If you love someone with Down Syndrome, October is a very special month. It’s Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and indie musician Leonardo will be releasing his second kids’ CD, ‘Makin’ Waves’, on October 21. Throughout his career, Leonardo has been a musical advocate for children with special needs. Inspired by his younger brother, Mario (who, despite having Down syndrome and autism, has led a beautiful and productive life) Leonardo devotes a significant portion of his time to performing at camps and fundraisers for special needs kids and writing empowering songs dedicated to them.

I highly recommend that you take a few minutes to watch this inspiring news story about Leonardo and his involvement in the Down Syndrome & special needs community.

All of his CD’s are super inexpensive and if they sound anything like ‘Makin’ Waves’ they’re worth every penny and more.

Throughout ‘Makin’ Waves,’ Leonardo combines a ton of positive & life affirming messages that parents want to pass on to their children to create lyrics for the littles that are full of life & the loving of it. He uses enough repetition to keep the kids singing along with him but not so much as to annoy the big people that can reach the play button. With a Beachboys-esque sound and a backup chorus of kids with Down Syndrome, it’s a great CD with no distracting background clutter and a lot of great, fun music.

Win it! We’re giving away a copy of ‘Makin’ Waves’ to one randomly selected reader. Simply leave a comment on this post before September 3/08 to enter.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

If you’ve got an early writer or or a frustrated youngster who wants to do exactly what their school aged sibling does, you know that writing is one of those things that only gets easier with practice and the only way you’ll get your kids to practice is if you find ways to make it a little less like work and a little more like fun.

Write Way To Learn, a new mom-run company, makes writing practice fun for preschoolers with their fabulous multi-sensory learning cards. You can shop by level (easy, intermediate or challenging) or by theme. The seventeen available themes vary from family & world, for both of which you can upload your own pics, to shapes & bugs. Each oversized, super high quality, non-toxic card features a word and a corresponding picture and ample space for your child to write the word on the card over and over and over again. The cards can be created using your choice of font, and sign language cards featuring children’s hands signing the word are available. My son’s favourite feature is the “Personalization Pocket” - “a clear pocket that overlays the image area and empowers your child to customize the image by simply inserting a personal photograph, drawing, magazine clipping, etc. It is large enough to hold sizes up to a half sheet of paper (8.5″ x 5.5″). By using this pocket, your child is given yet another method in which to interact with the words he or she is learning on the card, therefore strengthening the learning experience and promoting retention.” I also love that you can choose the printable versions of the kits and make them at home (which is more affordable and therefore accessible to more children) and then tuck them in a sheet protector to make them reusable. They might not be as pretty but they’ll sure work. The learning kits come with the cards, a white board, a set of 4 dry erase markers, an accompanying learning guide and it all comes in a handy travel tote.

If you’re one of the first 100 customers of this great new company you’ll get a free printable learning card set of your choice, so buy yours now! I can think of several preschoolers who’d love to have a few of these kits appear under the Christmas tree. (In 121 days…get shopping!)

Win it! We’ve got a printable “My Animal Friends” kit to give to one randomly selected commenter. To enter, visit the Write Way To Learn site and leave a comment on this post before September 1, 2008 with the themes or products not mentioned in this review that you think your child (or grandchild, neighbour or cat) would like best.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

I know, I know. You’re thinking I’m either full of crap, completely delusional or not talking about my kid. You are correct. The Terrible Twos is a punk-ish kindie rock band headed by front man Matt Pryor of the grown up pop band the New Amsterdams. Matt also fronted for The Get Up Kids for nearly ten years so he knows a little about making real music. As he says, he’s not a children’s artist, per se, but an artist who made some music that children like. With songs like The Great Big Poop (ha!) on the Terrible Twos’ Jerzy Giant, (released today!) your kids are sure to dig it as much as you do.

Listen at their myspace page.

Win it! We’re giving away a copy of the Terrible Twos Jerzy Giant to one randomly selected reader. To enter, leave a comment on this post by 11:59 mst on August 6/08.

Additional entries available - up to four per person. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

When I was learning to breastfeed my first baby, I wasn’t all that shocked (well, maybe that’s a lie) at the cracking, scabbing and as-bad-as-labour searing pain that came with it for the first few weeks. I was, however, shocked that as an experienced exclusive breastfeeder the same thing happened when I began to nurse my second child. Granted, it didn’t last quite as long and it wasn’t quite as bad but holy bajeebus did it ever hurt. Without a lot of air drying, a little relief-pumping and some great natural products, there would have been a lot more screaming heard from my house.

You likely remember the recent headline news about the nipple cream for nursing moms that contained potentially harmful ingredients (chlorphenesin and phenoxyethanol) that could cause respiratory distress or vomiting and diarrhea in infants. This product was taken off the market, thank goodness, and we’ve got a great alternative for you.

Nipple Nurture Butter and Nipple Nurture Cleansing Pads from Bella B Natural Bodycare are 100% edible and are perfectly safe for newborns and moms.

Nipple Nurture Butter ($9.99 for 2 oz.) is a great lanolin-free alternative to other breastfeeding creams. Many people are unaware that lanolin comes from sheep’s wool. Nipple Nurture Butter is an excellent alternative for those that prefer a plant-based product. It contains only the very best natural ingredients including cocoa, shea and mango butter. All of the ingredients are food-grade and free of parabens (which, in case you didn’t know, are controversial but widely used artificial preservatives that are rapidly absorbed, have estrogenic activity and have been found in breast tumours).

