# Toddler music and stories? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 19, 2010, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddler-music-and-stories/533068 "2010-03-19T22:03:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2010, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddler-music-and-stories/533068/1 "2010-03-19T22:03:46Z")
So, we bought the SweetPea mp3 player for our toddler, and we’re very pleased with it (thank you for the Doper recommendation!), and now we’re looking for good music and stories to put on it. Things that won’t drive us insane. I’m going to look up a bunch of Sandra Boyton, because we love her, and I’ve ordered the They Might Be Giants science album. What else should I be looking for? What did your family/kids like? Nursery, stories, classical, kids’ songs? ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2010, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddler-music-and-stories/533068/2 "2010-03-19T22:56:15Z")
I can tell you some stuff you don’t want your kid to hear if only because there are going to serious problems if Junior goes to his pre school singing “Beat The Brat” or “Now I Want To Sniff Some Glue.” My parents would play folk music when we were kids–generally Pete Seeger or The Kingston Trio. Of course my parents were surprised 15 years later when we put posters of Sid Vicious all over the walls, so you have been warned. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2010, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddler-music-and-stories/533068/3 "2010-03-19T22:59:37Z")
Well, I was going to recommend TMBG, but I see you already mentioned them in the OP. In addition to the science album, you should get “Here Come the ABCs” and “Here Come the 123s” and “No!” They are all quality material, and I can listen to them over and over again without getting tired of them. Then again, I am a huge TMBG fan. But still. ---
**Author:** ![One\_Swell\_FlooP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c5a1d2/32.png) [@One\_Swell\_FlooP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_Swell_FlooP)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2010, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddler-music-and-stories/533068/4 "2010-03-19T23:37:01Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Well, I was going to recommend TMBG, but I see you already mentioned them in the OP. In addition to the science album, you should get “Here Come the ABCs” and “Here Come the 123s” and “No!” They are all quality material, and I can listen to them over and over again without getting tired of them. Then again, I am a huge TMBG fan. But still. I am a first time father of a 10-month old boy, and I’m a musician and a TMBG fan. These four albums are his main musical diet. His favorite album is Here Comes Science, and his favorite song is “I am a Paleontologist”. He can’t talk yet, so he climbs on my leg as a way of asking to be picked up and “danced” to the music whenever he hears these songs. I have also had success with very early Beatles (A Hard Day’s Night album works for him), the soundtrack from A Mighty Wind (selected songs mostly), and I recently discovered that he likes the B52s Cosmic Thing album. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddler-music-and-stories/533068/5 "2010-03-19T23:54:42Z")
Our kid can name all the Doctor’s companions, and draws TARDISES. And has listened to VNV Nation and Stromkern and Rammstein. He also likes classical guitar. We’re trying to broaden his musical taste into actual _kids_ stuff, and maybe occasional non-Who science fiction. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddler-music-and-stories/533068/6 "2010-03-20T00:38:19Z")
Barenaked Ladies - Snacktime is quite delightful. ---
**Author:** ![jormundgondir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@jormundgondir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jormundgondir)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddler-music-and-stories/533068/7 "2010-03-20T01:34:33Z")
We even picked up videos of the TMBG music from youtube and compiled those on dvds; also look for a great album called “Colours are Brighter” which is delightful-- music by (mostly English) modern bands designed for kids. For a taster, look up “Go Go Ninja Dinosaur,” “I am an Astronaut,” and “Today the Monkeys are Breaking out the Zoo” (the last by Belle and Sebastian.) GREAT kid’s album! And also “Little White Duck” by Burle Ives. ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddler-music-and-stories/533068/8 "2010-03-20T03:08:37Z")
yep- my nephew’s favorite TMBG song is Triops Has Three Eyes. He also likes Flying V and Number 2. Renee & Jeremy - [here](http://reneeandjeremy.com/) is good- it’s mellow lullaby-esque music that’s in no way tinkly or annoying. Eric Herman- [his youtube](http://www.youtube.com/user/EricHermanMusic). These are silly and fun and funny. definitely kid songs, but they’re charming. I love them. And these ARE possibly annoying, but my nephew loves them anyway- apparently this goofy childish techno thing is big in France right now. Youtube links- [Le Papa Pingouin (Papa Penguin)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkB8RqxDloU) - [La Fête des Lapins (the rabbit party)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbxjJKnhF3g), Un Monde Parfait doesn’t seem to be on youtube anymore in its entirety, but it’s another good one. You can probably get an idea of what I’m talking about by those two. If you like them, Ilona Mitrecey and Lapin Calin would be the people to look up. Also Peter and the Wolf and Raffi. My nephew is two and a half, btw. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddler-music-and-stories/533068/9 "2010-03-20T03:54:02Z")
I use “The Edison Museum” as a bedtime song for Whatsit Jr. all the time. Incidentally, we saw TMBG in concert last weekend. It was one of their family concerts, so we took all of the kids. There were confetti cannons and giant foam hands. Who wants to touch me? ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddler-music-and-stories/533068/10 "2010-03-20T05:49:28Z")
There are hundreds of records from the 40s and 50s at this site: [http://www.kiddierecords.com](http://www.kiddierecords.com) Lots of them are good. Here are some I like and remember from my own childhood. “Madeline” and 3 other Ludwig Bemelmans stories with classical music as background [http://www.kiddierecords.com/archive/week\_26.htm](http://www.kiddierecords.com/archive/week_26.htm) 2 Winnie the Pooh stories narrated by Jimmy Stewart [http://www.kiddierecords.com/2009/archive/week\_13.htm](http://www.kiddierecords.com/2009/archive/week_13.htm) Little Orley stories (Narrated by Uncle Lumpy aka Mr. Greenjeans) [http://www.kiddierecords.com/2006/archive/week\_34.htm](http://www.kiddierecords.com/2006/archive/week_34.htm) [http://www.kiddierecords.com/2009/archive/week\_49.htm](http://www.kiddierecords.com/2009/archive/week_49.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddler-music-and-stories/533068/11 "2010-03-20T08:34:23Z")
Seconding [Snacktime](http://www.amazon.com/Snack-Time-Barenaked-Ladies/dp/B0015YGUR2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1269073882&sr=1-1) by the Barenaked Ladies. [Pollywog in a Bog](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIkqEF2Mvc8) [YouTube link], from that album, is just brilliant. [Catch the Moon](http://www.amazon.com/Catch-Moon-Lisa-Loeb/dp/B000L22WZ8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1269073636&sr=1-1) by Lisa Loeb and Elizabeth Mitchell is also pretty cool, as is the latter’s [You Are My Sunshine.](http://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Sunshine-Elizabeth-Mitchell/dp/B00007LB2W/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1269073636&sr=1-4) [Country Goes Raffi](http://www.amazon.com/Country-Goes-Raffi-Various-Artists/dp/B00005PJBY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1269073469&sr=1-1) is quite good, too, and probably wouldn’t drive you insane.