December 2010 Notable Toys — Audio & CD

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, a pioneer in the child-friendly hip-hop known as kid-hop, returns with old school funk on the 16-track Underground Playground. Agent 23 Skidoo honors hip-hop heritage, adds fresh beats and mixes in the magic of childhood.
—Myles McDonnell of You Know, For Kids praised Agent 23 Skidoo’s lyrics, which “convey positive messages on subjects like friendship (‘Secret Handshake’) and honesty (the Public Enemy–tinged ‘Speak the Truth’) without ever getting finger-waggy, or losing the loose sense of fun that’s the core of so much quality hip-hop.” The positive lyrics are paired with “top-notch, catchy and addictive” beats.
— Toni Morton of Toni’s Treehouse tells kid-hop doubters to “think again, because Skidoo can absolutely hold his own, even while throwing out verses designed for a younger audience.” Overall, “Skidoo is a strong rapper, his rhymes are solid, the music is catchy, the stories are great, he has a good sense of humor and we love to hear something other than rock or country for kids.”

The Beautiful Baby, Wonderful Child songs celebrate the powerful connection between a caregiver and infant. This connection is the secure base from which the toddler begins to explore their world. These songs, geared for ages 0 to 3, have underlying themes of attachment, initiative and self-regulation, which are critical to infants’ and toddlers’ early development. Awards: 2009 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Audio Award

This collection of songs is designed to teach children self-regulation, coping skills, increased attention span and self-soothing techniques. The skills associated with self-control allow children to get along with peers and adults and participate in an array of activities and experiences. These songs encourage children to see rules as positive tools for self management. Awards: 2010 Creative Child Magazine CD of the Year

These songs are designed to create a soothing atmosphere that helps children make the transition to sleep calmly. The album aims to relieve the anxiety of bedtime/naptime, and strengthen the bond between parent/teacher and child.

The songs featured on New Day were developed to teach hope to children and give hope to teachers/parents. They are designed to help children internalize positive “self-talk” and anticipate a future of accomplishment and confidence. Based on the field of positive psychology, these songs teach children how to better handle negative life experiences, develop a future orientation and develop positive feelings about his/herself and the world in general. The album features the music of Mary Hulefeld and David Kisor.

The music from Feeling Positive is based on the key findings from the field of positive psychology. The lyrics convey messages from positive psychology and the rich music orchestrates experiences of “positivity” for parents and children alike. This CD is designed to help children develop important character strengths such as curiosity, hope, optimism, kindness and gratitude.