We have seen an incredible outpouring of DVDs this year with lots of collections of titles, from television and feature films. Also, there's a wide range of titles that are multicultural and offer insights into the lives of children and families around the world. From blockbuster hits to hidden independent gems, it's a year with something for everyone! Be sure to explore the video selection at your local retailer or shop online with Amazon or another online retailer. Here are some of our favorites, sorted for you by age.

One of the smartest video series created for toddlers is the So Smart Series, which has just come out with six new wonderful DVDs that help build your toddler's early language skills. Look for So Smart! Baby’s First-Word Stories: House which teaches basic words, repeats them frequently and builds a simple story around them. Our child jurors were riveted; they viewed the entire program in one sitting, glued to the screen and commented on how they enjoyed watching the animals play. For pre-schoolers, Weston Woods/Scholastic' book-based creations are unsurpassed. New this year is Chicka Chicka 123... And More Counting Fun where numbers come to life and invite you to sing along while helping your child learn basic numbers and math concepts. Our child jurors enjoyed counting along, singing the songs and started counting things around them after viewing.

The Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! Wubbzy series offers silly fun while delivering messages about emotional issues kids can relate to. For example, in Wubb Idol, Wubbzy and his friends learn about fame and adventure. Singer, Beyonce, stars in this episode, bringing singing divas to life. Kids love the humor, the music and the messages. One of our child jurors commented, "The movie helped me understand how I was being selfish with my friends." Curious George has always been a family favorite character. A new holiday release deserving consideration is Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas. Fabulous music gets you singing right from the beginning. It tackles the excitement of the holidays, especially the difficulty of waiting for the special day. We see how things don't always turn out perfectly, yet it’s what in our hearts that matters most. Another new, book-based video to look for is the Mr. Men series. In Mr. Tickle Presents: Tickle Time Around Town! Mr. Tickle and his friends bring out characteristics we recognize in our own personalities and those around us. The simple drawings and bright colors combined with catchy music make it engaging and encourage participation. One last book-based title that is a real winner is Olivia. Adorable Olivia is much like any preschooler who lives partially in her make believe world - one moment she is a superhero, the next a pop-star. She's fun, she's funny and she will warm the cockles of your heart.

No collection of videos for pre-schoolers would be complete without reference to Sesame Street. The new Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days will be released in November and features a stellar cast of performers including Tony Bennett, Patti LaBelle, Goo Goo Dolls, Robert De Niro, Alicia Keys, Matt Lauer, Feist, David Beckham, James Taylor, Smokey Robinson, Pee Wee Herman, Arrested Development, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Lena Horne, Neil Patrick Harris and … need we say more. It includes over six hours of iconic Sesame Street segments such as "Rubber Duckie," "Lady Bug Picnic" and Elmo's first episode. Remember that learning and fun can be one! Don't hesitate to introduce even your youngest preschooler to early science lessons with fun videos such as Sid the Science Kid: Change Happens. Not only does this show teach great scientific concepts, but it also models a wonderful intergenerational approach to family learning as Sid discusses his questions and observations and things he’s learned with his mother, father and grandmother. If you are looking for a gift collection, it's hard to beat the value of Scholastic Treasury of 25 Storybook Classics: Dinosaurs, Trucks, Monsters and More. These stories are based on some of your favorite storybooks such as “How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?,” “The Mouse and the Motorcycle” and “Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel.” The time-honored classics are sure to make a hit with any preschooler.

For early elementary school-aged kids, storytelling offers many opportunities to teach them valuable life lessons. Veggie Tales stands out with its animated vegetables who teach while they make you laugh. A great new video this holiday season is Veggie Tales: Saint Nicholas - A Story of Joyful Giving. This is not your typical Mary and Joseph story. Rather, it tells the tale of a little boy who eventually became known as St. Nicholas. Using cute songs and humorous verbiage, the vegetables tell the tale of a boy whose parents dedicated their lives to helping others. Tapping into several world traditions, the vegetables show young Nicholas using chimneys and shoes to provide gifts for those in need. The show demonstrates how one can benefit from selflessness and how the tradition of giving began with one individual. Another film that reveals a similar "backstory" to St. Nicholas is the 2009 film Christmas Story from the Finnish director, Juha Wuolijoki. Have you ever wondered how Santa Claus came to be Santa? A long time ago, the world's greatest story was born when a young boy named Nikolas took on a mysterious mission and created a legend that would be carried on from generation to generation. Another holiday story for this age group is Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas, now on Blu-ray, inspired by the famous holiday book. This classic Christmas story has built-in meanness by the Grinch counterbalanced by Cindy Lou who believes that the true meaning of Christmas has become lost. Ultimately it delivers a little magic that places it right in with other holiday favorites.

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has brought out of its vault the much-loved Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The first, most famous and most memorable animated feature from the Disney Studios, Snow White is a simple story based on the European fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm about a beautiful and good-hearted princess saved from the evil of her wicked step-mother, the Queen, by a band of seven adorable dwarfs. More fantasy exists in Tinker Bell And The Lost Treasure which takes Tink far beyond Pixie Hollow. The Disney/Pixar animated classic, Monsters, Inc. will be available for the first time in Blu-ray with some interesting features that will keep your little ones entertained beyond the movie. Also from Disney/Pixar is the Cars Ultimate Gift Set Combo Pack, also on Blu-ray with all-new, incredible interactive bonus features. This special Cars Ultimate Gift Set Combo Pack comes with two exclusive die-cast character collector’s cars (Lighting McQueen and Mater). For special collectors, the latest addition to the celebrated Walt Disney Treasures, Zorro, one of the most popular television shows in history, makes its fully restored black & white DVD debut. All 78 episodes of the timeless classic will be included on two new six-disc sets--making up the ninth installment of the popular Walt Disney Treasures, hosted by film critic Leonard Maltin.

