Enjoy meaningful music with your children
on a daily basis!

When making musical purchases, many parents of very young children find themselves standing in front of a large selection of tapes and CDs, not knowing what to choose. One mom described her feeling of wonder by saying she might as well just close her eyes tightly and point in a large circular motion while chanting eenie-meenie-minie-mo when making choices for her young children. If you have been shopping for kiddo music on a wing and a prayer, hoping the tunes you select will be good and that you'll get your money's worth from the recording, you've come to the right place.

Thanks to all the parents and children who shared their favorites here, so that more parents can stop scratching their heads in wonder and make better informed shopping decisions regarding the music they choose for their young ones. If you would like to add your favorites to the list, please send email to: leah@leahsmusicclass.com.

Books That Include or Teach Music:
Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin, by Lloyd Moss
Music Is Fun, by Lloyd Moss
Our Marching Band, by Lloyd Moss
Max Found Two Sticks, by Brian Pinkney
Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon, by Patty Lovell
Mole Music, by David McPhail
M is for Music, by Kathleen Krull
Anna and the Bagpiper, by Thomas Locker
Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb, by Al Perkins
The Remarkable Farkle McBride, by John Lithgow
Alligators and Music, by Elliott
Meet the Orchestra, by Ann Hayes
Too Much Noise, by Ann McGovern
Ah, Music! by Aliki
M is for Melody, by Kathy-jo Wargin
The Happy Hedgehog Band, by Jill Burton
Philadelphia Chickens (book & CD) by Sandra Boynton
The Queen, the Bear and the Bumblebee, by Dini Petty
Rainbow Tales, as done by the Manhattan Transfer
Tubby the Tuba, as done by the Manhattan Transfer
www.childrensgroup.com, stories set to classical and opera music
Wee Sing Song Books, by Pamela Beall and Susan Nipp
The Great Children’s Songbook, by Carl Fischer Publishers
Peter and the Wolf, by Vladimir Vagin (Prokofiev's symphony)
First Steps in Music, by John Feierabend
The Book of Echo Songs, by John Feierabend
Carnival of the Animals, by Camille Saint-Saens (comes with book)
The Lullaby Songbook, by Yolen and Stemple

Specific Musical Styles:
Classical, classical and MORE Classical!
Sousa Marches – Marching Band Music by John Phillips Sousa
Big Band Swing – Glenn Miller
Big Band with a Twist – Esquivel's “Space Age Bachelor Pad Music”
Broadway Musicals – Broadway Kids Dixieland Jazz
Old Time Gospel – “Let the Circle Be Unbroken” & “Amazing Grace”
Harp Music – “Solo Harp” CD from Lifescapes
Gregorian Chant Music – “Gregorian Chant” CD by Point Classics
Country Fiddle Music
Blues Guitar/Vocal Music – “Blues Legends Low Down St Louis Blues"
Female Blues Singing – “Ladies Sing the Blues” CD
Motown Music – Jackson Five, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross & Supremes, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire
Old Rock and Roll – Splish Splash, Rockin' Robin, Rock Around the Clock, The Locomotion, Twist and Shout, La Bamba, Buddy Holly or Elvis

Classical:
Beethoven's Wig 1 and 2 - classical tunes in a kid friendly style
Corelli (any and all)
Offenbach (any and all)
Mozart (any and all)
Bach (any and all)
Beethoven (any and all)
Prokofiev (any and all)
Debussy (any and all)
Greig, especially Blue Danube
Chopin, especially Moonlight Sonata
Stravinsky (any)
The Mozart Effect – Music for Babies, Toddlers and Kids
First Steps in Classical Music: Keeping the Beat, compiled by John Feierabend
Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3 (Organ)
Saint-Saëns – Carnival of the Animals
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
Vivaldi: Four Seasons by the Romeros (guitar version)
Tschaikovsky, especially The Nutcracker
Rimsky Korsakov – Scheherazade and Flight of the Bumble Bee
Bizet: Carmen, especially the Toreador song and the main overture
Rossini: Barber of Seville, William Tell & Thieving Magpie overtures
Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody #2
“The Instruments of Classical Music”, like Guitar & Lute -Vol. 10
Frank Martin: Mass for Double Chorus
Hildegard Von Bingen (any compositions)
Karl Jenkins, especially Adiemus ... kids like the nonsense words
The Remarkable Farkle McBride by John Lithgow
The Art of Baroque CD produced by Encore

Musicals (suitable for kids):
The Sound of Music soundtrack.
Mary Poppins soundtrack
My Fair Lady Soundtrack
Jungle Book soundtrack, featuring the late great Louis Prima
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang soundtrack
Beetlejuice soundtrack
Singing in the Rain soundtrack
Spirit, Stallion of the Cimmaron soundtrack
Annie soundtrack
Toy Story 2 Soundtrack
Winnie the Pooh songs “Just a Little Black Rain” or Tigger Song
The Lion King soundtrack, especially “Hakunna Matta"
Shrek soundtrack

