Home » Parenting & Kids

The Very Best Music for Children

10 Comments

31 Like

Like 31

Pin It

Ranked #6,237 in Parenting & Kids, #210,440 overall

A love of music is one of the greatest gifts you can give your children.

Contents at a Glance

A Note About My Methodology
Raffi
Sing Along With Raffi
Tom Chapin
Peter, Paul, and Mary
Pete Seeger

A Note About My Methodology

My philosophy in making these recommendations is, in short, good, clean fun.

I do not believe in dumbing down music (or anything else) for children, but I do believe it's important to be respectful of the difference between adults and children, especially young children. At the same time, music should be a pleasure for the whole family, so I've done my best to feature music that will be a joy for both children and their parents.

Raffi

No child should grow up without music by the beloved Canadian singer and songwriter Raffi.

Sing Along With Raffi

These books have lively, colorful illustrations to accompany the lyrics of some of Raffi's most popular songs.

Tom Chapin

An American singer-songwriter with strong folk roots, Tom Chapin is most famous for his recordings of children's music.

Peter, Paul, and Mary

The popular folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary have recorded several fantastic albums for children.

Pete Seeger

Beloved folk singer Pete Seeger has recorded a number of albums for children.

Burl Ives

Another beloved American folksinger who often recorded material for children

Sweet Honey in the Rock

An African American female a cappella group with deep roots in the African-American musical traditions of spirituals, hymns, gospel, jazz, and blues.

More Great Albums For Kids

A fun selection of albums, particularly good for preschool and elementary age children

Disney

Several generations of children have grown up loving Disney movies and songs. This is a good starter collection of Disney's greatest hits.

Sesame Street and The Muppets

Two great collections of classics from the popular children's shows

Classical Music

These days, almost everyone has heard of the "Mozart Effect" - the notion that listening to classical music, especially the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, in infancy can increase intelligence. I personally think the effect on IQ has probably been overstated, but I do believe that classical music can be beneficial for children and adults alike. Not only is it beautiful and by turns relazing and invigorating, it is also an important part of the cultural heritage not only of the Western cultures that produced it but of all humanity. Whether it really increases your intelligence is questionable, but it certainly can't hurt!

Learn About the Mozart Effect

The Mozart Effect: Books, articles, music and resources on The Mozart Effect and using music for enhanced health, relaxation and mental stimulation
Mozart effect - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: General information
Mozart effect: Informtion from The Skeptic's Dictionary

Classical Music for Babies

Classical Music Kids Love

Introduce Your Kids to the Masters

These CDs combine stories with a selection of the best music by each composer, and are a perfect way to introduce kids to the wonders of classical music.

More Classical Music Collections

These collections feature some of the most popular and familiar classical melodies, great for kids and adults alike.

Opera

These albums and collections offer an accessible introduction to the world of opera, with familiar tunes and stories, for kids and adults alike.

Holidays!

Holidays are times for special music and my favorite holidays are those with special music associated with them.

The Best Irish Music for Kids

St. Patrick's Day isn't only for the Irish anymore! Here are some great albums to help you celebrate with your kids.

The Best Patriotic Music for Kids

Celebrate the Fourth of July with the musical fireworks on these great patriotic albums.

The Best Christmas Music For Kids

There are many, many albums of novelty songs intended for kids, but I like the classics better than anything.

More Great Music for Kids

Nursery Rhymes
So, I sat down to make this Lens and then realized that I didn't actually have any nursery rhymes collections - I just sing them to my daughter myself! - and therefore had no recommendations to give. Obviously, though, kids love nursery rhymes, and as soon as I find some good collections, I'll add them in above.
Jazz and Big Band
Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole... Rich voices and classic melodies make the music of this era ideal for children
Oldies
Who can resist "Rock Around the Clock?" The 50's produced a whole host of foot-tappin' melodies kids love!
The 60's and 70's
The music of these decades may require a bit more care in choosing, unless you really want your kids listening to music about sex and drugs, but the explosion of folk singers in this period makes it great for children's music anyway. Check out cleaner songs by Simon and Garfunkel, John Denver, Joan Collins, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, The Beatles, and many others.
Gospel
I'm not strongly religious myself, but even non-Christians have a hard time resisting the magnificent sounds of Gospel, and many children love it.
Film Scores
Film scores like Schindler's List, Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars are a treasure trove of fabulous music.
Your Favorite Music
Okay, so, depending on your tastes, you might have to introduce your own favorite music gradually to your children. Babies and young children especially can be easily overstimulated by loud music in particular, and the content of some adult music isn't really appropriate for young children. However, what's the point in giving your children a love of music if you can't share it with them a bit? I say, go for it!

"Grown-up Music" for Kids

These collections offer fun, kid-safe popular tunes in each genre, sung by the orignal artist. Adults will love them too!

Other Resources

Music For Little People: 20 years as a leading resource for the highest quality award-winning audio, video, musical instruments, toys, and games for children and families.
Chinaberry.com: Chinaberry offers items to support families in raising their children with love, honesty and joy.
Welcome to KIDiddles (TM) - Not your Average Kids' site!: A fantastic children's music resource.