Nipple Nurture Cleansing Pads ($9.99 for 80 pads) are a clean, natural solution to cleaning nipples before and after breastfeeding (which I had never done prior to discovering these pads and still don’t do reguarly, but it’s lovely and would be especially awesome in times of thrush.) They not only clean tender nipples but provide excellent soothing and healing properties. Fortified with aloe vera, the cleaning solution is healing and refreshing to sore, cracked nipples.

Win it! One randomly selected winner will win one of each of these great products, together valued at $19.98. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post before noon MST on July 25/08.

Additional entries available - up to four per person. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED - WINNER EMAILED - Congrats Heather!

Putumayo World Music has released Cafe Cubano as the latest in their cafe series.

I’m a huge fan of cafe music any time, but having spent time teaching fitness classes at a resort in Cuba surrounded by their music and dance-rich culture, I love the idea of Cuban tunes, cafe style. It’s the kind of music that gets your hips moving no matter how hard you try to stop them, but it’s totally unobtrusive enough to enjoy over a Cuban coffee in an outdoor lounge while still focusing on the conversation.

Order it here, and pour yourself a mojito to accompany your first listen. You’ll be glad you did.

Putumayo has joined in the 400th Anniversary celebration of one of the world’s most fascinating and beautiful cities with the new release Québec. Featuring an array of Québécois songs ranging from traditional folk to contemporary, this CD is a great way to expose your family to music that’s not very well known to people outside of the province. Designated as a World Heritage City, Québec City has a proud musical tradition that deserves to be shared.

Québec follows the Putumayo line of successful French-language albums including French Café, Paris, French Playground and French Caribbean.

Buy it or listen here.

Putumayo has recently released several additions to their great collection. They go around the world searching for the amazing sounds on their CD’s and have never failed us yet.

We’ll be presenting mini-features of a few of their new selections this week.

Eurogroove is the 11th release in the -groove series, following such titles as Arabic Groove, Asian Groove, Gypsy Groove and Latin Groove. The series has sold more than 1.5 million CD’s around the world and that many kids can’t be wrong.

Artists from Hungary, Germany, France, Spain and more are featured on this unique CD, playing a diverse selection of R&B, jazz, Latin and pop. It’s a great mix of Euro-tunes that my kids dig, and the appearance of Chumbawamba (of “Tubthumping” fame) singing “Jacob’s Ladder” had me sold.

Listen and buy it here.

New Orleans-based singer/songwriter Johnette Downing’s new album, Dixieland Jazz for Children, featuring Jimmy LaRocca and the Original Dixieland Jazz Band is, as far as I can tell, the very first Dixieland jazz CD for kids. If you’re a fan of Louisiana’s musical stylings, you and your kids will get a real kick out of this unique CD full of New Orleans inspired “can’t sit still” music.

Johnette Downing, dubbed “the Pied Piper for Louisiana music traditions,” has won 18 national awards for her recordings and children’s books. You can hear her passion for the art of Dixieland Jazz as she plays, and neither you or the children you spend your time with will be able to resist dancing.

Being that I have no idea what Dixieland dancing is supposed to look like, this is one time I’m very glad we don’t have a flip video camera.

Win it! We’ve got a Dixieland Jazz for Children up for grabs. To enter, just leave a comment on this post by noon MST on Sunday, July 6/08.

Additional entries available - up to four per person. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED - WINNER EMAILED - Congrats Amy!

Frances England’s newest release, Family Tree, is a welcome addition to the saturated genre of children’s tunes.

The folksy sound is reminiscent of a small town Lilith Fair, with a definite Sarah McLachlan influence and a few little voices interspersed throughout.

Our playgroup kidlets loved the simple lyrics that they could jam to even the first time it played through. I know my son would hop on the Fast Train to Grandma’s if he could, and we’ll certainly be doing our part to help our animal friends.

Since that wonderful morning that he spent dancing with his friends, my son has asked for “da new guitar cd” over and over again. Thankfully, Family Tree is enjoyable enough that I’m happy to oblige.

Win it! We’ve got a copy of Family Tree up for grabs, autographed and written to your child! To enter, simply leave a comment on this post before noon MST on Saturday, July 5/08.

Additional entries available - up to four per person. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

I reviewed Ira Marlowe’s first two CD’s last winter and am pleased to announce that he has released a new CD featuring 11 brand new songs.

Dream Time features the same Molly The Moose as his first CD’s but this time she travels to Mars and displays an aptitude for science never before seen in such a large land mammal. My two year old and his buddies love to dance to this CD and are often found doing the crab walk or acting like dogs along with “Don’t Let the Dog Dig.” My favourite? Soap Opera. It’s a musical hygiene lesson that got the kids washing like I never could.

When I first heard the title Dream Time, I envisioned a lullaby CD but I wasn’t even close. As with all of Ira’s CD’s your child’s imagination will soar as they listen, sing and dance along. Listen and check out the lyrics here.

Dream Time is available for $15 from the Brainy Tunes site.

Win it! We’ve got a copy of Dream Time for one reader. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post before noon MST on June 30/08.

Additional entries available - up to four per person. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Why are children so fascinated with marbles? There’s just something about them that never gets old. Mine all love to watch them roll!

My children currently have a wooden set of blocks that they often set up for a marble run, but they’re going in the donation bin after finding the Q-BA-MAZE Marble Run! This really sets the imagination into orbit!

