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“Did You Feed My Cow? |
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| Experience the timeless songs of Ella Jenkins as they meet up with the musical artistry of Fred Koch in this eclectic, multi-cultural celebration. One listen and you'll know why Parents' Choice bestowed it with their prestigious CLASSIC award! School Library Journal calls it “a sure-fire winner that you will want to hear again and again!” Early Childhood News raves, “Fred Koch shines . . . the songs stimulate creative participation even for the very young.” You'll enjoy favorites including the gentle “Hello,” “You'll Sing A Song,” “Shabat Shalom,” “Jambo,” “Miss Mary Mack (3 versions),” the popular movement game “Stop and Go” and of course, “Did You Feed My Cow?” Age focus: 2-7 years. |
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"cELLAbration! A Tribute to Ella Jenkins" |
Ella Jenkins, "The First Lady of Children's Music," has released dozens of award-winning multicultural recordings for children and has earned countless awards in her 50-year career. This recording features some of today's finest folk and children's performers (Tom Chapin, Pete Seeger, Sweet Honey In The Rock, Bill Harley and more) paying tribute to Ella with sparkling new renditions of her classic songs. Children will enjoy the world of musical styles – including folk, salsa, country-western, Dixieland, ragtime, mariachi and Africana rhythms which all come together in this multicultural and multilingual mix to honor Ella in the best way possible. A well deserved Grammy Award! Age focus: 3-7 years |
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"Jim Gill Sings Moving Rhymes for Modern Times" |
I rarely hand out superlatives in my reviews but I
felt no hesitation whatsoever when I proclaimed this CD to be "one
of the best records I have heard for the 3-6 year old crowd." Few
artists know the preschool and kindergarten child as well as Jim Gill.
His knowledge about how young children learn and his experience with using
music as a springboard for play come together in full force with Moving
Rhymes for Modern Times. |
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"Meltdown!" |
| As a parent, one of the qualities that I like most
about Meltdown! is that it appeals to both the early childhood
set and the older kids, too - so we are not quite sure which category
to place it in. I know of five year olds who dance and sing along to these
songs and I know, having watched my ten year old, that older kids pick
up on the sometimes subtle humor and kid-based themes. |
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“Jim Gill Sings Do Re Mi on his Toe Leg Knee” |
Jim Gill aptly calls his brand of music "music play"--with its concentration on inspiring active play. On this, his third recording, original songs and adaptations of traditional melodies invite children to march, spin, stretch, rhyme and sing along with the music. Favorites include "The Tempo Marches On," where the marching keeps getting faster and "Driving Here, Driving There," a very singable and fun word-play song. Jim has a Master's Degree in child development, and his keen knowledge about children and what they love to do is evident in all his recordings. Being a parent of two young children always helps, too. Age focus: 2-7 years. |
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“Nora's Room” |
| This is a wonderful collection of mostly original songs by Jessica Harper--also an acclaimed actress with numerous theatrical, film and TV credits. "Nora's Room" is full of very catchy, singable songs and features Jessica's creamy alto voice on lead vocals and all harmonies. Though there's an eclectic mix of musical styles here, you'll find quite a few songs returning to the swaying and infectious Caribbean-influenced beat. As with all the songs on "Nora's Room," the music is lively, the lyrics are whimsical and childlike, and the performance is marvelous. Age focus: 3-7 years. |
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“Reading Rainbow's Greatest Hits” |
| If you are a fan of "Reading Rainbow," the popular PBS television program, you will want your children to hear these songs. They represent some of the best songwriting for children you will hear. These songs are educationally sound, musically and stylistically diverse, and are presented respectfully without any condescending, preachy attitude. Themes cover a wide range of topics from the TV show. And as an added bonus, you will get to enjoy the vocal talents of Bobby McFerrin and Phoebe Snow, too. These songs will serve as wonderful discussion starters and motivation for your information seeking kids at home and in the classroom. Age focus: 5-9 years. |
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"Kids In Motion" |
All of these songs and activities are designed to inspire dance and movement fun with easy to follow directions built into each song. This Greg & Steve best-selling favorite features two songs ("Tummy Tango" and "Show Me What You Feel") co-written by Fred Koch. "Kids In Motion" is an instant winner when you're looking for movement activities which encourage creative movement within a structured setting. Outstanding titles include the ever popular "The Freeze," "Body Rock" and two versions of "Bean Bag Boogie" 15 songs in all! Age focus: 3-9 years. |
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“Great Big World”
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| If you're looking for a genuinely fun-filled recording to share with your children, this should be in your collection. From "Let The Dog Go Out" with its happy-go-lucky feel, to the silly "My Cat Can Fly," to the doo-wop fantasy "I Got Stuck In An Elevator," it is apparent that Joe is an experienced performer who knows how to communicate with children. Being a former Montessori teacher and father of three can't hurt either -- but you'll soon realize that it is his songwriting talent and eclectic musical arrangements that separate "Great Big World" from most children's music. And Joe finishes us off with a tender, heartfelt ballad (the title song) that every parent will adore. Age focus: 3-7 years. |
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“Jim Gill's Irrational Anthem . . . and More Salutes to Nonsense” |
| Jim offers up sixteen more songs that celebrate jumping, singing, tongue twisting, rhyming and play. The appeal here, as with his other recordings, is that this music is created for "music play." So be ready to dance along, rhyme along, sing along, and "play" along with more great songs from one of our favorite early childhood experts. As an adult, you will appreciate the importance Jim places on the production side of the recording. Great musicians, lots of variety and age-appropriate activities for your young children. Read Jim's thoughts about "music play." Age focus: 2-7 years. |
