Sure, reviewing high-end diaper bags and fabulous children’s shoes is an awesome job, but what really floats my boat is the the wide variety of children’s music we’ve popped into the CD player so we can review new artists for our Daily Dish readers. I discovered some of my most favorite children’s CDs (Putumayo Kids collection for one) as a result of a Boutique Cafe review, and today I have three more CDs you might want to consider adding to your collection. (Stocking stuffers, anyone?)

Swimming in Noodles by Jim Cosgrove

Jim Cosgrove is an award-winning performer who channeled a lot of free-wheeling energy into his latest CD, Swimming in Noodles. I love an upbeat, bounce-in-your-seat children’s CD and this one definitely fits the bill. My favorite song is “Just Like You,” which was inspired by a chance encounter Jim had with two musicians from Uganda at a hotel pool. (Cool, huh?)

George had this to say about “Little Miss Floppy Socks” when it came on the car speakers: “I like his songs!” Livi said, “He said, ‘P.U.’ That funny!” And when track 14 came on, George’s comment was, “This is a wonderful song. I like it.” I couldn’t agree more, George!

You can find Swimming in Noodles and listen to sample tracks from the CD online at JimCosgrove.com.

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Sunny Day by Elizabeth Mitchell

Though I generally prefer a children’s CD that makes you want to shimmy and shake, it is nice to take a little break from all that toe-tapping and enjoy something a little more mellow. Elizabeth Mitchell’s Sunny Day is that deep cleansing breath that keeps us centered. The CD features a variety of voices including Elizabeth’s husband and nine-year-old daughter plus cousins and friends. The tracks include everything from traditional American folk songs to Japanese and Korean nursery songs.

When track 2 came on, Livi’s comment was, “Hey, I yike this song!” (She still can’t figure out how to pronounce her Ls…) And when track 7 was playing, George said, “Mom, this is a different beautiful song. Keep this one, Momma.” Of course the best was track 1. George: “I love the little kid. Mom, do you love the little kid?” Me: “Yep!” George: “Me too…but not love, love, love.” (That kid is too funny!)

You can find Sunny Day, including a video and free song download of “Oh, John the Rabbit” on the Smithsonian Folkways website.

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Use Your Words by Jeremy Zmuda of Jeremy Plays Guitar

The third CD in this roundup is Jeremy Zmuda’s Use Your Words, a more child-behavioral CD if there is such a thing. The tracks on this CD, which feature everything from jazz to rock to country-folk, are all about helping children learn “social skill development, purposeful language, and emotional concepts without compromising the joy and fun of singing and dancing.” It is definitely a teaching CD, but at least it teaches in a way kids will love. For me, 14 tracks of “parenting” is a bit much, but my kids didn’t seem to notice, so I guess that’s a good thing! They songs on Use Your Words are catchy and do teach some valuable lessons, and if it can get my kids to remember our “House Rules,” then I’m a fan!

You can find Use Your Words and even download the hit single “Jump So High” on JeremyPlaysGuitar.com.

*** We are giving away one gift set that includes a copy of Swimming in Noodles, Sunny Day and Use Your Words! ***

Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway:

•Leave a comment sharing with us your most favorite children’s song or CD.
•“Like” Jim Cosgrove on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.
•“Like” Elizabeth Mitchell and Your Are My Flower on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.
•“Like” Jeremy Plays Guitar on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.
•Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: December 22, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

• Congratulations to Tracie T., the winner of the CD gift set giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

What can I say, this guy is cute. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happily married, but if I were single and about 10 years younger, I might be giving this Nik Day my phone number along with a listen. I mean you have cute combined with music “similar to Michael Buble and Jason Mraz” and a “warm, raspy voice similar to that of John Mayer.” No brainer, right? Right.

Nik Day is an up-and-coming singer/songwriter from Utah who started writing music and playing piano when he was just 5 years old. (I think I was still trying to color within the lines and sing my ABCs.) He sent me his Interesting Shade of Blue CD to review on Boutique Cafe’s Daily Dish, and always one to support new talent, I was happy to pop it into the ol’ CD player. And that happened to be in the car.

Funny thing is, I put it in the 6-disc changer and forgot about it until listening to The Lower Lights on a Sunday drive. That CD ended and Nik Day’s CD began. And holy cow, did my ears perk up immediately as his voice came across our car’s speakers. I loved it and I loved pretty much every song on that CD. I found myself actually preferring that to my favorite radio stations, which is definitely saying something because I’m not a Michael Buble kind of gal. But Nik Day somehow combined the best of Buble with the aforementioned Jason Mraz and the combination was perfect.