World Music:
Afro-celt as in any of the Afro Celt Sound System
Brave Combo – Polka with a Twist, Brave Combo with Marcy Marx
Celtic music
Andes Mountain/South American fast-paced pipe music
Putumayo kids , Latin, African & World Playground and Dreamland
Scottish drum/pipe music
Cambodian Classical Dance Music
Sanskrit chants (CD Krishna and others) by Wah!
African Children's Choir - "Still Walking in the Light"
Drum Music, M. Hart & B. Olatunji - "Drums of Passion: The Beat"
Native American music (flute especially)
Spanish – Cri Crí el Grillito Cantor: "Francisco Gabilondo Soler"
Smithsonian Folkways Children's Music Collection by Various Artists
Irish Music, especially CDs by Deanta, The Chieftans and The Fury’s
I Love to Dance the Polka (by Nesak International)
Angelique Kidjo – contemporary East African music
Edith Piaf – French Torch Singer
Hawaiian Slack Key: Past to the Present, by Various Artists (guitar)
Flamenco Music especially CDs by Ottmar Liebert or Carlos Montoya
Rumba Flamenco, like “Viva la Musica” by the Gypsy Kings
East LA Sound especially CD’s by Los Lobos
Flamenco-Pop music from Spain, especially music by Siempre Asi

TV/Video/DVD:
Tubby the Tuba
Muppets videos
Sesame Street videos and cassette tapes
Thomas (the Tank Engine) Songs and Roundhouse Rhythms CD
Veggie Tunes (from Veggie Tales videos)
The Wizard of Oz Celebration (c. 1998, Jewel, Nathan Lane & more)
"School House Rock" like “Conjunction Junction...."
TV Christmas Show songs: Mr. Grinch and “Silver and Gold” from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Most Cable TV Companies offer a “For Kids Only” music channel

Computer Games/ CD-Rom:
Alice in Vivaldi’s Four Seasons – The Music Game (Music Games Int’l) for ages 5 - 95
Mozart’s The Magic Flute – The Music Game (Music Games Int’l) for ages 4 -104
Tchaikovsky’s Nucracker – The Music Game (Music Games Int’l) for ages 4 -104

Compilations:
America's 25 Favorite Praise & Worship Choruses for Kids
(Brentwood Kids)
Bright Spaces - an anthology that raised money for homeless kids
(Waterloo Records)
DJ's 50 Bestest Children's Songs
100% Dance - compilation of 80s/90s dance music
Great Melodies of the Classics
A Child's Celebration of Silliest Songs
"The Big 80's" Compilation like "We Got the Beat" by the Go-Go’s
(1996, Rhino records)
Kidz Bop Christmas CD, especially "Run Rudolph Run"
Kidz Bop 4 CD
Songs That Tickle Your Funny Bone Vol. II

Soothing:
Baby's First Classical Music (Brahms, Mozart, Chopin)
Baby's First Piano Music (includes Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, etc.)
Love is Space by Deva Premal
Bedtime with The Beatles, instrumental performed by Jason Falkner

General:
Leah's Music Class CD’s (www.leahsmusicclass.com)
Hap Palmer (any and all – fun and educational)
Jessica Harper, especially "Inside Out"
The Learning Station (fun & educational www.learningstation.com)
Joe McDermott (joemcdermottmusic.com)
Dan Zanes Albums (Rocketship Beach and House Party)
Raffi, all
Music for Little People (www.mflp.com)
Billy Jonas “What Kind of Cat Are You?”
Trout Fishing in America
Beary Patriotic, especially "Be Kind to Your Fur' Footed Friends”
"Rainbow Connection" by Willie Nelson
They Might Be Giants: “no!” CD
Laurie Berkner "Under a Shady Tree”
The Wiggles, especially "Wiggly Safari" & "Hot Potato, Hot Potato"
"Classic Disney" volumes 1 & 2
"Peter, Paul and Mommy" by Peter, Paul and Mary
Sara Hickman, especially "Newborn," "Toddler," and "Big Kid"
John McCutcheon, especially "Family Garden" album
The Sensations, an acapella doo-wop group that does a kids album
Philadelphia Chickens (comes with a book) by Sandra Boynton
Tom T. Hall - Country Songs for Children
Joe Scruggs, “Deep in the Jungle” and “Bahamas Pajamas”
Little People CDs, especially “Songs from Around the World”
Imagination Movers (www.imaginationmovers.com)
Ralph's World, especially “At the Bottom of the Sea”
Eddie Coker (www.eddiecoker.com/htdocs/index.asp)
Wee Sing America - songs ranging from patriotic to sea shanties
Kenny Loggins: “Return to Pooh Corner”
“ Did You Feed My Cow? Fred Koch Presents The Songs of Ella Jenkins”
Greg & Stevel, especially “We All Live Together”
Kids Direct CD’s especially “Animal Crackers” CD
Cedarmont Kids’ Gospel Praise Songs
"The Ocean of Love" CD by Ari Frankel & Friends

Music Parents Loved as Kids:
Free to Be You and Me, Marlo Thomas and Friends
The Carpenters
Peter Paul and Mary (the two "Peter Paul and Mommy" CDs)
"Sneaky Snake" by Tom T. Hall
Pete Seeger: Birds, Beasts & Lesser Fishes, "The Frog Song" & "Abiyoyo"
Burl Ives sings for Children
Malvina Reynolds sings for children
Miriam Makeba – any and all
The Fleas on The Dog, “Ain’t She Sweet” & “Food Around the Corner”
Electric Company, songs by Tom Lehrer
Barry Louis Polisar, especially "I Eat Kids (www.barrylou.com)

Note: This list was compiled and is maintained by Leah Lewis based on input from parents of students enrolled in Leah’s Music Class. Teachers and parents must first listen to music to ensure that it is suitable for all children. This list is never considered “finished” and is continually being added to. If you have a suggestion / addition / comment, feel free to send email to: leah@leahsmusicclass.com.