A truly original production with breathtakingly beautiful animation that your 5-12 year olds will enjoy is Dragon Hunters. This impeccable, animated film tells the classic adventure of a band of eclectic characters focused on a single mission to save the world. The animators provide a slew of new and interesting creatures to encounter and outsmart, as well as provide some interesting new conceptions of physics. The rapid succession of chases, innovative creatures and problem solving group dynamics keeps an audience of both children and adults consistently entertained. From Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios is this year's animated blockbuster, Up. Up follows the uplifting tale of 78-year-old balloon salesman, Carl Fredricksen, who fulfills his lifelong dream when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. Together with his 8-year-old stowaway, they journey to a lost world, where they encounter some strange, exotic and wild adventures. The Swan Princess II and the Secret of the Castle offers another look at life in fairytale land where sometimes you have to become a swan to save the person you love. Fans of the first Swan Princess movie will enjoy seeing Princess Odette and Prince Derek one year after their wedding.

Some of this year's feature films that have been released to DVD, which should sneak their way into your holiday gifting include Ice Age 3: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs,  perhaps the coolest Ice Age adventure yet. Starring Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary and Queen
Latifah. Night At The Museum 2: Battle Of The Smithsonian brings together its stellar cast of Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Amy Adams, Hank Azaria and Ricky Gervais for another round of adventure. Aliens in the Attic offers up hilarious hijinks when the Pearson family kids encounter feisty little green aliens with plans to conquer the planet, and the kids realize they need to defeat the aliens, save the world and keep the whole thing a secret from their parents. Girls will enjoy ICarly: Season Two, Volume 1 starring tween sensation Miranda Cosgrove. The series follows Carly and her friends as they produce and star in their own web show. Every Santa-loving family will enjoy a shared viewing of the classic, Miracle on 34th Street when Santa-doubting six-year-old, Susan is given the most precious gift of all – something to believe in.

So Smart! Baby’s First-Word Stories: House. DVD. 180 min.; $15.99; Ages 1-3. So Smart! Productions.

Chicka Chicka 123... And More Counting Fun. DVD. 69 min.; $14. 95; Ages 2-5. New Video.

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! Wubbzy: Wubb Idol. DVD. 93 min.; $16.98; Ages 2-5. Anchor Bay.

Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas. DVD.  58 min. $19.98. Ages 2-5. Universal Studios.

Mr. Tickle Presents: Tickle Time Around Town! DVD. 69 min.; $16.97; Ages 2-5. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Olivia. DVD. 100 min.; $16.99. Ages 2-5. Paramount Home Entertainment.

Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days. DVD. 330 min.; $29.93; Ages 2-5. Genius Products and Sesame Workshop.

Sid the Science Kid: Change Happens. 115 min.; $12.99. Ages 2-5. NCircle Entertainment.

Scholastic Treasury of 25 Storybook Classics: Dinosaurs, Trucks, Monsters and More. 288 min.; $29.95. Ages 2-5. New Video Group.

Veggie Tales: Saint Nicholas - A Story of Joyful Giving. DVD. 50 min.; $14.95; Ages 5-12. Big Idea.

Christmas Story. DVD. 78 min.; $19.97; Ages 5-12. Anchor Bay Entertainment and Lightning Media.

Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Blu-ray. 105 min.; $29.98; Ages 5-12. Universal Studios.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Blu-ray. 84 min.; $39.99; Ages 5-12. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

Tinker Bell And The Lost Treasure. DVD. 76 min.; $29.99; Ages 5-12. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

Monsters, Inc. Blu-ray. 92 min.; $40.99; Ages 5-12. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

Cars Ultimate Gift Set Combo Pack. Blu-ray.; $49.99; Ages 5-12. Disney*Pixar.

Walt Disney Treasures, Zorro. DVD. 945 min.; $59.99; Ages 5-12. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

Dragon Hunters. DVD. 80 min.; $14.99; Ages 5-12. Peace Arch Home Entertainment.

Up. DVD. 96 min.; $29.99; Ages 5-8. Disney*Pixar.

The Swan Princess II and the Secret of the Castle. DVD. 71 min.; $14.94; Ages 5-12. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Ice Age 3: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs. DVD. 94 min.; $29.98; Ages 5-8. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Night At The Museum 2: Battle Of The Smithsonian. DVD. 105 min.; $29.98; Ages 8-12.  Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Aliens in the Attic. DVD. 86 min.; $29.98; Ages 5-12. Twentieth Century Fox Entertainment.

ICarly: Season Two, Volume 1. 316 min. $26.98; Ages 8-12. Nickelodeon.

Miracle on 34th Street. Blu-ray. 96 min.; $34.99; Ages 8-12.  Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

It’s a Wonderful Life. DVD. 130 min.; $29.98; Ages 12-18. Paramount.

Touched By An Angel Inspiration Collection - Holiday. DVD. $14.99; Ages 12-18. Paramount.

Food, Inc. DVD. 93 min.; $26.98, Ages 12-18. Magnolia Home Entertainment.

90210. DVD. 960 min.; $49.99; Ages 12-18. Paramount.

Bonanza: The First Season. DVD. 1,585 min.; $76.99; Ages 5-12. Paramount Home Entertainment.