Kyle (who just turned 4) and I have been road-testing a few CDs. They won’t be featured in Car and Driver magazine and there were no safety tests performed, but the car is where we listen to most our our music. Whether we’re taking a quick trip to preschool or a longer road trip, children’s music greases the wheels and allows us a smoother trip.
Is is a sacrifice to turn over the controls to the CD deck, but to me it’s preferable to listen to kids’ tunes than to mediate bickering or even constant chatter. It’s a welcome distraction, and if I am careful about the music I introduce them to, I find myself humming the tunes even when we aren’t in the car.
If you’d like to introduce some new music to your family’s playlist, read on. These have passed the Mom-test, the preschooler test, and are generally approved by the nine-year-old big sister as well:
Lemonsquare Music for Fun–
The first time or two we listened to this CD, I wasn’t overly impressed. The words and tunes seemed too simple. I didn’t think that Kyle or Amanda liked it much either, but when I tried to play another CD, Kyle requested Lemonsquare’s Music for Fun. When I tried to suggest some other alternatives, Amanda said that she would rather listen to Lemonsquare than that those.
It grew on me, and I submitted fully when I realized that I’m not the target audience. My only requirement is that it doesn’t annoy me, and this CD easily met that criterion. The upbeat songs are similar in sound to Laurie Berkner. The songs teach toddlers and preschoolers basic concepts, which is an appreciable bonus to me. “I Found It” teaches about body parts, “Very Veggie” teaches about eating healthy foods, “Bear Knows Best” (our favorite tune) encourages them to make the sounds that animals make, and hygiene is encouraged by “Bathtime” and “Brush My Teeth.” You can listen to samples at their website, lemonsquaremusic.com. You can also buy the CD there, or download a 60 minute sleep track designed to lull a child to sleep. You can purchase the CD or find out more through these links on amazon and itunes.
Baby Loves HipHop presents the Dino 5–
I was a bit skeptical about this CD. Hip hop? For kids? Then I saw that the “Baby Loves. . . ” franchise has received many awards and accolades. It did feature dinosaurs, which I knew would appeal to my son, so I gave it a try.
Once this CD went into the car stereo, it did not come out for several days. The songs were in constant rotation. The fact that I was still smiling and listening along is a strong testament to the production. I actually even kind of like it. By the second or third time through, Kyle was singing along with the lyrics.
The songs tell a story and are interspersed with an actual bedtime story that a mom is telling her young daughter about making friends. . After listening to it for the 45th time (which only took a couple weeks), I began to hear Kyle parrot the moral of the story, which is stated after the original Dino 4 decide to let T-Rex join their band: “Sometimes what seems scary, isn’t scary at all.”
I give the Dino 5 my highest recommendation. The music is spunky and cool, but completely child-friendly. I don’t have any hip hop or rap in my music collection, to rattling the SUV windows with the strong bass line of T-Rex’s “I May Be Big and Scary, but I’m Really Pretty Nice,” at a stoplight makes me seem way cooler than the normal Broadway tunes which might be wafting from my vehicle (which I have also found to be kid and mom-approved). You can buy download the CD on itunes or buy it or download it at amazon.com.
Can’t Help But Love You, Baby–
Karen Potje grew up hating country music. When she moved to Texas (where she sang with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra), she just couldn’t resist any longer. She came to love the music and even wrote some of her own. When her first child was born, she couldn’t stop writing about the relationship between moms and kids. She wanted to write songs that would appeal equally to kids and the adults that care for them.
She succeeded! Kyle calls this CD “your CD.” As in, “Can we listen to your new CD?” which he does ask regularly. Among the kid-picks, it’s definitely Amanda’s favorite. Kyle recognizes the quality of grown up music–nice vocals and background music without silliness. Wait–there is silliness, but it’s refined silliness. The song, “Better Keep Your Shoes On” warns children what might happen if your toes aren’t contained within your socks and shoes. Our favorite song, “Bunnies on my PJs” is a toddler’s lament about being stuck in cutesy PJs when he really likes his jammies tough.
Stylistically the music on Can’t Help But Love You Baby is varied–a little Spanish “ai-yai-yai” in one song, some jazzy tunes, folksy country and more. It’s all pretty laid back, and it’s pretty appealing to all ages, which is a great way to keep the energy level and arguing down, which is sometimes just what the Mommy ordered.
