As a mother of two young boys, I know keeping children busy during summer vacations can be a challenge. But if you can keep them entertained in an active and fun way, and they’re learning at the same time, there’s nothing better than that.

That’s what It’s Hip Hop, Baby!, a children’s DVD series, is all about. The videos educate toddlers and preschoolers with fun child-friendly hip hop music. “My goal is to bring the fun back in your family,” says founder Candi Carter. “One of the fastest ways children learn is through play and fun, because when you are having fun counting to ten, you create memories.” 

It’s Hip Hop, Baby! was inspired by Carter’s son, Emerson, who was born with a hole in his heart. Once the physical issues were solved, doctors discovered Emerson suffered from a rare disorder called Chromosome 8p deletion, which causes physical issues, mental retardation, and a severe speech delay. “We couldn’t communicate,” she explains. “My son knew what he wanted and would scream all day.” Carter says she became the “silly mommy” and started making up songs with hip beats just to distract her son. It worked. “If I was acting silly and singing, it would completely distract him from having a tantrum or crying.” She composed songs like “Walk With Mommy” to prevent him from running. “It’s Bath Time,” “Brush My Teeth,” and many other songs helped Emerson with the little transitions in life that would paralyze him. “The songs helped him in two ways — first, to learn the concept of the words faster, and second, to make him do what I needed him to do.”

Carter, a senior producer for the last 14 years of the The Oprah Winfrey Show, wondered if her It’s Hip Hop, Baby! beat could help other children as well, so with kids from her neighborhood, she put together a video and posted it on the Internet. That was three years ago, and sales have skyrocketed. Since then, she has launched five educational DVDs, and her story has been featured on CNN and other news shows.

Carter also has a one-year-old girl named Lily, and she says with It’s Hip Hop, Baby! she has already learned her ABCs. “Children love to see their parents act crazy and they want to engage with them,” she notes. But why exactly does It’s Hip Hop, Baby! work? “One of the fastest ways children learn is through play and fun, because when you are having fun, you create memories,” says Lisa Thornton, MD, medical advisor to the project.

If you’re looking for ways to get your children out of their seats, It’s Hip Hop, Baby! launched its first fitness DVD for kids last April. Hip Hop, Dance Class! is a 60-minute workout video. “It’s a great step to batting the childhood obesity epidemic in this country,” says Carter, adding, “We’re about to launch Fun Fitness Challenge, which will get parents and their kids to participate in an hour of fitness activities each day. We want to get kids involved in ways that are fun.”

According to studies, two-thirds of infants and toddlers watch television an average of two hours a day. As much as we try to avoid TV for our children, sometimes we have no other choice, so if you’re going to sit your children in front of the TV, why not have them up and moving with educational DVDs? “It’s a great tool for families,” says Carter, and I agree.

I find Carter’s story inspirational, and feel it could certainly help other future mompreneurs, so I asked her what her advice is for moms who are thinking of starting their own business but might be afraid of taking the first step. “The biggest obstacle moms have is fear. Get up at 5am, look at your day and schedule in YOU, if that means getting up an hour earlier because you’re very passionate about your idea, you’re not going to care that you’re getting up earlier.” Carter adds, “We [moms] are the problem solvers, when something is going on at the house, we’re figuring out how to fix it. There are thousands of moms out there with amazing ideas, so my best advice to women is be that Nike commercial — just do it.”

So if you’re looking for something to do, now is the time to find your passion. “Figure out how your passion could be a business. It doesn’t have to be full time at first, so keep your day job and add an extra hour to your day and work on what you like to do best,” concludes Carter. (www.itshiphopbaby.com)  TANIA LUVIANO