Watch Kids' Reviews of
KIWI: SEASON 1

I like that this DVD teaches vocabulary and spelling to little kids. They learn how to spell words correctly and expands their vocabulary. This show is great for learning words that used in daily life.

Kiwi: Season One teaches little kids vocabulary and spelling. This DVD has 26 episodes that teach new words and sounds so kids can learn how to spell words correctly and expand their vocabulary.

The series features two kiwi birds named Twiki and Twini who go on adventures and teach kids how to spell out words in a fun way. They encounter new animals, objects and other items as they teach kids how to spell out each word. The objects or animals are all related to a particular theme. There is barely any speaking by the characters in the show, but there is great narration that gets the kids intrigued with the story.

The animation is a stop motion clay animation (claymation) technique similar to other popular kid's shows such as Pingu. Claymation is not used a lot today since currently computer generated imagery (CGI) is used more frequently. However, the show does features some computer animation like the graphics when word are spelled out on the screen.

There are not too many other characters, but my favorite character is the recurring rabbit in the first few episodes. The rabbit eats a lot and even tries to eat a whole cake! The rabbit is very funny and had me chuckling the whole time. The premise of this show is to teach little kids phonics, vocabulary and spelling. It's great for preschool learning and for introducing kids to spelling words that are used in everyday conversations. I give this 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to ages 3 to 6. This DVD is available now so, go check it out.

By Carla P, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

This DVD is about friendship, education and fun. This series is about two kiwis named Twiki and Twini, who go on different adventures throughout different episodes. All of the adventures have a different storyline and include lots of word building exercises and other educational things to help learn different things such as spelling and grammar.

This show is directed towards little kids, ages 2 to 5. I watched this DVD as if I was younger and I would definitely like it as a younger kid. I would enjoy watching it, but I would probably get out of my seat and start playing around and doing the things that they tell me to do and try to spell the words. This show is best to watch before bedtime because you might stay seated and repeat what they tell you to say. I watched it with a 5-year-old and a two-year-old and got to observe them watching it. The 5-year-old said she loved every part of it and she started dancing to the music. The 2-year-old was a little more descriptive and loved the way the characters interacted with each other.

The graphics are really good for a animated show. It does remind me of music video style graphics because they often stand in front of a white background and there isn't much going on in the different places they explore.

I give this show 3 out of 5 stars because of the graphics and because I felt the episodes were too short at 5 minutes. Because the episodes so short, they don't pack a lot of things in which makes it kind of boring. I recommend this DVD for ages 2 to 5. It is available now on DVD, so go check it out.

By Na'im S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 11

Kiwi is a stop-motion, animated educational children's series with two very funny and lovable kiwi birds, Twiki & Twini, as the lead characters. In each episode, the kiwis go on adventures discovering new worlds of words and sounds. For example, some of the focus words include "cow," "fruit," "map," "house" and "blue." Words are spelled out phonetically and are used in clear and cohesive imagery and storyline. Twiki & Twini are curious little birds that lead us to lots of discoveries! There are plenty of relevant and silly sounds along the way. The stories are led by the narration and interaction with the kiwis via a child and an adult. This gives a sense of inquiry and offers soft guidance simultaneously. I really enjoyed this DVD and recommend it for children ages 2 to 6. The menu offers "Play All" or "Stories, individually" (26 of them at 11 minutes each). I give this 5 Star out of 5 stars. Review by Eli B., KIDS FIRST! Juror.

Kiwi: Season 1 is a series directed at children between the ages of 2 through 7. Two characters, Twiki and Twini interact with each other and teach the audience how to spell words. There are 26 short episodes, approximately 5 to10 minutes in length. Each episode teaches the audience a few different words, grouping the words together. For example, the chicken episode has the words "cow, duck, chicken and egg." The episodes' animation is made from colorful clay objects that draw the kids in. It's not too busy, which I like. The background is white and the characters are the only thing on the screen. The characters start each episode by grouping similar items together, such as animals. Then, they spell out each word and link it to the next word. At the end of the episode, they respell each word. The characters are happy and kind. There isn't much problem solving involved as there is not much of a story line. The purpose is to teach kids how to spell and sound out words using phonics. This characters are made of clay animation (claymation), which is fun to watch. The structure of each episode flows very well and draws the viewer in. The DVD case shows examples of the words and pictures featured in each collection. It's fun to look at. The menu is simple with two choices, either watch by selected episode or watch all episodes. There are quite a few previews before it gets to the main menu, but they are all kid appropriate and entertaining. There is no option to change the language or any other bonus features. The message is that learning can be fun and entertaining. I recommend this DVD to any parent or teacher that is looking for an educational video for their child. It is appropriate for ages 2 through 7 and I give it 4 out of 5 stars. Reviewed by Amanda M., KIDS FIRST! Juror.

Very well produced. The show is well thought for preschoolers. I really enjoyed the design and the animation of the show. I love that the letter design is in line with the word being spelled out. The characters are appealing for the intended audience. I thought it is a smart choice to have a child voice one of the narrators. I do not feel strongly about the stories. To me, the stories feel a bit random. Overall the show is fun to watch, has good intentions and is beautiful to look at. The goal of the show is to get kids to learn about phonics and develop their world building skills. As far as positive social models, it scores well here for the most part. There is an episode where the two main characters are in a restaurant setting and their server keeps eating their food before serving it. In that particular episode I think they missed the mark because the characters didn't deal with the situation in a realistic or constructive way. For the most part, the show uses vocabulary and concepts suitable for its intended audience. The show is well paced, doesn't overload kids with information and the subject matter is suitable for young minds. However, I did find that some of the words they break down or spelled are a bit too long. I think it would be better if there was a build up in learning. By that, I mean start with small words and gradually go bigger in a slow succession. I would certainly show this to my young children. Reviewed by Martha S., KIDS FIRST! Juror.

It's time to learn phonics skills with Twiki and Twini! In this collection of twenty six episodes, Twiki and Twini will take us on fun and educational adventures to discover new words and new sounds. In this Season 1 collection, your little one will learn how to spell colors like "red" and "blue" to food words like "fruit" to animal words like "snake". The fun and learning never end with Twiki and Twini! Get ready to enter into an unexpected universe comprised of sounds, words, and images.