You can listen to samples at her website KarenPotje.com and you can purchase the CD and also hear samples of all tracks at CD Baby (U.S.) or CanadaCD.
If you’d like to win a set of all three of these CDs, leave a comment here.
The winners will be announced on June 24 with all of the other Creative Summer Days giveaways. You can still enter all the drawings on the individual posts through June 23.
My daughter would absolutely love this!
I would love some new kids music for our road trip.
Please enter me into the contest. Thanks!
please count grandpa in
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The songs teach toddlers and preschoolers basic concepts, which is an appreciable bonus to me. “I Found It†teaches about body parts, “Very Veggie†teaches about eating healthy foods, “Bear Knows Best†(our favorite tune) encourages them to make the sounds that animals make, and hygiene is encouraged by “Bathtime†and “Brush My Teeth.â€
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My husband has been babysitting. This may help.
My little granddaughter would love this. Thanks for entering me in the contest!
Babies are stimulated even before birth for sounds, lights, music; many thanks SW
great for my sons!
We really need to put some new tunes into the rotation and these sound like I could actually maintain my self esteem and keep the kids happy at the same time!
Thanks for another great giveaway!!
We loved these with Jennifer! We need them so Steve can learn all the words!
we need to listen to something other than “old macdonald” !!
I think that music makes for happy babies. Please and thank you.
would love to win this. thanks
Kids can learn alot from music
My nephew would love these prizes. Thanks for the chance to win!
How wonderful to have music that is kid friendly but doesn’t get on adult’s last nerve! Thanks for the chance to win!
thanks for the contest
We’d really enjoy this!
My kids love music!
Kid’s music would be a nice win!
My son stops whatever he is doing when he hears music. He loves it! I would love to win this!
MY daughter Loves Music..
Im putting together a welcome baby basket for my neighbor and these CDs would be perfect
Would love to have this music for my daughter!
We love music round here
My 3 year old would love this!
nice one thanks
This would be wonderful to win!
My one year old loves music and would really like this.
A new CD, PLEASE!
The Dora CD needs a rest….BADLY! I’d love this collection. Thanks for the contest!
count me in please 🙂
What a fabulous giveaway! My daughter is such a music buff at 20 months its amazing! Her dad listens to country and I am more top 40/hip hop. This would be a great addition to our children’s songs as they are right up her ally!
I want to win! Thanks so much for the giveaway!
My children would love this!
Great prizes!!
Sound like fun-please enter me in the contest.
Would love this!
This music would be great to listen on vacation this year while we’re traveling!
I love playing music for my son!
these sound like fun, great contest
this would be so enjoyed in our home ,thanks for the giveaway
What a great bunch of CDs!
Please toss my name in the hat.
Thanks for making a great site!!
Please enter me into the contest!!
It sounds really cute.
I could use some new cds.
Oooh, we need a little music for our little one! Thanks for the chance!
Would love these for nighttime soothing!
You can only listen to the same songs over and over for so long…to win this would be awesome for both my son, and ME!:D
I just love music for kids! My baby adores listening to cds 🙂
My son loves to sing and dance – he would be thrilled if I won these!
We need a change in the car…our current music is getting old! Thanks.
Fun cd’s I would love to share!
These would be lots of fun!
Sweet niblets!
Count me in!
Dancing with kids is so much fun …. and a great way to get them to move
My little boys loves to dance! This would be great for him.
We would love these! TY 4 THE CONTEST!
Great!
Thanks 🙂
New music for the kids is always great!
Sounds good – would love to win for my younger grandkids.
oh yes please!
great kid’s cd
count me in
At 17 months my son now knows how to turn on the CD player in his play area!! It’s the cutest thing to watch – He LOVES music and dancing!!!
Thank you for the chance to win!! 🙂
My daughter would love this!
Sounds like a cute CD
enter me please
What a wonderful prize!
I would love to win this for my daughter!
It would be great to finally win something for my daughter.
This sounds like alot of fun for the kids!
always looking for new music for my kids
I’d love to have some good kids cds to put in the rotation! Thanks for sharing!
My Daughter loves music, we are alwats singing and dancing around the house.
Us please!! We would be sooooooo grateful!
This would be cool to win
My little guy LOVES music. As an infant the only way we could get him to stop crying is if dad played his guitar. I would love to add these to his music library!
My nephews would love this.
My 2 year old granddaughter loves to dance. What a great way to get her moving.
I would love this, thanks for the great giveaway!
cool giveaway
Count me in!