Founded by architect Andrew Comfort, Q-BA-MAZE is a toy but so much more - it’s right-brained and left-brained, part art and part science. There are literally thousands of options for making marble runs. Children can build any shape their mind can fathom with these cool interlocking, durable polycarbonate pieces, or they can go online and choose a plan to build. Come up with a cool design of your own? You can submit it online to the guys at Q-BA-MAZE to see if it makes the cut to be added to their site. (Here’s the plan for the pictured design made with Q50 in red.)

Q-BA-MAZE sets come in 20 or 50 packs, and you can choose from Cool Colors (blue, green and clear) or Hot Colors (red, orange and clear). They also have a new Fish Five Set and a Dino One Set that comes with enough cubes and instructions to complete the chosen kit. Check out these cool videos of the Q-BA-MAZE in action.

Q-BA-MAZE is available online or in seleceted retail locations. Have fun designing and watching those marbles meander throughout your creation!
- Gina

Win it! We’re giving away a red 50 pack Q-BA-MAZE valued at $50 to one lucky winner. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon MST on June 16/08.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Remember the Flipper toothbrush holder?

Remember how they offered you a 20% off code because they felt sorry for y’all who didn’t win?

Well, you’re getting lucky again! We’ve got two toothbrush holders and two razor holders to give away. Two winners will each receive one of each - just leave a comment to enter! You’ve got just 48 hours to enter - contest closes at 8 pm MST on Wednesday, May 28/08.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED

I’m a big fan of music and enjoy hip-hop, but as you and I both know the hip-hop music of todays era that you hear on the radio isn’t really suitable for young ears. Those same young ears that crave music with a good beat. Who also love to listen to the radio or a good kid’s CD in the car while Mom or Dad is driving.

I can attest to the fact that some of the kids CD’s that we have had in rotation lately are getting quite stale, and just monotonous. If they are boring to me, I’m sure my kids are thinking the same. But I was presented with an opportunity, and I have to say it was a life-saver.

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, a father and life-long fan of hip-hop has created an album that introduces kids to hip hop music without compromising either one. His goal was to fix the two things I’ve already touched on; boring kids CD’s and today’s hip-hop music that’s unsuitable for our young kids. His new CD ‘Easy’ is a big top, hip-hop, upbeat collection of beats and rhymes that mixes traditional funk, bluegrass, reggae and blues over golden age hip hop beats and then tops it off with magical lyrical journeys through a world populated with dragons, mermaids and blue grasshoppers.

I found myself playing the CD for my kids every time we were in the car and have to admit that even after the kids were dropped off at daycare and I was by myself and on my way to work, it was still playing. Not only were my kids enjoying the CD, I was too.

The lyrics to Secret Agent 23 Skidoo’s are positive which reminds kids to have fun, live life to the fullest and stay true to themselves. Visit the Secret Agent 23 Skidoo website to check out a few song samples, a few song videos, Secret Agent 23 Skidoo’s bio, and tour schedule. You might even want to consider purchasing ‘Easy’ while you are checking things out. You and your kids won’t be disappointed if you do.

Win it! We’re giving away TWO copies of this great CD! To enter, leave a comment on this post by June 2, 2008 @ noon mst.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNERS EMAILED

Rebecca Frezza and her 7-piece band, Big Truck, have just released their fourth CD entitled Special Kind of Day. It features 13 new songs sung by Rebecca in her very-unique-in-a-good-way voice and backed up by her talented band. The tunes are catchy, rather folky and are aimed toward the older pre-school and early school aged crowd. A nice change from the toddler tunes I listen to on a regular basis!

You can catch Rebecca and her band in music videos on PBS KIDS and NOGGIN and on Sirius and XM Satellite Radio.

Win it! We’re giving away a copy of Special Kind of Day to one reader. To enter, listen to some audio clips here and leave a comment telling us which track is your fave by noon on April 23.

Get up to two additional entries into this contest!

1. Blog about this contest using one of the top three images found here. Leave a comment with the direct link to your post (not to your main page, and in a separate comment from your other entry).

AND/OR

2.Subscribe to our RSS feed. Leave an additional comment to let us know that you did this for your extra entry. Be sure to leave a valid email address so we can confirm your subscription.

AND/OR

3. Place our button in your sidebar or add us to your blogroll. Leave an additional comment to let us know that you did this for your extra entry. Be sure to leave a valid url so we can confirm the addition.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.theopinionatedparent.com"><img src="http://www.theopinionatedparent.com/images/topbutton.jpg" alt="The Opinionated Parent" /></a>

Maximum four entries total per person.

CONTEST CLOSED

Putumayo World Music is a leading pioneer in the World Music industry and creates albums that are “guaranteed to make you feel good.” This month, Putumayo will celebrate its 15 year anniversary. For this occasion Putumayo Kids will release African Party and African Dreamland on April 29th.

We’ve been listening to advance copies of both those CD’s and they’re as fantastic as you’d expect from Putumayo Kids. The entire Dreamland series has been a hit here, and the African version is as good as the others. (Read the Celtic Dreamland CD review here.)

