Becky's Top Music Tips

Make travel time more enjoyable with these great tips from Becky at
Magellan's Toy Shop, our Multilingual Living expert

Now that summer is here, many of us will be spending more time in the car, plane, train – traveling to visit friends and family or just driving to the beach, zoo, or anywhere else to prevent the kids from driving us crazy. Fortunately, this time doesn’t have to be wasted.

There are a number of great CDs out there to introduce kids to different genres and continue to reinforce the idea of communicating through language and music. These are some of my favorites from MagellansToyShop.com. Stop by and have a listen or look for them at other specialty toy and music stores.

Because summer should be a time to take it easy I’ve included some calming, gentle music. And because we all have children, there are some more lively selections as well.

Lirica Infantil vol. #5 – Letras, Números y Colores
by José-Luis Orozco

José-Luis Orozco is a well-known educator, author, and recording artist who shares the heritage and culture of Latin America through his books and music. This CD is just one example of the many exceptional recordings to his credit. Orozco’s music is fun and upbeat, teaching basic concepts such as the colors, days of the week, and vowels while keeping listeners entertained. Many of the songs are in both Spanish and English – great for speakers of one language to learn the second.

Chinese Lullabies
by the Beijing Angelic Choir

This CD appeals to me for a number of different reasons. First of all, the music is absolutely gorgeous. Ethereal and relaxing, this is perfect for putting little ones to sleep while also immersing them in language. The songs are from different provinces of China and, therefore, are in a number of dialects, so this is not a teaching CD. With that said, it is one that should not be missed.

Oyasumi: Japanese Lullabies and Restful Melodies
by Aiko Shimada & Elizabeth Falconer

This winner of the Parents’ Choice Gold Award is another that should not be missed by parents of little ones. Aiko Shimada is a Seattle-based artist and her Japanese and English vocals combine with Elizabeth Falconer’s koto music create what Parents’ Choice called an “exquisite album . . . [that] can carry listeners of any age to a place of quiet and enfolding peace.”

Ça fait rire les enfants
by Josée Vachon

I was really excited when I found this CD from Josée Vachon. She mixes French, Canadian, and American traditional music with her own original songs to create a great collection of work for children. The music is definitely for kids, but it will entertain parents as well. Les non non blues is one of my favorite tracks. This disc will be getting a lot of playtime in my car this summer!

World Party! Songs from All Over the World Chosen Just for You

When it’s time to get yours kids up and moving, this is the music you need to turn on. There’s rumba, salsa, meringue, and so much more. And you’ll hear all kinds of instruments from the harp to the didgeridoo. The liner notes include a small paragraph on each song with information about the instruments, the songs’ origins, and their meanings. This disc is so much fun, you will enjoy it as much as your kids.

National Geographic - Around the World Lullabies:
Dream Songs from Around the World

You know you are going to get high quality when it comes with the name National Geographic. There is over one hour of music with 37 traditional and nontraditional lullabies from every corner of the globe – England to Iran, Argentina to Japan. Also included is a foldout with a full color map and stories behind each lullaby as well as proverbs, quotations, and some interesting facts about sleep and dreaming. It’s a very relaxing, intriguing, and exotic collection.

WHO IS BECKY? Becky Dolan is the mother of two and has degrees in early childhood and elementary education. She has combined her life-long loves of children, language, and learning to create Magellan’s Toy Shop – an online specialty store that features Learning and Fun from Around the World.

What are your recommendations for music that would appeal to our multilingual, multicultural community? If you have ideas to share about music, toys, books, or something else, I would love to hear about it. Send me a note at becky@biculturalfamily.org, and I can pass it on.

I hope that this summer you and your children share lots of wonderful adventures full of learning and fun.

Bon voyage!

Becky Dolan
www.MagellansToyShop.com

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