Nice set! Thanks for entering me.
This be awesome to win..Enter me!
We are always, always up for new music!!! Thanks!
Our two-year-old daughter could learn from these, while having fun! Thanks for the thoughtful giveaway!
my little ones would love this 🙂
Great for kids!
Can’t get enought music
My sons LOVE to sing and dance. These would be great additions to our collection!
tfisher83 AT myexcel DOT com
I do not ask to win for myself.. I ask for my daughter who will be traveling with granddaughter and expecting another child..This would help so much on the trip. Good luck to all/
We would love to have these!
Please just enter for a chance to win.
Even though it is adorable to watch my granddaughter dance to Elmocize! it would be fun to let her have some new music!
These would be great CDs for the little one.
Little ones would enjoy this!
would LOVE something for the kids to listen to
Please enter me
My son is in need of some new tunes! Would love to win! Thanks!
I love music and my daughter loves music, so thanks for the contest!
this would be really fun. me and the kids can get down and boogie. thank you!!
My son would love to win this prize!!!
I’m always looking for new appropriate cds for my kids. These sound great!
I’m pregnant with my son so I’d love to win this for him!
Wow, what a cool prize.
We love music! All of them sound awesome!
My little ones love music.
Fun stuff!
perfect for my daughter. Hope to win.
great stuffs!
cool gift!
We are just starting to read bedtime stories to our daughter. Could really use these!
I really would LOVE to win this as a gift for dear friend with little ones who is traveling over the summer…thanks so much…:)
Great giveaway!
yes…all we have is a few Raffi’s and while I do like his silly songs something new would be great!
please pick us
I can picture them dancing already!
Kiddos love music!
Enter me please.
Great CDs. My kids would love them. Count me in!
Oh new music! That would be so great! Pick me, pick me…please!
Any of these sounds good for my little grandbaby!
Nice giveaway, I want to win !! Thanks !!!
MY FRIENDS KIDS WOULD LIKE THIS
I love collecting kids’ music, and I’ve never heard of any of these. Thanks for the recommendations and the great giveaway.
My girls love to dance, new music would be a great treat.
My son loves all music.
my kids would love these
My boss’s wife just had a baby. I could use some brownie points.
sweet
I’d love this for my sister who is due for a new baby!!
This is so much fun for our little ones. Great giveaway!
My kids love to dance to music. They would love this.
cool prizes
Thanks.
my youngest daughter would love this!
Great prize for the little ones. Please enter my name. Thanks.
We’d love some new car music. VeggieTales is getting old!
Nice! 🙂
This is a great idea for traveling. We have a car trip in 2 weeks too. 🙂
I’d love some new music all I play is music for my kids I could use some excitement.
Always looking for more music, here. Thanks!
Would like to win!
My kids love to dance so this would be a great win.
gkstratos @yahoo.com
We could use some new CD’s!
I would love these CDs for the children. Sometimes I realize that the music in the car is all about the adults and none for the children. I guess it is time for me to take them into account too.
music helps kids smarter. I know that lily loves music. maybe she’s a genius
My daughter would love this, I’d have to save it for her birthday next month!
enter me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This would be a great gift for my sister’s new baby!
This looks great! I know my baby girl would enjoy this. Thanks for the great giveaway!
Yup!! lol (I’m running out of original lines) 🙂
Both of my boys love music, especially my little one. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway opportunities!
enter me
just send it awesome
wow
My son Gabriel loves “all” music and this would be great for our upcoming baby girl as well!
love to win this
This would be fun for hot summer days trapped inside
My kids love to dance so this would be perfect for them!
I would love to win this package Eric Carle is my favorite author of childrens books
count me in
i love it
My girls and I love listening to kid songs and would love to win this CD set for us…
awesome
What cool music!
As I’m trying to read this post, my daughter is calling me because her CD is skipping, and so are most of them! We need new music!
It’s always great to find new and fun music for the kids. Count us in for this one please…thanks!!!
CDs we can play in the car-I know the kids would love this
My wee ones are always up for some new music!
Those sound so cute. We’re always looking for new music!
My kids would love this!
I LOVE listening to music with my kiddos! Thanks for the chance to win!
Awesome giveaway…we’re always looking for new CDs to try out!
Sounds great!!
We love music here, my kids would love. Please enter me.
I ran straight to my libraries website to see if they carried them… no luck. I’d love to win… my kids can’t get enough good music !!