You might be interested to know that the company’s commitment to helping communities in the countries where the music originates has led to the label contributing more than a million dollars to worthwhile non-profit organizations around the world. After Katrina, Putumayo embarked on a campaign to raise funds and awareness for musicians and others affected by the hurricane. Putumayo has contributed more than $250,000 of the proceeds from New Orleans and its other New Orleans-themed CDs to charities working in New Orleans and New Orleans musicians. Other charitable recipients include Oxfam, Mercy Corps, Search for Common Ground and more. We’re awfully opinionated about our music around here, obviously, but we’re also opinionated about company policies and we swoon over Putumayo’s commitment to all of these worthy causes.

Happy Anniversary to a great company ~ here’s to another 15 years of making great world music!

Win it! We’re giving away the African Dreamland CD to one lucky reader. To enter, click through to the CD’s page and take a listen to the samples available in either RealAudio or Windows Media format. Leave a comment before noon mst on April 23/08 with your favourite(s).

Get up to two additional entries into this contest!

1. Blog about this contest using one of the top three images found here.

2. Leave a comment with the direct link to your post (not to your main page, and in a separate comment from your other entry).

AND/OR

Subscribe to our RSS feed. Leave an additional comment to let us know that you did this for your extra entry. Be sure to leave a valid email address so we can confirm your new subscription. You may only enter one contest with this entry - only new subscriptions qualify.

Maximum three entries total per person.

CONTEST CLOSED

Here comes Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could.

When are they coming?

Today!

After a very successful career in “adult music” Brady Rymer became a father and left the touring scene. He naturally progressed in to children’s tunes and, since 2005, he’s been touring and performing with a new band, the Little Band That Could. Together, they’ve released four CD’s and won eleven national awards.

After listening to Brady’s newest CD “Here Comes Brady Rymer And The Little Band That Could” which is being released today, I’m going to be checking out the previous three for sure.

This CD is energetic, completely family friendly and absolutely entertaining. It’s got a bit of an acoustic twang in some songs and a more folksy bend in others and all of them have a little rock n’ roll behind the scenes.

If your kids love music and you’re a collector of great family friendly CD’s, be sure to add this one to your collection!

Buy it at Amazon!

Win a copy! To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com before midnight MST tonight with BRADY RYMER in the subject line and include your full name and mailing address. One winner will be selected at random. As always, your name and address will not be shared with anyone at any time.

Get an additional entry into this contest by blogging about it!

1. Blog about this contest using one of the top three images found here.

2. Email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com before midnight MST tonight with BRADY RYMER-blog in the subject line and include your full name and mailing address, as well as the link to your post. (NOT the link to your main page please, but the link to the actual post.)

Congratulations to Grace in Dubai, UAE!

At our house there’s always music playing because our son is a dancing fool and demands “Stereo On!” from the time he wakes up until the time we’re forcing him rudely back to bed.

Princess Katie & Racer Steve’s new album Fast & Feisty is a welcome addition to our collection. It features ten new songs and four skits that, in classic Princess-Racer style, are kid-centric while being easy for parents to listen to and are a positive influence on the little listeners. That’s one of the things I love most about Katie & Steve’s music - it’s not at all preachy but always gives either a little nudge toward positive action or laughter.

The first song, “Holidays” is delightfully swingy with a big-band feel and the rest of the songs run the gamut from jazz to Latin & rock n’ roll to rap and even a little country thrown in for good measure.

Based in NYC, this husband and wife team of Katie O’Sullivan & Steve Borne create a musical world where we’re all kind to one another, laugh a lot and magical things happen. Just the kind of world I want my kids to live in.

See our review of Princess Katie & Racer Steve’s first album here.

Win it! A copy of Fast & Feisty is up for grabs! Just leave a comment on this post after you’ve visited Princess Katie & Racer Steve’s website and listened to some tunes (click on the musical note at the top to get the jukebox). Tell us in your comment what song you liked best and why. The randomly selected winner will be contacted via email for their mailing address and will have 48 hours to reply before an alternate winner is chosen. You must leave a valid email address and all required information or you will not be entered in the draw. Comment approval is always at the blog owner’s discretion. Comments left before March 5, 2008 at midnight MST will be included in the drawing.

Get an additional entry into this contest by blogging about it!

1. Blog about this contest using one of the top three images found here.

2. Leave a comment on this post (in a separate comment from your other entry) or send a trackback to receive your second entry.

Bingo Records (reviewed here) thinks y’all are so awesome that they want you to have another chance to win some of their fab CD’s!

From our previous review:

Bingo Records has hit the nail right square on the head. Founders and fathers Ric Cohen & Michael Silver (recording industry lawyers in their former life) were as sick as the rest of us of ’silly songs’ and decided to do something about it. Kids love to hear other kids singing - even if adults don’t. Bingo Records has produced an awesome set of CD’s sung by kids that the whole family will love.

Their “Raise Them On The Classics” series includes two Beatles Hits for Kids CD’s (volumes 1 and 2) which are both truly fabulous. I love the Beatles and, though these CD’s are mixed for & sung by kids and definitely have a sound that’s appealing to little ones, they’re so reminiscent of the true classics that I tuned them out - in a good way - and forgot we were listening to kids’ music. The Motown Hits for Kids CD is simply awesome as well. It reminded me of the music that played in my house as a kid and has an incredibly infectious beat. Put on your dancing shoes when you listen to this one - you won’t be able to help yourself.