Though a fairly new artist, Nik Day is going to go places. I can’t wait to see just how far he gets . . . and I can’t wait for him to release his next CD. (Interesting Shade of Blue only has five songs—not nearly enough.) Soon please, Nik. Very, very soon.

P.S. I googled Nik Day and discovered he has a previous CD, My Favorite Songs. Giving it a listen on Amazon.com, I discovered I may need it in my stocking this Christmas. Got that, Santa?

P.P.S. Nik sells most of his CDs in person, so the next best place to listen to and/or buy his music is on Amazon.com. And you will want to buy it, trust me.

*** Nik Day is giving away two (2) of his Interesting Shade of Blue CDs! ***

Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each one you do:

•   Leave a comment telling us why you would like to win this CD.
•   Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet
•   Update your Facebook status with a link to this giveaway and leave a comment telling us you did.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: November 26, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

• Congratulations to Elizabeth T. and Nancy D., the winners of the Nik Day CD giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

I love it when I find children’s CDs that keep my kids entertained in the car and at the same time keep me from wanting to pull my hair out. We mostly need these awesome CDs when driving around town running errand after errand because that seems to make everyone grumpy.

This summer I found my kids becoming repeat listeners (much better than repeat offenders) of Take It Outside by the Okee Dokee Brothers and The best Candy in the Whole World by Bill Harley. One is a lot country and bluegrass with some pop mixed in, while the other is an enchanting collection of stories and song.

The Okee Dokee Brothers (Joe Mailander and Justin Lansing) have done a great job combining some downright catchy bluegrass music with make-you-smile lyrics for a CD that has our entire family singing. We know the words to our faves like “Bluegrass for Breakfast” and “Neighbors” (Lauren’s favorite line is about the women who only eats meat because killing vegetables is cruel) and sing along every time they’re played. I love the songs that do a little teaching amidst the lyrics like “Antidisestablishmentarianism” and “What We Got.”

The only thing Take It Outside is lacking is a local live performance by the Okee Dokee Brothers. Looking at pictures and videos on their site and hearing the music in the car makes me really wish we could take a trip to their hometown in Colorado and see them in person. I guarantee we’d be singing right along with them!

As for a great storyteller, look no further than Bill Harley, the Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, storyteller, author and playwright. Called “the Mark Twain of contemporary children’s music” by Entertainment Weekly, he also ought to be called the Mark Twain of children’s storytelling. His storytelling skills are in full force in The Best Candy in the Whole World. I was honestly surprised when my kids—all ages—sat quietly while Harley weaved his tale about a boy and a magic piece of candy and the chaos that ensued at his school. They listened to the entire thing and then begged for more. For the most part my kids listened to that 67-minute CD from start to finish without a peep. And they’ve listened to it many time since then. It is heaven when Harley’s telling his stories.

The Best Candy in the Whole World has a total of 5 stories, a couple of which are songs. I’d say my favorite two are “A Walk Around the Block” and “Jack and the Singing Leaves.” That last one even had my husband chuckling in places throughout the story. I can see why Harley has been a long-time contributor to NPR’s “All Things Considered” and performs nationally at venues ranging from concert halls to classrooms.

Summer road trips may be nearing their end but the holidays (and Grandma’s house) are just around the corner. I’d stock up now on these two little goodies so you can preserve a little of your sanity as you head over the river and through the woods this winter.—Emily

*** Giveaway! We’re giving away one (1) set of Take It Outside and The Best Candy in the Whole World (one CD of each)! ***

Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each one you do:

•   Tell us your favorite road trip of 2010 so far.
•   ”Like” BOTH the Okee Dokee Brothers (here) AND Bill Harley (here) on Facebook.
•   Follow the Okee Dokee Brothers on Twitter and leave a comment telling is you’re their newest follower.
•   Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•   Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: September 30, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

• Congratulations to Lisa L., the winner of the CD gift set giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

Before I started writing reviews for Boutique Cafe I had no idea so many wonderful children’s CDs existed. Of course I had a selection of children’s music but it was mostly Disney’s Silly Songs, some compilations of children’s favorites and a lullaby cassette (yes, I just typed “cassette”) or two. These days the choices are numerous and varied. We’ve featured quite a few here on the Daily Dish and I have another fun one for you today.

Party Like a Twinkle Star is the latest release from Charity & the JAMband. Who—or what—is JAM?

