January 2011 Notable Toys — Music

Imagination Generation sings fun songs that build imagination and creativity in children. Developed by award-winning composer and performer David Kisor, the songs from this album are designed to help young children realize that the mind is both a toy and a tool. "The music from this album is based on the latest research from the field of Positive Psychology. In these songs, we strive to achieve three creative thinking skills. First, we want to increase the fluency of children’s associations. That is, we want to increase the sheer number of associations they can generate to any given situation or stimulus. Secondly, we want to increase the originality of these associations. We want children to generate associations that typically children would not think of. And finally, we want to increase the adaptability of these associations. We want these associations to lead directly to creative solutions to both every day problems, what we call ingenuity; as well as visions of true artistic masterpieces. Music is a natural vehicle for promoting imagination and creativity in young children. The combination of lyrics and music in self-talk, experiential and story songs provide unique strategies for building the creative mind," Emily Sandul, director of sales & marketing for Growing Sound, told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2010.

Includes Harmonica, Mini Chimalong, JingleBand, Kid's Accordion, Ukulele, and Mini Tambourine.  "The pieces are for children, but are created with a professional musician mentality," Garry Kvistad, CEO of Woodstock Chimes, said in a press release. Launch date: February 2011.

Includes Maracas, Triangle, Hand Drum, and Jingle Stick. "While part of our goal is to provide entertainment for children, much of our focus is on delivering instruments of the utmost quality and sound, combined with educational elements," Garry Kvistad, CEO of Woodstock Chimes, said in a press release. Launch date: February 2011.

This wooden set allows children to creatively and artistically embellish each item. Includes Tambourine, Maraca, and Train Whistle. "The pieces are for children, but are created with a professional musician mentality," Garry Kvistad, CEO of Woodstock Chimes, said in a press release.

This album is full of elephants and tigers and rain and cuckoos and babies and flies and centipedes and googly eyes and acoustic guitars and pianos and clear, funny stories inside the super lovely songs. Launch Date: 2010
— “Caspar Babypants has been huge. I don't know where he's from, but his stuff is extremely popular and parents say that it doesn't drive them crazy to listen to it,” said Valla Wagner, co-owner of Teaching Toys & Books in Tacoma, Wash.
— Owner Joan Hewitt of Wind Up Here in Olympia, Wash., sells “probably 12+ a month… We got to have him live in the store!”

Baby Michael Jackson includes smash hits such as Beat It, Billie Jean, Thriller and Man In The Mirror. Baby Blanket Music features familiar baby sounds like vibraphones and music boxes paired with a full medley of richer, more classical instruments including strings, woodwinds, pianos, harps and soft percussion.  Together, these instrumental arrangements create gentle textures that are calming and enjoyable to ears of any age.

Among the popular Madonna tunes that can be found on Baby Madonna are Holiday, Material Girl, Vogue and Like A Prayer. Baby Blanket Music features familiar baby sounds like vibraphones and music boxes paired with a full medley of richer, more classical instruments including strings, woodwinds, pianos, harps and soft percussion.  Together, these instrumental arrangements create gentle textures that are calming to ears of any age.

Story Songs & Sing Alongs DVD contains ten animated music videos featuring cartoon versions of some Debbie and Friends' songs based on classic children's stories and songs, including her adaptations of "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Jack and the Beanstalk," plus original songs like "Willy Won’t" and "Home Run Ronnie."

Dance and sing along with your children or grandchildren to this CD featuring the latest hit, "Mrs. Pinkelmeyer Makes You Happy," and the song that started the dance craze, "Pinkelmeyer Dance."

