Hello, Do you have any suggestions for a great CD for kids? I'm looking for something with some great full body dance type of songs like the Hokey Pokey. I had a CD long ago that had a super fun song on it called something like "We're Fish" you did motions brushing your teeth or riding a bike and then stopped and said "wait a minute, we're fish" then went "swimming" around the room. My daycare kiddos and I could use some inside movement during really hot or really cold days.
Thanks, M.
If you have access to play the music through a computer, www.havefunteaching.com is an AWESOME site with some cool songs! A lot of the teachers at the school where I teach (and where my son started kindergarten this past year) use the songs on this site and all the kids love it. They have songs about all kinds of things (ABC's, Fitness, etc...).
I agree with the Laurie Berkner and "For the Kids" recommendations.... I think we own all CDs of both of those! ("For the Kids Three" is my favorite kids' CD... but my kids probably like the 2nd one best.) I think Victor Vito is the Laurie Berkner CD that you were referring to. All of the CDs have fun dance-around songs.
Another singer we've recently discovered is Elizabeth Mitchell.... lots of really soft & sweet songs, some familiar & some not, good for listening in the car. We also have one called "Singing All the Way Home" by Liz Buchanan that's good for young kids... even my 7-year-old sings along with it.
They Might Be Giants Here Comes the ABCs, They Might Be Giants NO!, They Might Be Giants 1,2,3, Barenaked Ladies Snacktime are some of our favorites. I also love to use Pandora to check out new music. Seed it with one or two artists and or children music you like and let it go from there. I have a station seeded with Dar Williams (Children) and love it. It plays alot of alternative artist which is the kind of music I'm into.
The song you're talking about sounds like The Goldfish Song by Laurie Berkner. She's got some really great music for kids. My daughter especially loves these songs - The Goldfish Song, Boots, I'm Gonna Catch You, Victor Vito and I Really Love to Dance. Dan Zanes also has some great kids music.
I developed early childhood enrichment programs using music and movement for 9 years. I used a great variety of music, including music from many cultures around the world and the classics. If you think about it, you can create meaningful movement to almost any music. We would listen to Pachelbel's Cannon in D and pretend we were on a giant piano keyboard and hop from key to key counting 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, JUMP (repeat). The kids were moving, developing early math skills of sequencing, and developing familiarity with great music. (I will admit that when I asked my 3-year-olds who composed this music, inevitably one of them would answer Taco Bell.)
In all my experience, the best source of Children's music by far is Red Grammer. His CD, Can You Sound Just Like Me, is particularly geared to the younger kids with lots of opportunity to follow along. His music is excellent, inspiring, extraordinarily engaging, uplifting, and enriching. Linda Arnold is another source with music and lyrics of exceptional quality. Dan Crow & Tom Chapin have some really wonderful pieces. Dan's The Shape of My Shadow is great fun if you can set up a bright light at an angle so the kids can see their shadow on the wall and dance to lyrics like, "The shape of my shadow - a shape that I make - The shape of my shadow - It shakes when I shake...".
But, keep in mind that great musicians like Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Bob Marly's mother, Mother B, make CDs for kids that are fantastic and engaging. Buckwheat Zydeco has a fun kids CD. And, when it's nap time, Linda Rondstadt made 2 lovely lullaby CD's. I particularly love Dedicated to the One I Love. She takes old rock songs and love songs and slows them down into soft lullabies. I was really impressed with the way she so sweetly and gently sings, "We will, we will rock you..."
But, all in all, Red Grammer is incredible. My son grew up loving his music. I would hear him rewinding and rewinding those tapes. I'll never forget the day my 4 year old came in and sang the entire song, The ABC's of you!!! You would not believe the vocabulary that required, e.g.: "I think you're A-1 grade A, beloved and beautiful, capable, caring, delightful, dependable, enjoyable excellent, fascinating, fabulous," etc. He did not skip a single word.
Okay, I could go on and on with this topic. I hope this is helpful and you all have a blast moving to the music!
One of my FAVE children's CD's is called "For the Kids". It is comprised of various artists singing older popular songs. My favorite song on the album is "I've Got to Be Clean" sung by Guster. You have to get this! You won't even mind playing it when the kids are not around! I also have "Not For Kids Only" by Jerry Garcia and David Grisman. It is pretty fun and interesting. I also like to make mix CD's to play for my kids of popular silly songs like The B-52's "Rock Lobster" and Southern Culture on the Skids "Camel Walk".
Hope you like these!
we are big big fans of the Imagination Movers CDs as well as the Phineas and Ferb Cd - both have good fun music that doesn't make your ears bleed even after hearing it for the 100th time. Also have Songs by Putamaya (something like that) that my kiddos really liked as well as a Beatles medley that we have listened to over and over again. good luck there really is some great stuff out there - oh yeah - and i second Laurie Berkner Band. If you have younger kiddos the Kindermusik cds are also great...
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we are big big fans of the Imagination Movers CDs as well as the Phineas and Ferb Cd - both have good fun music that doesn't make your ears bleed even after hearing it for the 100th time. Also have Songs by Putamaya (something like that) that my kiddos really liked as well as a Beatles medley that we have listened to over and over again. good luck there really is some great stuff out there - oh yeah - and i second Laurie Berkner Band. If you have younger kiddos the Kindermusik cds are also great...
We went to a free concert at the Mission Pool tonight and saw Funky Mama. Next Wed is Mr. Stinky Feet, and then two more after that. The kids there seemed quite entertained, and I'm sure they all have CDs. I've never seen them, but the Do-Dads (not even sure I spelled that right) are supposed to be fun, too. I had a Laurie Berkner DVD and it was super fun to dance along with her.
The Wiggles Greatest Hits - my 4 y/o still loves it! (as do I!)
try Baby Genius (NOT BABY EINSTEIN) - they have all kinds of party-like kid's songs, and songs that are modern and up beat, but still true to kids music.
They have a few free songs you can download from their website - give them a try
also Giggle Bellies
Google them or search for their videos on Youtube
Good luck
I don't know about specific dance directions in songs, but I love "children's favorites" by Disney...we have vol. 1 and 4, and they have all these GREAT songs on them, folk type songs and others, that seem like standards to teach children. Bonus, the man who sings them isn't cheesy or annoying, so I can listen to it for hours.
Raffi is also lots of fun, and good...I really like the album Bananaphone.
Also, a personal favorite band of mine...They Might Be Giants...does children's albums.
Hi M.,
My husband spent time researching and finding kids music that we'd like so that we didn't have to be driven nuts with annoying music, since we knew we'd hear it over and over. A few I'd recommend are Dan Zanes (the kids really love one of his older cds, they liked the hokey pokey, the ABC song, we had a DVD - All Around the Kitchen that they loved playing instruments with, dancing, etc. We'd even find ourselves listening to the cd, even when the kids weren't with us), Ralph's World, They Might Be Giants, and we just found the Juice Box Heroes (80s songs w/ kids lyrics).
Happy Listening!
R.