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“JoJo The Scarecrow” |
These catchy songs about roosters, chickens, geese, lambs, piggies and even froggies are refreshingly original. Joel Frankel's talent for songwriting shines as he clearly understands that lots of learning can take place when kids are engaged in playing with language and music. Musical styles range from the obvious country-western to old-time Dixieland to rockabilly and even pop. JoJo's Barnyard Bash also features some tender gems such as "Hey Horse" and "Where Is The Fox?" a fun call-and-response song. Two music videos (one in Spanish) are included on this "enhanced CD"-- which can be viewed on your home computer. Age focus: 2-7 years. |
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"Hear & Gone in 60 Seconds!" |
| This CD could have been titled "A Taste of Children's Music" because it's your chance to sample twenty-nine of the best artists in children's music. Each artist recorded a brand new ONE-MINUTE SONG making Hear & Gone in 60 Seconds! a showcase for the range and richness that exists in family music today. Some artists might be new to you while others are familiar names such as Ella Jenkins and Tom Paxton. You will also notice that many of the artists recommended at BestChildrensMusic.com are spotlighted including Gunnar Madsen, Jessica Harper, Justin Roberts, Ralph's World, Beethoven's Wig, Bill Harley and even our own, Fred Koch! Age focus: 3-7 years. |
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“Great Big Sun” |
| The St. Paul Pioneer Press calls Great Big Sun a "wonderful batch of fresh-faced life lessons.... sweet storytelling that never goes out of style." Tastefully arranged with an acoustic, folk-rock feel, Justin sings of nature, school and family. He has the sensibility to respect his audience and this really comes through in his songs--he never comes off as pandering. As he offers up these contagious, singable and very clever songs, you get the feeling that he's having a great time--his energy is boundless. Justin's writing shines, his performance is irrestible and kids love his songs. Age focus: 3-7 years. |
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“Young Dancer”
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| This delightful collection of nineteen musical miniatures, created originally for young ballet dancers, will be enjoyed by more than just aspiring dancers. "Young Dancer" features eleven re-orchestrations of classical masterpieces for dance along with eight original, movement inspired compositions, with fluid titles like "Jump Forever" and "I'm Late." These evocative, short pieces (all under 1:30) invite all children to dance and play with music composed to enliven the young dancer in us all. Instrumental only. Age focus: 3-7 years. |
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“Fun and Games”
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| This is Greg & Steve's 18th recording! You can expect the same child-centered fun with music that has made this duo so hugely successful with young children and early childhood teachers. You and your children will enjoy their funky version of the familiar "Peanut Butter & Jelly," the large motor activity "I Can Work With One Hammer" and the silly "Goofy Hat Dance." Everyone will be up dancing on "Rock With Me" (co-written by Fred Koch) and "Mr. Knickerbocker." For Fun and Games, Greg & Steve's signature tender ballads include "Hello World" and the island flavored "The Riddle Song." Age focus: 3-7 years. |
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“I've Got Imagination” |
| This is a wonderful collection of mostly original music and stories which parents, teachers and young children are all applauding. The kids immediately respond to silliness of songs like "C-H-I-C-K-E-N" (complete with chicken jokes) and the movement-oriented songs ("Can You Dance Like That?"). Parents appreciate the wholesome stories ("Chester, The Cheerful Chipmunk" and the Native American "Turtle Learns To Fly") and teachers value the eclectic mix of songs and musical styles. Other favorites include the jazzy "Little Miss Muffet," the romping "The Dinosaur Stomp" and the bubbly "Bath Time Tango." Age focus: 3-7 years. |
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“Ralph's World”
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| Sure, your children will adore this recording, but you, too will enjoy hearing it over and over again. A happy-go-lucky feeling permeates this entire recording. Ralph seems to be really enjoying himself as he, along with his band of merry music makers, sings with (and for) the kids. Songs cover favorite childhood themes such as animals, trains, colors, the alphabet and counting with lots of opportunity to play along. Be sure to listen to "Take A Little Nap (The Disco Song)," hilarious take off on KC and The Sunshine Band's hit. Age focus: 3-7 years. |
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“This Lil’ Cow - Activity Booklet ” FREE DOWNLOAD Since we have discontinued the printing and selling of the Lil' Cow Activity Booklet, we thought it would be great to offer it as a free download! This 28-page enrichment guide was designed to extend the songs and concepts within Fred Koch's album "This Lil' Cow". The activities and materials listed are intended for early childhood teachers, primary classroom teachers, music and movement specialists, special education teachers and parents. Download the pdf file here (Approx. 6MB). |
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“This Lil’ Cow” |
CD
- $14.95 Cassette - $5.48 |
| Like many music educators in the early 80’s, Fred Koch was always on the look out for children’s music that would catch the attention of his young students. He often found that his original songs were the ones that students requested time after time. This Lil’ Cow spotlights some of these songs written especially for them. These songs were all kid-tested prior to being recorded for Fred’s first recording. Favorites include the movement game “Stop! In The Name of The Law,” the uplifting “Great Day,” and the perennial favorite “I Lost My Tooth.” Age focus: 3-7 years. |
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“Pied Piper”
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| "Pied Piper" marks the first of three Music For Little People projects with 60's folk/pop icon, Donovan. This fab recording features newly produced Donovan classics, arranged with age appropriate lyrics, including "Sun Magic," "Colours," "Jackie Beanstalk" and "I Love My Shirt." Great acoustic musicians ("Mandolin Man and His Secret"), tender and thoughtful songs ("Little Boy in Corduroy," "Happiness Runs") and the welcoming sound of Donovan's voice combine to create a delightful musical journey for the whole family. Age focus: 3-7 years. |
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