Together

Stacey Peasley's Together

Ideal for ages: 0-6
Recommended by: Stacey Peasley

Stacey Peasley is the type of person we love around here.  She’s a mom, so she knows the difference between nauseating children’s music and great children’s music.

Consider her own music to be in the latter category.  Throughout her career she has performed numerous musical styles – classic rock, pop, disco/dance, oldies and standards – but in 2005, sparked by the musical bond she shared with her oldest child by attending shows and listening to children’s artists together, Stacey began to adapt her craft to Children’s Music.

Together, Stacey’s long-awaited debut CD contains 13 musical gems, slices of childhood, that every young one will relate to (and sing, clap & dance to!).  Bop along to samples of each song on her website, and then add the CD to your child’s collection.  You can also download the album on iTunes.

Stacey PeasleyStacey Peasley is a Children’s performer in the Boston area who has just released her debut CD! As a mom of two young children, Stacey’s catchy songs capture the spirit of being a child, brother, sister, friend, and family-member! Stacey’s song “Soapy Bubbles” has won the Silver award in the Mid Atlantic Songwriter’s Contest and she won a 2010 Nick Jr. Parents Pick Award for Best Kids Party Entertainer.


Growing UP Green

Ideal for ages: 2-10
Recommended by: Mom-Approved Tunes

Growing UP Green is full of upbeat, singable songs for kids based on environmental themes such as habitat, recycling, and nature.  So you won’t be too surprised to find that the artist’s name is Pamela Sunshine, a former teacher turned singer/songwriter who has performed throughout England and Canada.

One reviewer wrote of the album, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the whole world could listen to these sweet and simple tunes, take the message that each song contains, and put that message to use in their lives?  It would make the world a better place.”  We have to agree.

Growing UP Green is available on iTunes in addition to Pamela’s website.  Check it out for yourself and let us know if you approve!

Walk ‘N Roll

Will Walk 'N' Roll

Ideal for ages: 2-8
Recommended by: Will Stroet

What makes for good kids’ music? As a children’s musician, new parent and former elementary school teacher, I ask myself this question all the time.

I want my music to resonate with kids while also being something parents can handle listening to many times without driving them up the wall. Good kids music should entertain, educate and engage.

Kids love music with great rhythms, melodies, harmonies, humour and interaction. This seems obvious, and in a way this is the same as music for adults. A good song is a good song—the only difference is the subject matter.

While songwriters for adults write about love, heartbreak and death, I get to write songs about vegetables, hippopotami and brushing your teeth! I guess music for kids should really be music for families.

Check out my website, watch my music videos, and hear my music.  Happy listening!

will_headshot_8x5I am a bilingual children’s musician from Vancouver, BC, Canada. I have just released my 5th album for kids called “Walk ‘n’ Roll”. I’m also a new daddy. My daughter Ella is 8 months old and loves music. She plays along with me on a set of bongo drums! I started writing music for kids when I was studying to become an elementary school teacher. After teaching for five years in Vancouver, I am now working full-time as a children’s musician playing at festivals, theatres, schools and libraries across Canada (and hopefully in the states soon!)

Magical Night

Ideal for ages: All
Recommended by: Laura (@semperfimomma)

We love music in our house. Of all kinds. Anything from Jimmy Buffet, Bob Marley & 311, to Metallica, & The Eagles. Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, Dave Matthews Band, Pink Floyd, Jason Mraz…. the list goes on and on. We love music.

It was important to us for our kids to at least be exposed to music and decide for themselves some day what types they like. Naturally, though, we wanted to find childrens music appropriate to listen to according to ages.

One of the best CDs we have is Family’s Magical Night, a personalized music CD by Winkadoodle Willy (formally known as Russ Bono).

With 10 songs total on the CD, 5 are personalized with your child’s name. And it doesn’t sound like a lame dubbed in recording. The sound on the CD is clear and very authentic, as though he took the time to sing these songs over and over, recording each name individually. And maybe he did! I don’t actually know for sure, but I’m incredibly impressed by the quality.

And, probably most important for parents, it’s not annoying. Both my husband and I love listening to the CD as well. We have a couple of other personalized CD’s with famous children’s characters as the singers, but this CD is always the one we prefer listening to.

Favorite song? Oh, it’s hard to choose just one, but since it’s my son who was personalized I’ll ask him…

“The fishing song and my song, Mommy,” which on the CD would be ‘I Don’t Like Worms’ and ‘My Theme Song’.

If you go to the website, you can hear samples of the songs listed on the CD. I’m sure you’ll instantly be hooked!  Happy Listening!

This is a guest post by Laura, a USMC wife and mommy who blogs at Semper Fi Momma.  Connect with Laura on Twitter: @semperfimomma.

Glee at Christmas

Glee: The Christmas Album

Ideal for ages: 13-18
Recommended by: Mom-Approved Tunes

If you watch the hit show Glee, then you are well aware that it definitely contains adult themes.  We here at Mom-Approved Tunes are total Gleeks, but we can definitely appreciate that the show itself is not appropriate for the younger crowd.

The Christmas album, however, is *mostly* appropriate for everyone.  You can judge for yourself — it’s definitely worth at least checking out.  Notable tracks: “Deck the Rooftop” (totally fun, with a squeaky-clean “Single Ladies” vibe), “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” (complete with narration), and “We Need a Little Christmas” (a snappy little number).

Use your own discretion in sharing it with younger children…though we have no problem doing so in our own homes.  For teenagers who might not otherwise appreciate holiday music, this CD might be just the thing to get them in the spirit.

Action Packed

Action Packed by Bobs & Lolo
Ideal for ages: 3-8
Recommended by: Mom-Approved Tunes

Female singing duos don’t get much more adorable than Bobs & LoLo.  This performing pair, hailing from Vancouver Island, specializes in songs for kids about caring for themselves, their neighbors, and the planet.

“Raindrop Pop” is the song that initially got us hooked on this album, and we quickly realized that the rest of the songs are just as fun.  Out of their three CDs (they have a DVD too), Action Packed is the most recent and definite favorite of ours.  But judge for yourself…there’s not a bad tune in the bunch.

This CD is heavy on social skills and friendship — themes that are appropriate for children of any age.  Check it out for yourself and tell us which songs hit a high note in your house!

Time to Sing Hello

Time To Sing Hello - Rachel Rambach
Ideal for ages: 4-10
Recommended by: Mom-Approved Tunes

A fitting title for our very first collection of mom-approved tunes, don’t you think?  Time to Sing Hello, by singer/songwriter Rachel Rambach (also a board-certified music therapist), is a 10-s0ng studio album that starts with hello, ends with goodbye, and contains a little bit of everything in between.

According to Rachel, each and every one of her songs is written with both the child and parent (or teacher, therapist, etc.) in mind. Upbeat rhythms and catchy lyrics are both hallmarks of her Listen & Learn collection.

Spend a few minutes checking out Time to Sing Hello.  We dare you not to come away singing “That Yellow Bus” over and over…and we mean that in the best way possible!