Their other series, “Musical Edutainment” consists of Smart Beats & Yoga Child. Smart Beats is a CD full of rap & hip hop songs addressing the family tree, dinosaurs, geography, recycling & more. This kind of hip hop is completely safe to play no matter who’s within listening distance, and the kids might actually learn something while they listen! Yoga Child, A Peaceful Place Inside is a mix of relaxing songs and meditations. Each piece incorporates simple yoga asanas and breathing exercises. As a children’s yoga instructor myself, I was very impressed with this CD. It’s extremely relaxing and uses wonderful imagery to encourage children to get through an entire yoga practice with only auditory cues while allowing them to be silly & have fun at the same time.

See for yourself how great these tunes are. Listen to some selections at the Bingo Records Jukebox!

Each CD comes with a free inflatable air guitar. How cool is that?

WIN IT!Bingo Records is giving away one of each of their five CD’s to five separate TOP readers. To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com by midnight MST on 2/15/08 with BINGO! in the subject line and within the body of the email tell us:
1. The name of the CD you want to be entered for (one only, please)
2. The name of your favourite track on the CD (which you can hear at the Bingo Records Jukebox)
3. Your full name and mailing address so we can ship your prize asap if you win. (These are deleted immediately after the draw and are never shared with anyone - we promise!)
Good luck!

Congratulations to our winners: Julia, Alyson, Tammy, Angela & Gaye!

Yet another brand spankin’ new release from Putumayo Kids, Latin Reggae is a CD that taught me something - that there’s such a thing as Latin Reggae! Jamaican tunes - Spanish words. It features artists from Latin America and Spain and all of the tracks are performed in Spanish. It’s like nothing I’ve ever heard, and I have yet to decide if that’s good or bad. Take a listen from here and see what you think.

I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii. It’s the only tropical place I have the desire to go. I can only imagine the beauty. (Well, and look at the pictures on the internet but I hear it’s a little nicer in person.)

The music on Putumayo Kids’ new release Hawaiian Playground is enough to make me pull out the credit card and just book the darn flight already. Almost. Until that’s actually a viable option I’ll have to stay home and listen to this CD with my kids and dream of the beaches.

It’s a lively collection featuring playful ukulele, steel guitars and classic Hawaiian vocals and is an extremely family friendly mix with tunes for the kids (like “Toad Song”) and the grown ups (like “Po La’ila’i”).

Debi Derryberry (whom we’ve reviewed previously) has released her second studio CD - a collection of children’s songs entitled Very Derryberry that will keep your children entertained for hours on end.

Debi’s tunes showcase whimsy at it’s best and her child-like voice is endlessly appealing to the small people around here.

Honestly, it’s not a CD I’d personally choose to listen to every day simply because of her childlike voice, but that’s the same reason that my kids love to listen to it daily. Ah, the sacrifices we make for our kids. ;-). Tunes such as “Tonsil Song” and “Lechita Chocolate” (chocolate milk) as well as rocking remakes of Skinnamarkink and more are sure to entertain and delight your children just as they continue to entertain and delight mine.

Win it! To enter the random draw for a Very Derryberry CD, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com before midnight MST on 2/15/08 with Derryberry in the subject line and tell us where Debi was born & raised. Remember to include your name and mailing address, and a blog link if you’d like us to link you if you win. Congratulations Tyson!

I had never heard of Recess Monkey when I received their newest CD, Wonderstuff, a little while ago, and I’ve still never heard anything like them. It’s the kind of music that I find hard to describe, mostly because it defies categorization. It’s motown meets musical meets elementary school reader’s theatre and yet even that doesn’t cover it. It’s a fabulous change from the every day kids tunes that we hear!

Wonderstuff is a 2-disc account of two friends, Everett the Wonderbee and Harold the Rat, that takes us through their struggle to save the Magical Meadows from The Gray and it’s concrete and steel friends. The compilation is a joint effort between the 3 elementary school teachers (yay teachers!) who make up the band and the over 100 children who attended a Rock ‘n’ Roll camp that they hosted. Those are some lucky kids!

Buy the Wonderstuff CD here.

(Actually, it’s out of stock. That’s how great it is! But you can sign up to be notified the minute they arrive so you can get it sooner than the schmucks waiting for the music store to call.)

But wait! You can also order it directly from Recess Monkey themselves. You see? There’s always a solution with online shopping!

For the past few days we’ve been listening to the debut album from husband and wife Ellen and Matt. It’s not only been a welcome reprieve from the Christmas music I’ve loved for the past 2 months but am now totally sick of, but it’s been a joy to watch my little man dance around to some tunes that we all love. The songs are reminiscent of a huge variety of influences (from the Carpenters to the Beatles to the Ramones and more, according to Ellen) and have a very “indie pop” sound. They address a variety of child centered ideas such as friendship, courage, bicycles and bedtime but if you don’t listen to the lyrics you’d almost not know that it’s a kids’ CD. Buy it at CD Baby.

When the folks from Mr. Oscat emailed me asking if we’d like to review their first CD, I went to their website to listen to a sneak preview and to check out the flash video for their first single. My son was in the room and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing because since that day we have watched “Ducks” no less than 100 times and quite certainly many more. He often wakes up in the morning saying “More ducks!” and every time he sees one of our computer monitors or laptops he asks to see the video. Thankfully, it’s a great song and the video is simply a sequence of animals that my son loves to name as they appear and not the overstimulating stuff that I’d be too paranoid to let him watch.

Needless to say, we were very thankful when the whole CD arrived to broaden his horizons (along with a kazoo for him to play along - apparently one of the greatest forgotten toddler toys of all time).

