Best Music Finds For Babies, Toddlers and Single Digit Kids

So we are a very musically inclined family. Most of us simply love to listen to it for all it’s benefits, but a few of us partake in actual music making. In fact, our oldest daughter, Kerry, is the lead singer and lead guitarist in the band, Wake.

I won’t use this space to tout the plethora of benefits derived from, and attributed to, music because you can easily Google and read about them from “the experts”.  I simply wanted to link to some of our favorite CD’s that really seem to illicit physically and mental reactions from our kids, regardless of age.  These selections are loved by Elly who is 1 and by our older kids … they actually sing out loud to them.  *Warning:  The songs are very catchy and you will find them stuck in your head as you repeat them over and over throughout the day.

Raffi,  Raffi singable songs collection is chock full of fun and lively children’s tunes that get them up and dancing and singing.  He’s funny and entertaining, mixing crazy lyrics about sharing peanut butter  sandwiches with classics such as Swing Lo, Sweet Chariot.  The very idea behind Raffi’s music:  Children deserve good music as much as the adults in their lives.  He is the ever fervent child advocate:  “We find these joys to be self-evident: That all children are created whole, endowed with innate intelligence, with dignity and wonder, worthy of respect.  He’s impossible not to love and GUARANTEED your kids will love his music!!!

Hailing from my own childhood is Ella Jenkins’ You’ll Sing a Song and I’ll Sing a Song.   From her Artist Profile on Amazon:  “”You’ll sing a song and I’ll sing a song, and we’ll sing a song together.” That is what Ella Jenkins has done for more than 50 years in preschools, festivals, auditoriums, early childhood conferences, and concerts around the world. Ella was the first “folk” performer to teach fun, interactive music in schools and preschools, incorporating world cultures, the joy of music, and the basic skills every child needs. Literally thousands of musicians who now perform for children are indebted to Ella Jenkins for laying that groundwork. She has reached even more families through television appearances on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Sesame Street, and Barney.”   My kids LOVE her!!  x0x0

Finally I can’t say enough great things about Here Come the 123s.  From Amazon (again): “Here the Johns–Linnell and Flansburgh–are up to their usual smart shenanigans: In “Seven,” a bunch of skinny numerals crash a stranger’s living room before settling in for some cake, and in “Nine Bowls of Soup” an ichthyosaur is so enamored of soup he works out a way to balance a multitude of bowls on his scaly body. The brilliance isn’t limited to the lyrics. The Johns know a thing or 1-2-3 about crafting seriously jammable music. Highights include “High Five,” a flippy, freewheeling dab of disco, and “One Everything,” a juiced-up, jangly rocker with a message for listeners ages 3 to 93: an untidy room actually is an insult to the omniverse.” –Tammy La Gorce  Looooveeee it!!!

Please feel free, if you have more awesome music to add to this less than exhaustive list, we’re always always looking to add to our music library … it’s nice to have a variety!!!