too!--Tami Horiuchi