The rest of the CD is just as good as “Ducks In A Row” (the real name for “Ducks”), but my son gets fairly confused when we hit track two and he can’t see the animals on the stereo!

Mr. Oscat Says is true family CD - It was written & recorded by Olen Taylor’s family in the living room of their home. How cool is that?

We’ve got two reader prizes from Mr. Oscat. Two winners will each receive a copy of the CD and a Mr. Oscat kazoo! To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com by midnight MST on 1/10/07 with Mr. Oscat in the subject line and tell us the names of Olen Taylor’s two daughters. (Hint: See “The Story So Far.”) Remember to include your real name and mailing address, as well as a link to your blog if you’d like us to link to you if you win. Congratulations Jo & Amy!

My 20 month old is too young to really understand what’s going on at this time of year but he sure does love the beautiful lights, trees and gifts that he’s seeing everywhere and he does seem to know that because he’s a child he needs to be extremely crazy. For that reason and so many more, we are loving the new Celtic Dreamland CD from Putamayo Kids.

I’ve always enjoyed the sound of Celtic tunes and this CD celebrates its’ softer, more tranquil side. While it hasn’t calmed our son’s frenzy on the whole (that was just wishful thinking…) he does love to sit quietly on my knee and listen to it while we read books and at 39 weeks pregnant I’ll take what I can get. Moreover, I love to listen to it alone when I finally relax once he’s asleep, and any CD that works for the whole family comes with a high T.O.P. recommendation!

By Angela, Contributing Writer

(prize section updated)

Ever heard of “Symphonic Art Animation?” I hadn’t either until I was sent these amazing DVDs. The Little Laureate’s developmental series for children ages 1 to 4 (My World Gallery, My World Colors and My World Adventure) literally blew me and my kids away. Because these? Are nothing like your “typical” baby/toddler DVDs. No mind numbing sock puppets here!

In these DVDs, the main character, Star (and her sister Starlette), lead your child (and you - these DVDs are designed for a shared experience with you and your child) on a journey through famous works of art, culture, and classical music. It’s hard to articulate just what a visually stunning journey this is. Famous pieces of art are “constructed” on the screen, one piece at a time, in tempo with the music (some of my favorite pieces of classical music), teaching colors, art appreciation and even foreign language as you go. And be sure to check out “The Crawl,” an onscreen parent guide of art history, parenting tips and family art activities (a unique feature to this series). This series is amazing! Even my 5 year old could not take his eyes off the screen and asked for more when each DVD was finished!

Each set is only $34.95 and includes the 30-minute DVD, 60-minute CD of classical music performed by the Moscow International Orchestra, and 24 page parent booklet that contains information on the art, artists and music along with expert tips on raising a creative child.

• My World Gallery is a movable feast of art and music that explores over 500 years of art, from Van Gogh to Picasso to living artists (Andy Warhol showed up a lot!)
• My World Adventure is an interactive, cross-cultural journey to all seven continents that features art, animals, architecture, geography, climate and how to say “I Love You” in five different languages (English, French, Spanish, Italian and Japanese).
• My World Colors uses art, architecture and even international street signs to present the colors of the rainbow spectrum in order (a Kindergarten requirement in most states) in 3 languages (English, French and Spanish - Chinese characters are also used).

And I’m not the only one who thinks so highly of this series. Check out the numerous awards bestowed on them, including the prestigious Dr. Toy’s 100 Best Children’s Products for 2007.
Bonus? Check out the web page for a handy online (grand)parents guide and “kids corner” where you can find coloring pages featuring favorite characters from the DVDs. [Ed: You can also check out some clips from the series here.]

These DVDs are perfect for holiday gifts for that special child in your life. And to make your shopping easier, use the code PROMO for a buy one get one free special through 12/31/07.

Want to try your luck at winning the whole series? We’ve got three complete sets up for grabs! Send one email to theopinionatedparent@gmail.com by midnight MST on 12/20/07 with Little Laureate in the subject line and tell us the name of the brains behind the company. Three winners will be randomly selected from all correct entries. Congratulations Elizabeth, Betty & Melanie!

Playaway is one of those ideas that made me wonder why it took so long for someone to invent it and, at the same time, incredibly glad that someone did!

So, what are they? Each Playaway is a pre-loaded digital audio player. They’re about half the size of a deck of cards and hold content that ranges from six to 40 hours of play time. They come ready to listen (with batteries, earbuds and a lanyard) and are completely portable. Kind of like a book on CD without the need for a CD player or a library (though they are in lots of libraries!) For us, they’ve become the ultimate in convenience. I’ve always been an audio book lover for car travel but rarely take time to get to the library & borrow them. Now I’ll be ordering my books from Playaway and sharing them after - since the units run off of AAA batteries & can be replaced as needed, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be used and used…and used!

Playaway has a selection of 700 audiobooks and there’s something for absolutely everyone! We listened to 100 Gross & Silly Songs which is awesome for kids and kids at heart, and we’re part way through Anne of Green Gables - still one of my favourite stories. I’m especially struck by the intelligent design of the Playaway. It remembers where I was and starts at the right spot ever time. No more flipping through tracks to try to find the right part of the right chapter. Praise the Playaway!

Receive 20% off your first order with the code OpinionatedParent20.

