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
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.
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
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
Leery of personalized CD’s? I wouldn’t blame you. There are some horrible ones out there but I assure you that NYT CD’s incorporate your child’s name in flawlessly and it certainly doesn’t sound like a different person did a crappy voice-over job in each song like many other’s I’ve heard. It sounds like each song was actually individually recorded just for your child, and the tunes are totally easy on the ears. You can listen to the tracks here and see for yourself. There are over 2800 names & pronunciations available and if you don’t find what you’re looking for you can ask them to add it to their database.
The only complaint was that the CD came automatically with “from Mommy” printed on it and it wasn’t from her mother. It wasn’t such a concern because they pretended it was from her mom, but had she not had a mother in her life it could have been much more serious. When you order, you’ll have the opportunity to personalize it your way, which is great.
Check the links under their header for more cool personalized kid goodies!
Roger Day‘s newest CD (admittedly the only one of his CD’s I’ve heard) is a hit in my house. And in my mommy-van.
The songs are quite refreshingly different than any others we have in our music collection. With some tres famous special guests and Roger’s own whimsical style, I’m quite sure this CD would be at home in the collection of any household with children. The whole CD encourages kids to “sing loud, jump high & dream big.” Isn’t that exactly what we all want for our kids?
Listen & buy it here for only $15!
Jitterbug Theatre Productions is a touring theatre company that travels the Southeast USA performing motivational musicals for elementary schools. Erin Langley and her husband, both former grade 3 teachers (third grade for those of you south of the border), started the company and Erin & a friend write the original musicals.
Their current shows are “Max And The Mountain” and “Kasey Keller Learns To Read!” They offered to send us a copy of their “Max And The Mountain” CD to review and it was great! The songs all have a central theme of working as a team which was way over the head of my one year old (though he still danced like crazy to the tunes!) but was a huge hit with the kindergarten class I shared it with and they were able to pick up the lessons in the music. The songs range from hip hop to swing style and all of the songs are catchy and easy to listen to. I’m sure it would have been even better if they had the opportunity to enjoy the accompanying live show!
If you live in the Southeast US and have kids in school, recommend Jitterbug Theatre Productions to your school council as a fun option for next year’s fine arts budget!
Buy their CD’s here (via PayPal).
I’ll be lucky if I get through writing this review without drifting off into a peaceful slumber. As I type, I’m listening to Siente, the latest release from Hilary Field and Patrice O’Neill released by indie label Yellow Tail Records.
Siente is a collection of thirteen beautiful lullabies from around the world and is one of the nicest lullaby compilations I’ve listened to in a very long time. The songs from Basque, Irish, Russian, Spanish, Indonesian, Italian, French, Brazilian and Sephardic traditions are sung in their native tongue as well as English. Patrice O’Neill’s voice is incredibly warm and soothing. This CD would make a wonderful gift for new parents (I’ll be picking it up for a new baby I know) and if your children fall asleep listening to music this would make a wonderful addition to their collection. Fifty-five minutes should be long enough to get even the most stubborn child to sleep and if you’re anything like me you’ll be sleeping right along with them. Click on the image below to order.
We’ve got a copy of Siente to give away. To enter, go listen to the song samples, then email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with SIENTE in the subject line and tell us which one’s your fave! Contest closes Weds 7/4 at midnight MST. Congratulations Alex!
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?
We’ve got a Bingo Music Sampler to give away. To be entered in the random draw, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Bingo in the subject line and tell us one of the awards that Bingo Records has won. Contest closes at midnight MST on 5/11/07. Congratulations Brooke P!
As a new-ish mom, when I think of milkshakes I think of either (a) the delicious food I haven’t had in years or (b) myself, flopping up and down as I run. (It’s true. Sad, but true.)
From now on, however, I’ll be thinking of a great kiddie-rock band. Milkshake has released their third CD entitled ‘PLAY!’. I’m a little late to the party, apparently. (Nothing new there.)
The kids have known all along how great this band is. They appear on the NOGGIN Channel, PBS KIDS and starting this spring, they’ll appear daily on DISCOVERY KIDS.
