The Critters Skitter in ‘Elmo’s World’

DVD

Elmo’s World: Springtime Fun! Sony Wonder. 50 minutes. VHS: $10. DVD: $17. Ages 2 to 5.

Elmo, the sunny and adorable little red Muppet child, is the perfect guide to birds, bikes and bugs in this compilation of shows with playful themes that fit the season. In Elmo’s simple, crayon-drawn world, ducklings hatch, the “Bird Channel” demonstrates a “chicken dance,” kids are shown learning how to ride bikes, and all manner of creepy crawlies make an appearance. Elmo doesn’t do it alone: He gets help from his pet goldfish Dorothy, his computer, desk drawer and window shade, a host of Muppet critters, vaudeville-style bits with Mr. Noodle (Michael Jeter), real babies and short animated and live-action films. Each episode includes simple, play-along guessing games. (No added DVD features.)

Real Wheels: Truck Adventures. Warner Home Video. 90 minutes. DVD: $20. Ages 3 to 8.

Kids who can’t get enough vehicle-viewing can see three truck-centric videos from the “Real Wheels” series--”There Goes a Truck,” “There Goes a Garbage Truck” and “There Goes a Fire Truck”--in this first DVD release. Goofy host Dave (who tries a bit too hard to be funny) and his sometime sidekick Becky get behind the wheel themselves and show film of real truck drivers and firefighters, plus the insides and outsides of 18-wheelers, moving vans, garbage trucks, logging trucks, fire engines and more.

DVD extras include a ho-hum “Blooper” reel (the trucks, not Dave, are the draw), a sing-along truck song, an interactive firetruck tour and an interactive glossary--kids click on parts of the firetruck for a close-up look and click on words for video descriptions.