I highly suggest using this code today and giving yourself a reputation as the best gift giver in town! However…

Playaway is also listed in the TOP Shops, where we feature only the most fabulous online retailers offering discount codes exclusively for Opinionated Parents everywhere.

Wouldn’t it be nice to live in a place called Lullaby Island?

Talented artist Julia Norton’s new release Lullaby Island will take you there and you may never want to come back.
(If you’re feeling generous, you can take the children with you.)

This is a wonderful mix of lullabies that transport children to far away magical places and soothing sounds from nature. It is enjoyable to listen to even if you’re not at all tired. It would be just as great for turning the “imposed relaxation hour” into dreamy la-la-time as it would for those precious moments before bed.

Julia says “I wanted it to take listeners on a journey to Lullaby Island, where their beds transform into boats and they are greeted at the dock by nightingales, owls and fairies singing.” And that’s exactly what it does.

Unlike any other CD in our collection, we are loving the imaginative discussions that this CD can bring to relaxation time. Simply wonderful!

We’ve got three of Julia’s CD’s to give away! To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com by midnight MST on 11/29/07 with LULLABY ISLAND in the subject line and answer the following question in the body of the email.

Track #10, ‘Early Morning’ is a poem written in the late 1800’s by Hillaire Belloc that Julia set to music. What is the first line of the poem?

Three winners will be drawn at random from all qualifying entries. Congratulations Kristen, Michelle & Rachelle!

The Blankies‘ new album, Peace, is all about…well…peace and stuff. The four cartoon “band members” each have a sound of their own (surprisingly human-like) and their tunes hit multiple genres. The songs on this particular album are very “childish” but I mean that in the best way possible. When you’re singing about saying please and thank you, I have to assume you’re not addressing the parents (though maybe…) but that’s okay. Kids do need music that’s just for them and the adults don’t have to love it. With this album, they’ll definitely love the message.

Win a CD! To enter the draw for your own Peace CD from The Blankies, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with PEACE in the subject line before midnight MST on 11/19/07 and tell us the names of the other two albums. Congratulations Shaelynn!

Now that my Christmas tree is up and the house is glistening with decorations, (shut up, I’m Canadian and Thanksgiving is earlier here) I’ve been, to my husband’s chagrin, listening to Christmas music. It’s one of my favourite signs of the season (along with the red cups at Starbucks) but it’s got to be good. The crap at the mall over the loudspeakers just doesn’t do it for me. When I received “Christmas Lullabies To Create Memories” by Paige Stroman I had a feeling I’d love it and now that we’ve been listening to it for a week I’ve got a funny feeling that you will too. It’s not your typical Christmas album in that it’s definitely made for the young ‘uns but its soothing and enjoyable and is just that little reminder we all need to slow down and enjoy the season with our children.

Listen to some song samples from Paige’s site. The CD can also be purchased there for $15.

I’m often bombarded with samples of children’s music that I choose not to share with you. (You’re welcome.) However, Ira Marlowe’s two CD’s fall into the “must share” category. His two CD’s, The Teasing Bird and All The Colours, are full of spunky, fun tunes to get your kids (and you?) singing along with him.

With songs about things like an escaping moose, a bagel that can fly and a gorilla that learns to read, Ira’s music both inspires imagination and gets kids “thinking silly,” which is one of our favourite things to do around here. His voice is easy to listen to and has none of the fake childish sounding qualities that can be so annoying in some music made for the kiddos. We play his tunes at least once a day in our house!

You can listen to song samples and check out the goofy lyrics from here, and order his CD’s for just $15 each here.

(Also check out his totally non-cheesy personalized songs!)

We’ve got a copy of each of these great CD’s to give to one lucky T.O.P. reader! To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with IRA MARLOWE in the subject line and tell us what popular educational software series features a theme song written by Ira. Contest closes at midnight MST on 11/15/07. Congrats Cindi!

Gustafer Yellowgold is a name I was completely unfamiliar with when he showed up at my door. Honestly, I’m still not sure what he is or why kids like him but they most certainly do! He looks a little like a psychedelic banana. He’s living his lifelong dream of living on Earth after leaving his home on the sun and in Have You Never Been Yellow he has some equally psychedelic adventures with is equally psychedelic friends. The DVD is full of semi-stationary “music videos” that you can play in normal or karaoke style (the kids LOVE this one!) and also includes a commentary by illustrator and musician Morgan Taylor. It also comes with a 9 song audio only CD.

You can read about both Gustafer and Morgan Taylor here and see if you can figure it out.

It reminds me of that infamous pants-wearing sponge that lives in a pineapple under the sea — you just have to be a kid to get it!

All of Gustafer’s goodies are available at the store.

I’ve been listening to the Dog On Fleas CD in my living room for a couple of weeks and I must say that it’s been a fabulous addition to our collection. My music loving toddler runs to the stereo many mornings, grabs “When I Get Little” and shouts “Dance! Dance!”

It’s a great combination of styles and is completely original. The tunes are very intelligently written - a quality not always found on CD’s geared toward children. I knew it was good when I found myself walking the halls at work singing “When I get little, I’m gonna be a boy…” and wasn’t annoyed that it was stuck in my head. A very enjoyable CD!

Listen and/or buy it here.

One of the talented Dog On Fleas artists, Dean Jones, has recently released his first solo album called Napper’s Delight that we’ve also been enjoying - though not at nap time. This is anything but a traditional lullaby collection. Dean combines a variety of instruments that you might not expect to hear on the same album (like the traditional African balafon and a drum machine) and his songs seem more like “music to chill out with the kids to” than stuff that would put you to sleep. I recommend that you listen to it before nap time while you snuggle and simply enjoy each other.

