November 2008 Notable Toys — Audio & CD

This recent addition to the best-selling "30 Song" series allows users to print the PDF lyrics from a computer. Other titles include: "30 Preschool Songs," "30 Party Songs," "30 Learning Songs," "30 Nursery Rhymes" and "30 Silly Songs." The CD features "kid-friendly arrangments of traditional children's songs and many brand-new songs from the leader in children's educational music," Ken Carder, in product development for Twin Sisters Productions, told TDmonthly. Launch date: August 2008.

This preloaded MP3 player includes classic children’s songs like "B-I-N-G-O," "This Old Man" and more! Original learning songs teach the alphabet, colors, shapes, numbers, counting, personal safety rules and more, and kids can sing and wiggle with "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt," "I Met a Bear" and other silly songs. "There's nothing left to do but listen!" Product Development Manager Ken Carder of Twin Sisters Productions told TDmonthly. "No downloads, no playlists to manage [and] no concerns about inappropriate content." Launch date: February 15, 2008.

"A Child’s Christmas: Holiday Songs & Carols" offers a mix of children’s favorite holiday songs, beautifully arranged traditional carols, two stories and more to get families in the mood for Christmas. The CD contains 74 minutes of entertainment, song lyrics, and beautiful, 100-percent-recycled cardboard booklets. "Rock Me Baby Records offers collections of traditional songs (with a twist) that bridge generations with music and can become the soundtrack to a young child's life," VP Amy Steadman of Rock Me Baby Records told TDmonthly. This product received an iParenting Media Award. Launch date: September 2, 2008.

This award-winning CD of Spanish songs for children is full of fun, upbeat songs that teach children Spanish vocabulary, including letters, numbers, colors, parts of the body, activities and more. It surveys the wide landscape of Latin rhythms from salsa and merengue to corridos, cumbias, rumbas, rancheras and rock and roll. "The CD includes a Parents' and Teachers' Translation Guide that translates every word in the CD, as well as including all lyrics," CEO Heidi Stock of Whistlefritz told TDmonthly. This product received a 2008 iParenting Media Award. Launch date: May 21, 2008.

Personalized children's CDs sing or say your child's name multiple times. A personal message printed on the label makes it even more special. More than 4,000 phonetic names are available in 50+ collections. Funshine Music represents the BEST producers of these unique gifts for kids. "The ability to represent the top four producers from just one source — Funshine Music — [creates] a one-stop shopping opportunity for personalized music," said Owner Tricia Shelton of Funshine Music, noting that she reps Mediak, Just Me! Music, Kids' Juke Box/Marvel for Kids, and That's Me Sports. Launch date: 2008.

Lovely Baby creator, Raimond Lap, has composed a collection of 10 special songs celebrating the importance of moms everywhere, and their integral role in their baby's development. This unique collection will surely strengthen the natural bond between mother and child. "Lovely Baby is the only original music series in the world specifically created for babies. Virtually all others consist of music that is altered and rehashed to appeal to parents, with no regard for how it might affect babies," Gary Brody, president of Lovely Baby Music, told TDmonthly.

Due to the overwhelming reaction to the original "Baby Christmas" CD, Raimond Lap returned to the studio to create the "Baby Christmas 2" CD. It features eleven beautiful songs for this special time of year, including four original compositions. "Lovely Baby is the only original music series in the world specifically created for babies. Virtually all others consist of music that is altered and rehashed to appeal to parents, with no regard for how it might affect babies," Gary Brody, president of Lovely Baby Music, told TDmonthly. Launch date: December 2007.

Consisting of classic nursery rhymes, these delightful selections are both spoken and sung, and ALL have music accompanying them. What fun to remember “Hey Diddle Diddle,” “Humpty Dumpty,” “The Muffin Man,” “Pop Goes the Weasel,” “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” and even the “House That Jack Built!” Many other favorite nursery rhymes are also included, using children and adults to sing and tell the tales.

Belle, Ariel, Cinderella, Snow White, and Aurora have a tea party with your daughter singing HER name! Every little girl can be a Princess; it says so right in the music!

You Can Do Anything is from the Huesman/Davis Mediak team and is the long-awaited sequel to the original Playtime CD.  With all original music, it uses the child’s name an amazing 106 times!

Leonardo's second CD is full of positive messages for kids, supported by a teen chorus and rock 'n' roll band. The 15-track album features choruses suitable for sing-alongs and displays a number of instruments, including guitars, drums, a flute and even a ukulele. Songs include "Surfin' on my Guitar," "Under the Sea" and "Showtime."

Thirteen tracks of playful music from all over Africa, Putumayo's African Playground is a colorful array of tunes for dancing, singing, and playing. Putumayo's celebration of these deep musical traditions introduces children to aspects of many cultures, and liner notes included with the CD provide fun facts about the artists.
- “[We] sell about 100 per month” of Putumayo CDs, Tina Benoit, Operations Manager of Kidstown in So. Burlington, Vt., told TDmonthly in July 2008.
- Almost 20 percent of 68 retailers surveyed in summer 2008 listed Putumayo as their top-selling line of children's music.
- “These songs provide a sampling of African musical styles and a calm, restful listening spot for your day,” said Beth Blenz-Clucas, publicist for Putumayo Kids.