Only One Ocean contains 14 original songs from the award-winning Banana Slug String Band; all designed to inspire young people and their families to learn about and care for the ocean. Special guests include Grammy winners George Winston, Victor Wooten of Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, and BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet. All songs are based on "Ocean Literacy: The Essential Principles of Ocean Sciences K-12." Associated curricula also available.
Awards: 2008 NAPPA (National Parenting Publications Awards) Honor Award; 2008 Skipping Stones Honor Awards; 2007 Moonbeam Children's Book Gold Award; 2007 iParenting Media Award; 2005 Gail Rich Award; 2005 NAPPA (National Parenting Publications Awards) Gold Award; 2005 Parents' Choice Silver Award; 2004 iParenting Media Award; 2004 Creative Child Magazine Seal of Excellence Award; 2000 AFIM Children's Album of the Year; 1997 American Library Association's Notable Children's Recording Award; 1996 NAPPA Honor Award; 1996 Parent's Choice Honor Award;  School Library Journal starred review

Meet Mrs. Pinkelmeyer, Silliest, Warmest Know-It-All™ and her lovable dog Moopus McGlinden. Follow their adventures in the Pinkelmeyer book series, dance along with their music or snuggle up with their plush, singing doll as they inspire self-esteem in children through love, warmth and silliness.

This kit includes 12 27" square washable nylon scarves in white, pink, red, orange, yellow, lime, kelly, medium blue, royal blue, lavender, purple and black. Also included is the IDEAS Primary Music CD, an instructional insert and velcro to hang the scarves. These bright colorful scarves stimulate the senses, encourage movement, teach and reinforce color recognition. Dance to the music, use for dress-up, learn to juggle. These scarves can be used for infinite possibilites limited only by the child's imagination. "Our kit is the only kit on the market that includes 12 bright, colorful, nylon scarves along with an accompanying music CD made exclusively for arts education IDEAS," Cynthia Cavone, Marketing Associate, arts education IDEAS, told TDmonthly.

With Kids, Keller creates a style of family music that's all his own, and reaches his young audience in a way that matters. While other performers play for kids, Keller plays with them. For the album, Keller takes influences of traditional bluegrass, 'Chester & Lester' innovative guitar technique, Robin Williams, and Bobby McFerrin.

With the help of her animated and real friends, Meredith LeVande sings 15 catchy children’s songs about everyday concepts to which young children can relate. Each is brought to life on video. No two segments are exactly alike; there is a lot of variety of video technique and each segment is uniquely choreographed.

“Ambassador of Zydeco” Buckwheat Zydeco combines organ, accordion, guitar and more to craft this tribute to Creole music. Guest stars aplenty and hip updates (like “Zydeco In Space”) add to the spicy musical stew.
— “If you can name a single zydeco artist -- a big "if" for most people -- I would bet money that it's Buckwheat Zydeco,” wagered Christopher Healy of ParentDish.  Christopher described Bayou Boogie as a “definitely different” “raucous party CD” where the “Cajun sound is layered over classic kid tunes ("Hokey Pokey"), '60s hits ("Twist and Shout") and original songs.”
— Midwest Book Review admired Bayou Boogie for being “an enthusiastic, joyful cacophony” that “introduces young listeners to the musical traditions of the bayou.” Midwest Book Review recommended this “delightful children's album” as “an excellent choice as a gift CD.”

Actor David Ogden Stiers narrates this CD featuring The Story of Ferdinand the Bull, The Carnival of the Animals, and Mother Goose Suite. Over 72 minutes long, the cello and piano arrangements make Ferdinand the Bull and Friends a perfect record for bedtime.
— 29 reviewers on Amazon gave Ferdinand the Bull and Friends five out of five stars. Raved Amazon user Ken N., “Mark Fish has created a modern classic that doesn't sound out of place alongside the works of Saint-Saens, Ravel and Bach. David Ogden Stiers breathes life into these wonderful stories and poems, and Nina Flyer and Chie Nagatani display strong, thoughtful musicianship throughout.” Alex B. Houston “really enjoyed the arrangements in the funny Ogden Nash section, which had individual drawings/poems for us to follow along with.” Allan C. “curled up and listened to it all, like spending the evening getting into a great book. Fish's arrangements are glowing and gracious, and the players do a wonderful job bringing them to life, playing with wide-ranging orchestral color.”

Mind of My Own is the third album from kindie artist Frances England. With a little help from the Mates of State and songs like “Jacques Cousteau” and “Cookies & Milk,” Frances England appeals to kids and parents alike.
— “Frances England’s song writing truly reflects the life of a family and all of the fun moments both children and parents share!” explained Kristin of Take It From Me. Kristin added that she “loved the song "To Be," which reminded me off my daughter’s aspiring and hopeful spirit!”
— Amber Bobnar from Hilltown Families queried: “You know when you hear an artist for the first time and they just grab you? That’s what happened for me when I heard Frances England’s new CD Mind of My Own.” Amber praised the CD for its “a frenetic energy that is exciting and contagious.”