Listen and/or buy it here.

We’ve got multiple giveaways on both of these CD’s! To enter the random draw, listen to the tracks from the links above and then email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com by midnight on Oct. 31 with either Dean Jones or Dog On Fleas in the subject line (2 separate emails to enter both) and tell us which track was your favourite and what you loved about it/why you liked it. Congratulations Michelle, Michelle, Betty, Abigail & Angela!

Since I’m feeling honest, I’ll tell you that we’ve been enjoying the new Maria Sangiolo CD so much that I almost neglected to post the review!

My first thought when I heard this CD was that this is a concert I’d love to take my children to. Her style is an awesome folksy one with a greater energy than many. It’s evident from her music that she loves what she does and it’s evident by the booty shaking happening in my living room that kids love it too. It’s the kind of music that you simply can’t sit still to and you’ll be humming and singing the songs long after the CD is over. In fact, the CD contains 4 special sing along tracks at the end especially for those sing-along kids!

Many of her songs contain an earth-friendly message that’s admirable and growing ever more important. When sung with her beautiful motherly voice they don’t seem at all lecture-ish (as they certainly would if I sung them to you so I’ll spare you).

This is an independent release and is not available in stores. You can listen to previews and order it here. If you’re a folk fan, you’ll love her!

We’ve got a copy of Under The Mystic Sea to give to a lucky T.O.P. reader. To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Maria Sangiolo in the subject line by midnight MST tonight and tell us the name of Maria’s 2004 release.

Remember when we reviewed The Hipwaders’ new cd?

Whether you do or not, we now have two copies to give away to people just like you! (You know, people who love honest reviews by very opinionated parents, great online shopping deals and, of course, prizes!)

If you’d like to enter your name into the random draw for one of the two CD’s, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com before midnight MST on 9/20/07 with HIPWADERS in the subject line and tell us where The Hipwaders are playing this coming Saturday! (Hint - click through to our review and follow the link to their site. Check the “shows/contact” link from their site.) Congratulations Holly P. and Betty!

We’re sent a lot of kids’ music to review that doesn’t ever make it onto this site because, quite frankly, it sucks. I don’t see the point of paying money for a CD that your kids might like but is going to annoy the hell out of you and therefore will never get played. I sort of feel that way about a lot of the music that’s designed for babies. It’s tinkly and music-box like and the tracks are about 45 seconds long ending in a 20 minute CD that’s hardly worth my time.

And that, my friends, is why I love the Canadian-made Baby Concerts. I am a classical fan myself, among many other things including lots of GnR, and this is real music. Like, really real. Actual musicians performing the works of many composers. Pedro Eustache is the amazing musician anchoring the ensemble and is only part of the team behind this set of 5 wonderful compositions. I’ve only heard the first two CD’s but they’re a glorious mix of classical pieces that happen to be intended for children but if I didn’t know that the music certainly wouldn’t have given it away.

What a great gift these CD’s would make for a pregnant mother who is oblivious to the way her life may soon be taken over by annoying beeping plastic toys. At least she’ll still have some enjoyable sound in her life (other than the cooing of her beautiful baby, of course).

We’ve got TWO sets of CD’s to give away. Both prizes will include the prenatal/newborn and the infant CD. To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com before midnight MST on 9/20/07 with Baby Concerts in the subject line and tell us what charity the sales of Baby Concerts supports. Congratulations Betty and Amie!

Music makes most of us happy - especially children. I’m always excited to receive CD’s to review because my son loves tunes and my husband I love to find new ways to let him dance up a storm without being painful to us.

When I put Robbi K’s new CD, Music Makes Me Happy, into the stereo, I knew within a minute that we had another hit. The first song on the CD has a very different sound to anything we have played for our son in the past. As soon as it came on, he hopped into my lap and stared at the stereo. He slowly started to bounce a little bit and then hopped off my lap and started to boogie in his strange little riverdance-esque way.

In Robbi’s words, her music is for the “post-Barney and pre-Britney” crowd, but we’re sure enjoying it with our 16 month old as well. It’s an eclectic mix ranging from reggae to pop to world beat and more. It’s very likely like nothing you’ve ever heard. In a good way!

The CD is enhanced and includes videos to play on the computer too.

You can download individual songs from Robbi’s site for just 99 cents each or pick up the CD from Amazon.

We’re giving this CD away to one lucky winner! To enter, head to Robbi’s site and tell us where this talented musician grew up via email at theopinionatedparent@gmail.com. Contest closes 8/31/07 at midnight MST. Congratulations Megan!

It’s another T.O.P. CD review and this time it’s The Hipwaders newest release called “Educated Kid.”

The band consists of two paramedics, guitarist/lead vocalist Tito Uquillas and bass player/vocalist Chris Blubaugh, and a high school art teacher, drummer/vocalist Nick Baca.

The style of the CD is tough to describe. There’s funk, there’s techno and there’s three part harmony. Sounds like a strange mix, but it definitely works! The Hipwaders made adult tunes before entering the wonderful world of children’s music in 2003, so their songs, while obviously written for kids, are witty enough to be enjoyed by adults too.

Check out their playlist on YouTube and see them in action. Find out where to buy it here or just order it from Amazon!