Karadi Tales Audio CDs

Let Karadi The Bear Read to Your Child

I’ve known about Karadi Tales for almost a decade, but, only recently had the chance to pick up the first of our CD/Book collection for my daughter.  I bought a collection of stories about animals narrated by some of India’s most beloved and well-known voices. And here are my thoughts on this latest addition to my daughter’s book/CD collection:

Karadi Tales: ‘Surrogate Grandmother’, Indeed!

* Holds Kids’ Attention –>Buys YOU Time: If something can manage to keep a 3-1/2-year-old seated and absorbed for more than 4 minutes, that in itself is an accomplishment deserving mention. If that something isn’t a moving image on a screen, then it almost qualifies as a miracle. When I pop in a Karadi Tales CD for my daughter, M, I can be assured of 15-20 minutes of ‘me’ time, which is quite substantial in parenting parlance. For me, it means enough time to fix a meal, start a load of laundry, reply to a couple of emails and maybe even sneak in a shower.
* Plug in the kids, without feeling (too) guilty:  Let’s face facts. Even the most efficient and devoted super-parent with the best of intentions needs to plonk her child down in front of an electronic babysitter for a few minutes every now and then.  Be it  video games, TV shows or DVDs of friendly, pink monsters, we all resort to the unspeakable at one time or another. For those of us laden with guilt for doing so, Karadi Tales CDs brings comfort. With these CDs you can finally rid yourself of the guilt of the electronic monster while enjoying all the benefits. No harmful rays, no fast-moving images, no annoying commercials for ridiculously priced toys. Just a few minutes of healthy, wholesome entertainment for your child.
* Karadi Tales CDs engage, (not curtail) child’s imagination: So-called educational DVDs and popular TV shows have come under criticism for turning children into passive consumers of content. They have been found to have no positive impact on language development, communication skills etc and may in fact be slowing the process. Karadi Tales on the other hand seems to have found the secret formula in using the most powerful tools that help a child learn — music – rhyme, rhythm and tune – combined with interesting plots, witty lines, colorful narration, characterization and voice modulation –the same tools that grandmothers and other elders have been using for ages to entertain and engage little children in every culture. 

Whatever it is that Karadi put into its CDs, it sure makes for some very rapt listening on the part of my almost 4-year-old.  And I can tell you from the way she observes each sound, word and note, and from the fact that she asks for each CD to be played at least twice in succession, that Karadi Tales is going to be a staple in our home for quite a while.

The read-along books that accompany the CDs make for great reading on their own as well.  For very young kids who’re just learning or starting to read, it may be a good idea to read the books and listen to the CDs separately at first, and then nudging them to follow along with the CD.  Trying to do both simultaneously may overwhelm a reader who isn’t quite ready and also take away from the enjoyment the audio CD provides. For advanced readers or older kids, reading and listening parallelly may prove to be more enriching.

I would definitely recommend Karadi Tales:

* As gifts to any household with young children age 1-7 for any occasion.
* As a must-have in your car. Believe me, you’ll thank the creators the next time you’re stuck in traffic for over an hour or two.
* Any time you feel like turning on the TV and plonking your kid in front of it, try Karadi instead.

Warning!
As with all things good and bad, there are some things you should keep in mind when it comes to Karadi Tales CDs:
* There’s a very good chance that everyone in the house will be singing or humming the tunes from the CDs for quite some time. They tunes are very catchy and hard to shake off. Just so you know!
* Once your children taste Karadi Tales in the car or at home, you may lose the right to your choice of music, at least for some time. Think of the peace and quiet at home, the arguments you won’t have to settle and the tantrums you can avoid, and you’ll realize why it’s a trade-off worth making.
* As with all toys, games and other tools that serve as ‘parent life savers’, remember that Karadi Tales CDS, despite all their benefits, can’t substitute the presence of a parent or a caring adult and shouldn’t be used to replace quality bonding time or activities such as reading to your child.
For best results, I’d say, listen to Karadi Tales with your child whenever you can.

 Karadi Tales CDs and Books are available at:
http://karaditales.com/
Amazon
Desiknowledge

and other places.