Italian for Kids: Learn Italian Beginner Level 1 Vol. 1

This is a good, fun, Italian course for kids - even if it only focuses on common phrases and vocabulary and doesn't address grammar, etc. The main problem is that it is extremely short - about 45 minutes. I can't imagine my 5-year-old daughter watching this more than a couple of times (she already knows most, if not all, of the material, which is very basic beginner level). That translates to a rather expensive and abbreviated language learning system. Even if one chooses to shell out the cash for volume II, you then come to a dead end in this study course (i.e., there don't seem to be any subsequent volumes). Useful, perhaps, if you just want some initial exposure. If your aim is fluency, however, this is certainly not the way to go. Instead, think about one of the full learning systems (we use Rosetta Stone). On the other hand, if your kid is just starting out, and you can afford it, you might use this DVD to supplement some other (better) language study course.

I thought the video was good for a small child to watch, but is not for an adult. I didn't like the creepy looking dog that changed voices throughout the video. I didn't like that each time the video was watched you had to play "pick which one is correct" games, it would be better to be able to opt out of them. Some of the kids were not Italian speakers, and struggled through the words they had to speak. I got a kick out of the grandmother in the video who is not a trained actress, and at one point had to speak to the cartoon dog. She gives this shrug and a chin lift like a typical Italian who is asked to do something stupid, the look on her face as she tells the dog that his answer is correct is worth the money spent for this video. This short video covers colors, numbers, and family members. The songs are simple enough that a child will quickly memorize them and sing along, and that's and important plus. It also has vibrant colors and a quick moving story that keeps a child interested, for the price it's worth it. I hope they use the grandmother in the next video, but not the dog.

I bought this video (and the first part, too) for my 2 year old son to strengthen his emerging Italian. My husband is American and we live in the States, but I am Italian, so I speak only Italian to him. He enjoys watching the video over and over again and repeats sentences and songs. Yes, the video is short and easy, however it is for children not for adults, and I think it has just the perfect duration to keep their attention high.The story line is nice. The songs in the video are catchy and stick in the mind for the longest time. The themes are basic: telling time, recognizing objects, expressing likes and dislikes,... At the end of each unit there are a review and a quiz.Overall I like this course. The only criticism I have is the choice of the actors. Some you can hear are native speakers, but others like Nonna Romano or some of the children have a good pronounciation of the single words but a terrible intonation of the sentence.For the price I would certainly suggest you buy this video. If you just want something for your kids to watch to learn a couple of structures, this is a very good product.

It's OKAY, but it's slow - and you get bored with it because of how slow it is. I guess though, since it is for children, it might be okay. I really bought it for myself because I learned Arabic from their version of Sesame Street and I was hoping this would similar to that. It lacks the technology that I was expecting. It's OKAY, but it's slow- and you get bored with it because of how slow it is. I guess though, since it is for chilren, it might be okay. I really bought it for myself because I learned Arabic from their version of Sesame Street and I was hoping this was similar to that. It lacks the technology that I was expecting. It's OKAY.

My children are 4 years old and are learning Italian. If the dvd were longer, I would have given it more stars. I was trying to rate it with 3 stars, but the system wouldn't let me change from 4 to 3 stars. 3 stars because it is so short. Still, it is a good, basic dvd for learning Italian. The kids like it, so they are willing to watch it regularly. There are some interactive games to help teach the words, the actors speak pretty clearly, and the animated dog is fun for the kids. With a book, you could teach the same words on your own, even if you don't speak Italian, because the dvd does not deal with an abundance of words/phrases. But, if you want a little break from teaching, this dvd works well and is not overly expensive.

Good for learning but the virtual dog is a tad too annoying for me. So, gave it a '4' as that gets on my nerves to watch and listen to.....However, to get some overview of beginning Italian and pronunciation, it is good to have. Still, not sure I would order it again, as I pretty much, already knew what was on the video. A child would learn a bit, though and it is a pleasant video if you can stand the dog. HA!

This very short video included mostly conversations and sentences spoken all in quick Italian. The dialogue was way too fast for even me to understand (proficient in conversational Spanish,) much less my 5 year old nephew, (though very intelligent, and interested in learning Italian.)He became bored quickly and was unable to keep up with the words. His confidence and interest quickly faded, even before the short 20something minute dvd lesson was up.

my children both loved this so much that we have now ordered volume 2. It is fun with lots of repitition for them to learn basic italian - they can either just watch the DVD or do the interative version which asks them questions at the end of each section which my 5 year old enjoyed :-)