JAM is a hootenanny, a hullabaloo, a dance party, a shindig-bash, a festival, a family band, a rain dance, a sun song, a fairy frolic, a wander in the park, a race on the beach, a flitting floating butterfly-bop, a blundering thundering elephant-stomp, a twirling-whirling-swirling dizzy-dee fall-down boogie!

How could you not want to go right out and purchase this two-disc set after reading that? The full story of Charity and JAM is rather interesting; you can read it here.

Party Like a Twinkle Star will have your kids twirling, frolicking and rockin’ with the first disc, Party: 10 Songs for Rocking Out. Then Charity & the JAMband will help them calm down, relax and mellow with Twinkle: 10 Songs for Tucking In.

My favorite Party songs were “Some More S’mores,” “Beach” and “We Are Stardust” (definitely a great song!). But I’d say most of my favorites came from the Twinkle disc. In fact, I loved the entire disc. Perhaps it was because it was late at night while I listened, but those tunes were peaceful, soulful and centering in a way. I’m listening to “Moon Hug” right now and I keep pausing to listen and relax and regroup. You can tell the artists behind the music have children and movement and music appreciation in mind when they created these tracks.

Along with their collection of music, Charity & the JAMband offer some wonderful children’s and grown-ups’ classes if you happen to live in the Bay Area. Since we don’t, we’ll have to settle for creating our own JAM classes here at home, though I have a feeling I’ll be popping in the Twinkle CD most often. (We have quite a bit of twirling, rollin’ and rockin’ goin’ on already.)—Emily

** Giveaway! Charity & the JAMband is giving away two (2) copies of Party Like a Twinkle Star!

Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each one you do:

•  Visit Charity & the JAMband online and tell us what you think of their February “Song of the Month”
•  Follow Charity & the JAMband on Twitter and leave a comment telling is you’re their newest follower.
•  Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•  Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: February 23, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

• Congratulations to Kowanda M. and Renee C., the winners of the Party Like a Twinkle Star giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

If you’re a fan of good ol’ folk music and would love to get your kids hooked on it too, then Sarah Lee Guthrie’s Go Waggaloo CD is a must for your collection. This 13-tack disk from the artist is a fun musical romp through traditional songs and some new ones—you’ll even find three songs with never-before-released lyrics by Woody Guthrie.

Though some of the songs on Go Waggaloo may have familiar lyrics you’ll find a new take on the traditional folk songs and some great little surprises like a cool scratching drum machine and even a song recorded on a cell phone by the Guthrie family while on a road trip. I think it is the sort of mystical “Oni’s Ponies” but can’t be sure. (I wonder if Sarah uses it as her ring tone?) Sarah’s not the only voice on Go Waggaloo. You’ll hear her husband Johnny Irion, the couple’s two daughters and a handful of family and friends (Arlo Gurthrie, Pete Seeger and Tao Rodriguez Seeger).

Though it wasn’t quite up there on the list of my kids’ favorite CDs (they prefer music with a little less folk and a little more funk), I found it a nice, relaxing listen compared to some of the crazier children’s tunes you’ll find in our collection. Plus I found it rather endearing to know it was the Guthrie’s daughters’ voices I was hearing sing along. Nothing like a good family singalong! My fave songs are “Go Waggaloo,” “Take Me to Show-and-Tell,” and “If Mama Had Four Hands.”

If you’d love to introduce your children to folk music then Go Waggaloo is the way to do it. Tailored to children with fun vocals, lyrics and music, your kids will be singing “She’ll be comin’ ‘round the mountain” right along with the Guthrie family in no time!—Emily

** Giveaway! Smithsonian Folkways is giving away two (2) copies of Go Waggaloo! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each:

•   Visit Go Waggaloo’s page and listen to samples from the tracks. Leave a comment telling us your favorite!
•   Become a fan of Boutique Cafe on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
•   Follow Boutique Cafe on Twitter (@BoutiqueCafe) and leave a comment telling is you’re our newest follower.
•   Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•   Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: December 29, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

• Congratulations to Wehaf and renee, the winners of the Go Waggaloo CD giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

If you’ve been reading the Daily Dish column here on Boutique Cafe for a while then you know I’m a big fan of Putumayo Kids and their wonderful line of cultural CDs (Celtic, African, Brazilian to name a few). I am always on the lookout for a children’s CD that parents can listen to without wanting to invest in a good pair of earplugs. The newest CD from Hot Peas ‘N Butter is kid tested and mom approved (yes, just like the eve popular Kix cereal).

