It’s Not Just Books…Music for Kids
Music is an excellent and fun way to help with early literacy skills, but music made for kids can sometimes be the most annoying sound ever created (think of some popular kids television shows with repetitive songs). It isn’t always though! There are lots of wonderful albums out there that even paren'ts can enjoy singing along with, and you can borrow them all from the Toronto Public Library either on CD, DVD, or digitally through Naxos Music Library or Hoopla.
Here are some of my family's favourite children’s albums:
The Laurie Berkner Band has a lot of fun and original action songs. Check out the track, We are the Dinosaurs which toddlers at story time (or any time) go crazy for – of course singing along and acting it out are required for maximum enjoyment! You can also watch the Laurie Berkner eVideo through Hoopla.
They Might be Giants (Only on CD)
Here come the 123s is my favourite album from this adult-turned-children's band. This album features songs about numbers. The song, Nine Bowls of Soup, about an ichthyosaurus with nine bowls of soup, is my family's favourite to sing-a-long with in the car. (Why do you need nine bowls? Why?)
Yo Gabba Gabba (Only on CD and DVD)
Music is Awesome. You might want to skip a few of the tracks, but I love that most of these songs made for kids by popular musicians. With four volumes available, there are plenty to choose from. They feature songs by bands like,The Killers, Hot Hot Heat, Weezer, The Roots, Belle and Sebastian, MGMT and plenty more.
Rockabye Baby (Series of CDs)
I loved these albums when my daughter was very young. They are nice calm background music. There are no lyrics – just music with soothing lullabye sounds. They feature a wide range of bands including the Beatles, Nine Inch Nails, the Ramones, and even Kanye West.
Of course, you also can’t go wrong with classics like Sharon, Lois and Bram (only available on CDs), Raffi, and Ella Jenkins (only available on CDs).
Remember too, that music you listen to with your children does not always have to be specifically made for children. I found that when my daughter was a baby, she was soothed most by Bob Marley. She was also more excited about seeing George Ezra in concert this summer than when we went to see the Wiggles (and so were we). Just remember to watch the volume to protect their sensitive ears, and they'll let you know what they enjoy!
Updated April 14, 2020.
One thought on “It’s Not Just Books…Music for Kids”
Love, love, LOVE “The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band” CD and I too use her songs in a lot of my programs (and not just the ones for Preschoolers!). “Boots”, “Pig on her Head”, and of course, “The Goldfish” are some of my favourite kids’ songs!
Great post Kate!