An intrepid group of musicians known as CDZA has come up with a clever approach to teaching kids the ins and outs of classical music. While we're not sure that it'll actually work, their video explanation of the suggested method is awfully cute, and well worth a watch:
What do you think? Would you try to get your kids to learn the classics by utilizing the lyrics to their favorite pop songs?
Here's a post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we bring you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Joyce Slaton about tots and popular song lyrics.
Something strange has happened to the music on the radio lately: suddenly it doesn't suck. By which I mean my 7-year-old daughter and I like the same stuff. The dance-pop made by Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Adele, and their ilk appeal equally to middle-aged people and little kids, who both appreciate the thumping rhythms and catchy beats.
Related: 5 Reasons to Have a Baby After 40
The problem? The lyrics. They're not made for kids. And it's pretty icky to hear a little girl singing about how she wants to have a toast for the douchebags (Kanye West's "Runaway") or she wants to hear you scream all night (Usher's "Scream"). There are songs with lyrics vague/positive enough for everyone (I'm looking at you, Taio Cruz's "Dynamite"), but there are plenty of others with lyrics that make a parent cringe when they hear them coming out of a child's mouth. Such as:
There's nothing worse than dealing with an unruly tot during a long drive. Sometimes turning on the tunes is the only way to make things better. But finding the balance between easy listening and annoying singing can sometimes be a challenge. These cool albums deliver songs your kids will love — and they're sung by musicians Mama wants to listen to! From old-school favorites to new bands, this collection of kid discs will have the whole family singing along.
While most tots are mastering the art of eating with a fork and playing with blocks, some especially gifted kids are already singing, dancing, and painting their little hearts out. All parents think their lil ones are special, but some children have gifts that are truly remarkable. Thanks to the reach of the Internet, these pint-sized prodigies aren't just performing into a void, and some of them actually achieve the recognition and careers their talent deserves.
Keep reading for a collection of tiny singers, dancers, artists, athletes — even a mini preacher! — who are vying to be the next Bieber.
Kidz Bop celebrates its 10th birthday, and we are jamming too with Kidz Bop 20. I have to admit, this might be the best Kidz Bop yet, featuring songs from Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Pink, Taylor Swift, and Justin Bieber. The songs are encouraging, the musicians and singers sound awesome, and best of all, it's free of cuss words and inappropriate lyrics. That's something to praise!
The entire CD offers many catchy beats, so it's difficult to pick favorites. The first track starts strong with "Born this Way," and this censored version maintains the uplifting message while changing the lyrics to become more kid-friendly. I actually prefer Cee Lo Green's "Forget You" version to the original. Kidz Bop Kids pull it off. Their version is sassy, upbeat, and jukebox worthy. I put "The Lazy Song," "On the Floor," and "Tonight Tonight" on repeat, because the songs sound comparable to the originals.
If you are a parent who is looking for a kid-appropriate CD that you will also enjoy, definitely pick up a copy of Kidz Bop 20. It's so surprisingly good that you'll be singing right along with your kids.
Kidz Bop has recorded everything from Christmas carols to the biggest hits of today, but can it pull off rock ballads? If your kid aspires to be a rock star one day, these kid-friendly versions of rock hits will introduce him to classics like Peter Frampton's "Wind of Change" and Cheap Trick's "The Flame."
As it turns out, Kidz Bop Sings Monster Ballads ($10) is a winner. The songs are catchy, the guitar riffs are well executed, and the kid singers are fairly talented. The highlight of the CD is "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," which features Bret Michaels of Poison on guitar with the vocal accompaniment of his daughters Raine and Jorja. So pop Kidz Bop in, educate your lil ones on rock ballads, and enjoy the kiddie classics too.
I don't usually have children's music on my radar, seeing as how I don't have kids. But with LilSugar launching this week, I just had to share my recent discovery of a kids' CD that's so awesome, I might buy it and stash it away until I've got little ones of my own.
Released by the cutting-edge Nettwerk Records label, For the Kids III is the third in a series of compilation CDs featuring indie-rock bands singing songs for their tiniest fans. Of Montreal turns its psychedelic pop into cuteness, O.A.R. covers "The Itsy Bitsy Spider," and Over the Rhine does a hilarious little ditty called "The Poopsmith Song," which you can listen to here.
It sure as hell beats Barney, and I could definitely see picking some of these up for my friends with kids. How about you? If you have kids, would you buy them kiddie indie-rock?