Thanks for the chance !
Hi… what a great group of CDs to add to my “collection”.
Thanks,
Maureen (jnomaxx at hotmail dot com)
I’d love to win! Thanks for the offering.
http://nikisventures.blogspot.com/
Niki 🙂
These would be perfect for our trip to Florida.
We’re always looking for new and fun family music! 🙂
We are taking a 1,000 mile road trip this summer, and these CD’s would be wonderful for my daughter to listen to.
I am always looking for new music for the car! Thanks for another great giveaway!
I’d love to win these. We are always listening to “their” music in the car. Have you heard of Noah’s Park? It’s a continuous story with songs and diaglogue, and my kids also parrot the moral (i.e. “You don’t have to be afraid because God is always with you”). Thanks!!
My kids love to move and groove! I’m a children’s dance teacher too so I LOVE finding fun, new music, especially if it’s FREE!!!!!!
My kids and I LOVE having music to listen to in the car…we’ve been checking CDs out at our local library to change things up lately.
Great finger snapping tunes..okay…the wee ones won’t be snapping the fingers, but they will be bouncing their toes.
Hello! Another fun giveaway contest drawing. My nephew is coming to stay with our family for two weeks this summer. It would be fun to have these new CDs to listen to and dance with him. Please enter me in your delightful drawing. I appreciate it!
Many thanks, Cindi
We love music and need some new stuff. Please enter us!
my girls love all types of music
We recently started listening to kids music in the car; now my daughter requests it. I’d love to win some new kids’ CDs.
We could use some new music. Thanks!
I love kids music – this would be neat to win!
These would be awesome…we LOVE singing away in the car!
These sound totally cute!
I love music for kids and for me. I need something I can dance silly with them. And my 7 year old is in the other room watching “RENT” but I’d love to give her other great music choices as well.
These would be great!
My post with your button is here:
http://www.livinwithme.com/2008/06/fabulous-giveaways/
sounds great!
sign me up!
My daughters are both big music fans, they’d love this!
My daughter would enjoy having a new CD to listen to. How nice. Enter me, please. Thank you
We are always on the lookout for new tunes for the car!!
We are a music lovin’ household. Count me in!!
Sounds like some great music!
Thanks so much for the opportunity.
We would love to have these!
I really like providing the kids with a very well-rounded selection of music so kids can decide for themselves what types of music are their favorites. Chances are, it won’t be the same as me. Plus it’s so much more fun to change things up all the time.
Please, oh please, let me win! I’m so tired of Baby Einstein CD’s!
I’d love to win these CD’s! I’m always looking for new music to play while riding around with the kids, cause I get tired of the radio!
This is so great! Thanks.
We love music here!! Count me in!
we don’t do t.v. so we’re always on the lookout for new music! Thanks.
We would love these!
We love music… please send some our way! 🙂
We listen to most if not all of our kids music in the car as well. I can’t remember the last time I was able to sit back and enjoy some “adult” music. Regardless, we are always looking for something new to listen to. These sound like they would be worth a try.
owatz (at) telus (dot) net
Sounds great! Thanks for the contest.
Sounds like good dancin’ music! Please count me in!
Over the past week my daughter has really gotten into dancing (bopping up and down) and drags me over to the cd player to turn it on. We would love to try out some new music! Thanks!
We are dancing fools over here!
I haven’t heard of any of these, but I’d love to win them all!
ooh – great group of tunes! Thanks
We are music lovers at our house! I’m going to check these out! Thanks!
Oh yes! Please enter me.
My daughters would love some new music!
My three-year-old and four-year-old love having lots of CDs to choose from. These sound like good additions to their collection.
My 2 year old loves hip hop!! How fun, thanks for the chance!!
New music is always appreciated around here. Little would really enjoy these.
These sound great!
My daughter loves good kid tunes in the car, and it makes for an infinitely more pleasurable driving experience for mom too!
It would be so nice to have some new music in my toddler’s “music list”! I can only listen to Veggie Tales so many times before going crazy 🙂
I’d like to win some CD’s for the kids. I have a hard time ventruing too far from the childrens christian classics… but these sound worth a try.
God bless-
Amanda
sounds so much better then raffi
We’re always in the market for good kids’ music at our house!
I’ve been looking for some kids’ music. How great!!
How much I hope we win this one!!
I badly need kids’ music for my baby! This would be wonderful to win!