Milkshake’s mission is simple. To create great rock music for kids. Actually, judging by some of the stuff out there it’s not that simple – but they’ve managed to do it. Led by singer Lisa Mathews and guitarist Mikel Gehl (of indie rock group Love Riot fame), Milkshake has become a favourite of preschoolers and parents alike. It’s the stuff of legend. The creation of great kiddie-rock without compromising quality music, great entertainment or that authentic rock & roll spirit.
Check out some of their videos for a sneak peek.
Their music and other great Milkshake gear is available from their online store.
Enter to win your own copy of PLAY! Email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with PLAY! in the subject line and the correct answer to the question “What does Milkshake’s bass player, Cord Neal, secretly listen to?” Contest closes at midnight MST on 4/30/07. Congratulations Adele!
Bilingual living is awesome if you’re so inclined. I’ve always wanted to be bilingual but without direct immersion it was next to impossible, even with 14 years of French in grade school & university.
Among many other benefits, bilingualism gives children a head start in brain development and can put them at the front of the pack in their future job searches. But sometimes, you want the Hola without the Dora.
The multilingual books & CD’s from our friends at Il Cocco di Mamma make great learning tools and allow you to enjoy the wonder of language without the crazy fake accents displayed by those of us who try and fail. They carry several of the classic Dr. Seuss books and some awesome ‘Elmer the elephant’ stories, beautifully illustrated picture dictionaries & flash cards and CD’s packed with traditional children’s folk songs in various languages.
Il Cocco di Mamma is offering TOP readers FREE SHIPPING in the US and Canada, and always offers free gift wrapping with every purchase. Now that’s the kind of service opinionated parents like to see!
For sparing you the Dora for at least half an hour…you’re very welcome!
We’ve got a multilingual gift package from Il Cocco di Mamma for one lucky TOP reader, including a book (English-Italian), CD (Spanish) and FlashWords (English-French). To be entered in the random draw, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with ICDM package in the subject line and tell us one product in the books & CD’s category at Il Cocco di Mamma that’s not mentioned in this review. Contest closes at midnight MST on 4/30/07. Congratulations Rhodie!
As a mother of a rough & tumble boy, anything with ‘princess’ on the cover is generally passed by. However, I’m so glad I didn’t pass by the opportunity to review the new CD Songs for the Coolest Kids by Princess Katie & Racer Steve.
Whether you have boys or girls or some of each, this CD rocks. It’s not just the sound of the tunes. (Don’t get me wrong – the tunes are great.) It’s the way they mix music kids dig with extremely necessary life lessons. Tell Them How You Feel, for example, is a whole song about feelings and talking it out to feel better, and Sid the Bully is about a boy who bullies others because he felt left out and needed someone to be his friend and show him love. As a teacher, it kind of choked me up. Embarrassing to admit, but it happened. Want to know what else is embarrassing? Walking through the grocery store all alone only to realize I’m singing “This ball belongs to…Manuel Rodriguez…” When a song sticks in my head like that, you know it’s good!
Princess Katie and Racer Steve (a Manhattan-based married couple, otherwise known as Katie O’Sullivan and Steve Borne) spend a great deal of time, when not writing and recording songs, visiting and performing for sick kids in hospitals and at events for abused, neglected, abandoned and at-risk children. They do this simply out of love for the children, often traveling considerable distances and bringing a full band. These are the type of people that all opinionated parents love to support. Great CD, great people. It’s all good.
Want to win a copy of this great CD? To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Princess K & Racer S in the subject line and the correct answer to the question “What is Racer Steve’s favorite food?” (Hint: Meet the band to find out!) Contest closes at midnight MST on 4/26/07. Congratulations Lee!
Move over Raffi. There’s a new band in town.
The Funky Mamas are a group of talented Canadian moms who are all about building community through music. Their first CD, Mamas’ Fishing, is an incredibly fun and positive mix of original songs and funky covers. When the 15 tracks are over, you’ll find yourself wishing there were more. The entire CD has a happy, celebratory tone that’s perfect for playtime with an infant and children well into upper elementary school. The CD includes a mix of blues, bluegrass, folk and pop infused with mandolin, guitar, banjo, fiddle, musical saw and more. Anything that gets my 11 month old shaking his booty is good tunes!
Listen to their songs here and tell me which one’s your fave! Make sure you’ve got the kids in the room when you listen ~ can’t miss a chance for that cute kiddie booty shake!