I knew nothing about Hot Peas ‘N Butter before receiving Hot Peas ‘N Butter Vol. 5 to review on the Daily Dish. I went to the site and found out this group was a “[winner} of the 2006 AND the 2008 ‘Parent’s Choice Awards’” and is “a unique children’s musical group that incorporates elements of traditional Latin music, Afro-Caribbean rhythms, jazz, folk, and rock.” Now THAT is my kind of children’s music!

As usual I tried to have all my kids listen to the CD but with our recent move, the CD got lost in a box somewhere until I finally unpacked it yesterday. I did have my oldest daughter listen to it, but all of a sudden these children’s CDs are, as she puts it, “for littler kids” so she didn’t have much to say about it. My littlest ones were in bed and didn’t get a chance to jam to the multicultural, distinctly Latin (love it!) music, but if I know my two-year-old, I know her tiny little bum would be shaking and groovin’ to every song on this CD.

I took a listen so I could tell you my favorite song but found pretty much everyone was a favorite song on the CD. I’m not much for the slower songs unless I’m singing my babies to sleep, and this CD was full of extremely danceable music, which I love, love, LOVE. If I had to pick a favorite or two or three I’d choose “’Round the World” (a good geography refresher); “Rayos Diferente” (who knew a song about bike safety could be so much fun!); and “Campo” (dang, I love those drums in the background!). I’m listening to “Campo” now and it brings back memories of my recent trip to San Juan and our meal at tiny restaurant in Old San Juan. Good times…

I love that you can download the lyrics and translations online, which makes you appreciate the songs even more. I can’t believe this is the fifth CD from Hot Peas ‘N Butter—how did I miss the other four? I’d like to say I have a little Latin in me somewhere but alas, it’s all German, Irish and English. I’m as white as they come, but that doesn’t mean I enjoy the music on Hot Peas ‘N Butter Vol. 5 any less! Um, wait, isn’t this supposed to be a review of a children’s CD? How about I stop making this review about how much I enjoyed this CD and instead tell you how much your children are going to enjoy this CD—they are really, really going to enjoy this CD!—Emily

*** Giveaway We’re giving away a Hot Peas ‘N Butter Vol. 5 CD to two Daily Dish winners! It may sound like a small prize but this CD really is a ton of fun—and will make a great stocking stuffer! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway:

•   Visit HotPeasNButter.com, listen to a song or two and leave a comment telling us your favorite.
•   Join the Hot Peas ‘N Butter group on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
•   Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•   Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winners from the comments and contact them via email. Deadline: October 8, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

Over the past couple years there’s been a definite shift in children’s music and I like the direction it’s heading. I was never one for 10 variations of “I’m a Little Teapot” or “The Wheels on the Bus.” Don’t get me wrong, these songs are classics, but if I have to listen to children’s music then it better make me want to get up and dance as well as it makes my kids want to do so.

I had never heard of Laura Freeman before I was sent her newest CD to review on the Daily Dish. Apparently she’s had quite the music career before Somersault Season, including a few songs for adults as well. But it’s her lighthearted-yet-educational songs that have caught the ears of children and adults alike. Here’s what Freeman had to say about Somersault Season:

I wrote these songs to keep busy active bodies moving all year long. I also wrote it to remind us to notice how the natural world is always changing around us. I love watching the seasons flow from one to the other. I hope I inspire others to do so.

As usual I had my girls pop the CD in their player to get their take on Somersault Season. Unfortunately their little brother didn’t get a chance to listen to it (I think they had up their “no boys allowed sign” or something while listening). So I only have an 11- and 9-year-old’s opinion on the music and for Laura Freeman’s Somersault Season, it wasn’t as rave a review as, say, Pop Fly or Robbert Bobbert & the Bubble Machine. And I think that was solely because, in my eldest daughter’s words, Somersault Season is “kind of a little kids’ CD. Livi and George will really like it!”

So apparently while the music on Somersault Season is fun and danceable, it’s best listened to by a younger crowd. I’m thinking everyone but pre-teens and teens—they’re too cool for the seasons anyway. I would love to tell you my favorite song but I didn’t get a chance to listen to it before we moved, then it got lost amidst the boxes, and I have yet to hook up speakers to my computer so I can’t even listen to it via iTunes. But I do know it has received rave reviews and I love anything that mixes a little education with a danceable tune. Plus, if Freeman’s music is half as fun to listen to as her “My Brother’s a Monster” video is to watch (without sound, mind you) then it’s definitely worth adding to your collection!

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