Maria Muldaur’s Barnyard Dance: Jug Band Music for Kids strives to create a musical party with upbeat and carefree jug band style. The twelve homegrown tracks include “I Love To Ride My Camel” and “Under The Chicken Tree.”
— “If there's a more passionate purveyor of American musical tradition than Muldaur please do me a favor and send me their names,” requested Mike Jurkovic of the Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange.  According to Mike, “Muldaur's beautiful gift of bringing the past alive” ensures that anyone “within hearing radius will be hummin', strummin', kazooin', and kickin' up their heels when they hear this swinging, breathing collection.”

The Creative Child "Album of the Year" winner introduces children to the sophisticated instrumentation of New Orleans style music, while keeping them entertained with classics like "Zip a Dee Doo Dah" and "Yellow Submarine".  Each song is stylized and funkified by one of New Orleans' acclaimed artists (Ivan Neville of Neville Brothers, Radiators etc.) and a portion of all proceeds goes toward music education in classrooms.
Awards:  2009 Creative Child "Album of the Year, 2008 Creative Child "Preferred Choice."

This collection features re-recorded lullabies and popular songs whimsically re-imagined as lullabies by some of today's most notable indie artists. "We reinvent what it means to be a lullaby allowing indie-hipster parents to enjoy our CD just as much as their children do," American Laundromat Records Founder and President Joseph H. Spadaro told TDmonthly.
— “Chockfull of surprises,” said SoundXP’s Paul M of the CD, “it’s like a musical jamboree bag, perfect for savvy toddlers and their funloving carers.” Paul praised the inclusion of “a lot of quirky numbers like Little Boxes by The Real Tuesday Weld and Inchworm by The Leisure Society” and the charity nature of the album.
— Jason of CT Indie had high expectations for the CD, but he “had no idea how touching it would be. Hearing this record was like when all the Whos down in Whoville started singing, making the Grinch's small heart grow three sizes.” He loved “every note of this record” and found it “perfectly suitable for softly fading evenings.”
Awards: 2010 NAPPA Gold

A colorful clever collection of Spanish songs for children performed by award-winning singer and songwriter Jorge Anaya, Whistlefritz’s latest release is a mix of lively Latin rhythms.  Samba to Las Vocales (The Vowels), cha cha to Los Números (The Numbers), and polka to Que Llueva (Let it Rain). Cha, Cha, Cha makes learning Spanish exhilirating, educational, and fun.  A translation guide is included, providing an easy reference for parents and teachers. It's a great way to expand vocabulary and become bilingual.
Awards: Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products - 2010

The Little Pim Spanish Deluxe Gift Set includes DVDs 1, 2, and 3 in Spanish, Little Pim Spanish Bop music CD, Spanish Word and Phrase Cards, and an 8” plush panda packaged in a clear reusable tote. Themes include eating and drinking (Disc 1), wake up smiling (Disc 2), and playtime (Disc 3). Each DVD has a run time of 35 minutes, presented in seven short episodes to keep young minds engaged.
Awards: Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products - 2010

Vibe IT is a fun way to listen to your favorite music, movie or play a game on your portable device. Vibe IT turns almost anything into a speaker, just remove the acoustic generator from the Vibe IT cube and place it on any hollow or an object that can vibrate. With the reusable sticky material found on the acoustic generator, it will stick to any object and turn that object into a speaker.

Jungle Gym aims to ascend through the collective memories of childhood, from the joys of trick or treating and sleepovers to the magic stillness of snow days and gym class parachutes. The recording takes listeners on a journey through iconic experiences that kids will relate to and parents will remember. It's an often funny and unexpectedly rocking ride, from magic moments sailing on a moonlit cardboard box, through the temporary traumas of getting lost, to the anticipation and wonder of a school fire drill. Giant pounding drums, vintage electric guitars, strange and fanciful time changes, soaring vocals and elegant French horns yearn toward the conquering heights of the jungle gym. Awards: Parent's Choice Foundation Audio Award Fall 2010