Enter to win a CD & T-shirt from The Funky Mamas! Send an email to theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Funky Mamas in the subject line and tell us where you can buy the Funky Mamas’ CD. Contest closes at midnight MST on Wednesday, April 11, 2007. Congratulations Jessica D!
Debi Derryberry‘s CD What a Way to Play is a nice mix of old favourites and original compilations that will entertain children of all ages. Her child-like voice gets and keeps the attention of little people and doesn’t make the big people’s ears bleed (always a bonus, no?)
Our favourite song on her CD, as a family of animal lovers, is My Dog’s My Buddy and we were shocked to learn that she wrote it when she was only nine years old! I’m pretty sure at nine, I wasn’t writing anything more than limericks, and I distinctly remember getting in trouble for never writing anything that didn’t contain the words ‘poo’ or ‘pee.’ Maybe Debi got all of the talent that was intended for me? Either way, talent is something she’s got no shortage of. In addition to her music career, she’s an extremely successful voice-over & screen actress, animal rescue activist and more. (All that on top of being a MOM!).
We’ve got a copy of Debi’s CD What a Way to Play with your name on it. To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Debi in the subject header and give us the correct answer to the question What famous Nickelodeon character’s voice does Debi do? Contest closes at midnight MST on 4/5/07. Congratulations Tess!
Mommy & Daddy ROCK is a new release 2 CD set from Mother’s Intuition. True to the advertising, these CD’s are indeed unlike anything I’ve ever heard. In this case, that’s a good thing. Both CD’s are full of original tracks in tribute to the complete craziness pregnancy and the first year of parenthood. The genres range from hard rock to blues and everything in between. Truly something for everyone.
The prenatal CD includes such honest tracks as “Glowing, Hormonal Rage,” “The Name Game,” and “Pickles & Ice Cream,” and the parenthood CD features “Sex Is My X” and “Da Baby Stages.” Some will make you laugh, some will make you want to cry and others may make you roll your eyes.
This set is a really nice change from lullabies and songs about monkeys. If you have to drive a mommy-van, you might as well rock it!
Are you in dire need of some new rock for your minivan? You just might be in luck! Send an email to theopinionatedparent [at] gmail [dot]com with ROCK! in the subject line and Name a track from Mommy & Daddy ROCK! not listed in this review. Get your answers in by midnight MST on Wednesday, February 21, 2007.
Congratulations, Jaime!
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Are you getting a little bit sick of your kids’ music? As a teacher and a mother, I listen to kids music all day, every day. At home, in the van, at playdates and in my classroom. It gets a little bit a lot sickening after a while.
That’s why I love Clea Hantman’s blog (sm)All Ages, where she shares her picks for kid-friendly adult tunes. As a roundabout way of introduction, I left her a comment recently about being sick of kids music and that was followed by an email from her offering to send me some of the CD’s she hates but would be appropriate for my classroom, and then an email from a man named Eric Herman (see his blog). Eric kindly offered to send me all three of his CD’s (and he didn’t even know at the time that I write a review blog ~ now that’s kindness!)
His site Eric Herman Music gives the impression that both he and his music are super fun. I’d have to say that the impression is accurate!
I know you would like to sample his delightful style, so from his home page, you can Listen to the complete song “Cowboy Bergaleoukaleopaleous” from his album Snow Day. Samples from all three of his CD’s are available here.
Then you can head over to the video page and watch the videos for The Elephant Song (my favourite!) and Crazy Over Vegetables.
Eric was awarded the “best solo performer” award in Buffalo, NY before he hooked up with his band. Heh.
This is one talented man. Not only does he make amazingly cool tunes for kids, but he’s even composed a symphonic piece.
I (and my son and even my husband!) am totally enjoying Eric’s CD’s and I have faith that you will too ~ even if you’re sick of the usual kids’ music! Buy them here.
If you have a child in school, you may also want to recommend Eric as a guest performer!
YOU CAN WIN A COPY OF ERIC’S “MONKEY BUSINESS” CD! Send me an email to muchmoreopinionated [at] gmail [dot] com with ERIC HERMAN in the subject heading and the correct answer to the question What’s the name of Eric’s third CD (not mentioned in this post)? before midnight MST on Friday, January 5, 2006. A winner will be chosen randomly and will be contacted after the closing date. Congratulations, Marcee H!
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