the 12 best cds for kids

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i love music!  even more, i love sharing music with Bear {almost 5}.  as a former preschool teacher, i've had some favorite cds for kids.  but, being a momma and having to listen to the same few cds over and over again began to wear on my ears even though i loved them.  so i became motivated to add to our children's music collection.  many of them stemmed from shows that Bear was interested in.

here are our 12 favorite CDs for kids:

Laurie Berkner Band
in our house, she's known as Miss Laurie.  her music was the first that Bear ever sang along with.  that's just one of the reasons why i love her so.  our favorite CD of hers is Whaddaya Think of That because of songs like "We are the Dinosaurs", "Doodlebugs, and "I Know a Chicken".

Imagination Movers
our most memorable Movers moment...we were dancing in Bear's room to Bounce from In a Big Warehouse.  as i was dancing around, waving my arms, a sheriff happened to drive up our street.  seeing me flailing in the window, he stopped for a minute, then i'm sure laughed as he realized that i didn't actually need assistance.

Hap Palmer
at one of my old preschools, we used to do morning large motor to several cds.  one of them was to Hap's "I'm a Pretzel" and "The Rock & Roll Freeze Dance" songs from So Big.  that was 13 years ago, and you know, i can still sing all the words to those songs.  love. love. love.

VeggieTales

i'm not sure how these cute vegetables came into our lives, but it was a great moment in my history as a mom.  their cds practically live in our car's cd player.  the best thing for me is that not only do they do silly songs, they also have lots of faith-based songs that teach children stories from the Bible.

The Wiggles

i will admit to having some hesitation about these guys before i actually listened to them.  but something about their Aussie accents and catchy beats reeled me in.  not to mention the fun song names like Nicky Nacky Nocky Noo and Di Dicki Do Dum from the  Dance Party disc.

  

Raffi

there are so many warm memories of Raffi's music for me.  his songs are both warm and fun. many of them have a much deeper meaning.  One Light One Sun is probably my most favorite song of his as it says, "One world, one home... one world home for everyone.  One dream, one song...one song heard by everyone."

 

Recess Monkey

the cd In Tents is a fairly new find for me.  and i don't even recall how i stumbled upon them.  i adore the song "Covered in Bandaids" and love how the topics of children's imaginations is covered in "Invisible Friend."  it has a lot of resonance with me as Jetta {Bear's imaginary friend} still holds a place at our dinner table.

 

The Pajanimals

i can't tell you how excited Bear and i were when we found out there was going to be a Pajanimals show close to us.  the idea of singing The Pajanimals songs in a theatre with Bear warmed my heart.  but then it got cancelled = total bummer.  but it seemed i was more disappointed than Bear was.

The Fresh Beat Band

this is another one of those shows that i really didn't "get" at first even though Bear loved it.  the music from their show usually has a theme of working together and overcoming obstacles, that's great for little ones to hear.  they're another band that i would love to see in concert. but we missed them when they came to our city.

 

Wayne Brady

Wayne is funny, charismatic, and for this post, really relatable for kids.  his cd, Radio Wayne, has songs that touch on life points that kids can connect with.  plus it's a bonus that i appreciate him as a star that does comedy geared towards adults, so it's a win-win situation.

Ziggy Marley
it's no secret that Bob Marley is a cornerstone in music.  the musical talent that's passed down to his son Ziggy is clear in Family Time.  i love that it maintains the reggae style that the senior Marely is noted for, but presented in a format that the whole family can enjoy.
 

Greg & Steve
their Kids in Motion and Kids In Action cds are another set of songs that we did large motor activities to at my old center that i mentioned above.  i think that the Animal Action songs are my faves.  but they also have some great songs that incorporate bean bags in them, which gives an added appeal to kiddos.

 you can also find some great music activities for kids on my Music for Kids Pinterest board

 

the amazingly talented Deborah Stewart from Teach Preschool also has a cd for kids called  Simple Songs for Preschool. 
 

  what are some of your favorite children's artists or songs?

 there are going to be a few more music posts coming soon! don't forget to check back to see them!

 

 

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