toddler music

[brubeck]

One word: Raffi. His stuff is mostly just his voice and a guitar, with occasional other instruments. Since he is an adult you don't get that annoying quality you do with bunches of kids singing for hours on end. I recommend Singable Songs For The Very Young (I grew up on this and sing the teeth brushing song to my daughter every night when doing the deed.) and Baby Beluga (a huge toddler hit a few years ago).

I agree with the Sesame Street songs being hard to find. I have a cassette of the first Muppet Show cast album which includes some classics like Mahna Mahna, Rubber Duckie, ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ, etc. but the only way to get this now is on used record or tape. I would love it if they would re-release this on CD. I would buy it in a minute. Anyone know if there are any CDs out there with this music on them?

[MarinaTwinMom]

Have you tried anything by Tom Chapin? I hadn't heard of him before I checked out several of his children's CDs from our local library. We liked those CDs so much that I went out and bought copies for my kids' Christmas stockings last year! I don't know if you'd call his music more folk style or country, but it has more accompaniment (instruments and backup singers) than Raffi's and IMHO is easier to listen to.

[gour0]

My friends swear by them. They even listened to them before their ds was born.

Here's their site:
http://www.troutmusic.com/

[Michelle]

We somehow tolerate the annoying "singing kids" CDs, but actually enjoy the "old classics"...
-Free to be You & Me
-Really Rosie
-The Muppet Show (a compilation of the old records of the Show plus hits from their various movies)

Also, we find that musicals are a big hit with 21 month old. Try new ones or old ones, like
-Mama Mia
-South Pacific

[debby]

we are big fans of the music by "Parachute Express", which is available through Gymboree Play & Music locations. It's almost all original music, and it's wonderfully done. The CD "Doctor Looney's Remedy" explores a variety of cultures in the musical styles (Mexican, Scottish, African, polka). My husband is a clasically-trained musician, and even he likes the stuff. If Gymboree is not near you, I am pretty sure Parachute Express has their own website.

[legaleagle22]

My husband and I also hate nearly all "kiddy" music, including Raffi and the like.

Right now, our 20-month-old loves They Might Be Giants' new album, "No!", Buddy Holly, The Monkees, and upbeat Ziggy Marley songs.

Adults get into the habit of pigeonholing music -- kids will like a LOT of different types of music if they're exposed to them.

Good luck!

[katiesmom]

I have a really, really low tolerance for cutesy kids' music. Someone gave me a tape of "Wee Sing." Because I don't have a CD player in my car, I naively thought that this was fabulous -- an actual tape, so we can listen to it while driving. Have you ever heard "Wee Sing"? I'd strongly recommend not listening to it the first time while driving. Fortunately, we have a good oldies station locally, and Katie thinks the Beach Boys, etc., are most fabulous.

The children's CDs we play the most at our house are John Lithgow (both "Singing in the Bathtub" and "Farkle and Friends" -- I have a preference for "Farkle & Friends" ) and Sandra Boynton "Philadelphia Chickens." There is also an older Sandra Boynton CD; I can't remember the name of it off-hand, but my mom has it and adores it.

For falling asleep, we have a CD by the Beijing Angelic Choir -- it's Chinese folk songs, and it's just gorgeous (it is in Mandarin, though, so don't expect to have a clue what the songs are). I believe I've seen it on Amazon. My cousin and his wife play gregorian chants to get their little boy to sleep.

The other day, when I asked Katie what she wanted to listen to, she trotted over to the CDs and brought me Crosby, Stills & Nash and Cat Stevens. That's my girl!

Susan & Katie (17 months)

[Judy]

We have really enjoyed the 2 Putamayo CD's: "World Playground" and World Playground 2". Top artists from the various countries playing listenable tunes, and the CD insert discusses each one and the country its from.

Judy
Samuel - 22 months
Isaac - 5 months

[A.J.]

Hi,
I just started a similar thread in the Baby Bargains side. I posted a web page with some of our favorites, and other people chimed in with new ones. The thread (and link to the page I posted) can be found at
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dcforum/DCForumID5/1467.html

This morning we listened to Oliver! from the library. Old show tunes seem to be really interesting for our son at this age, probably because they are lively but not over the top, and the singers enunciate. I think I'm going to see if I can check out the music from Guys & Dolls...

[jacie]

I highly recommend Ralph's World especially the album "Happy Lemons". Ralph has a great voice and his songs sound like the music I listened to before I had a child - until you listen to the lyrics. They are fun, imaginative and definitely not annoying.