# What are some good toddler tunes albums? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 12, 2009, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-toddler-tunes-albums/509836 "2009-09-12T18:05:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-toddler-tunes-albums/509836/21 "2009-09-14T17:16:17Z")
> [@ianjohnson](#): > > Sandra Boynton’s albums are great. Philadelphia Chickens, Rhinoceros Tap and Dog Train and Blue Moo. Dog Train and Blue Moo have songs by a number of prominent artists. You can check out samples on Amazon. Another vote for Boynton. She’s got some great ones. Her music is also useful for weaning over-eager toddlers off of grown-up pirate shanties. You know how kids always pick up exactly what you’d prefer they didn’t? We went to the Renaissance Festival a few months ago and, in part thanks to Sandra Boynton’s music, we’ve finally gotten him to stop singing a song that he heard there, part of which goes, “I wound up with me trousers down and smelling like a fish! Give me two shots of whiskey and a half pint of rum!! A whole yard of beer and, just to have some fun, some of me pappy’s corn liquor…” That’s what I get for walking by the pirates, I guess. Also, if you can stand to listen to enough of the Wiggles, you sometimes find some gems, too. My son’s still hooked on Captain Feathersword (has a bit of a pirate fetish). Though getting to the good stuff might force you to listen to songs where you’re convinced you’re high. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-toddler-tunes-albums/509836/22 "2009-09-15T02:46:09Z")
> [@overlyverbose](#): > > Another vote for Boynton. She’s got some great ones. Her music is also useful for weaning over-eager toddlers off of grown-up pirate shanties. > > You know how kids always pick up exactly what you’d prefer they didn’t? We went to the Renaissance Festival a few months ago and, in part thanks to Sandra Boynton’s music, we’ve finally gotten him to stop singing a song that he heard there, part of which goes, “I wound up with me trousers down and smelling like a fish! Give me two shots of whiskey and a half pint of rum!! A whole yard of beer and, just to have some fun, some of me pappy’s corn liquor…” That’s what I get for walking by the pirates, I guess. … Well that’s what they get for not going to [freecreditreport.com](http://freecreditreport.com) ---
**Author:** ![Wednesday\_Evening](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b2d939/32.png) [@Wednesday\_Evening](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wednesday_Evening)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-toddler-tunes-albums/509836/23 "2009-09-15T04:10:38Z")
I second TMBG, Laurie Berkener and Sandra Boynton. But the most underrated children’s CD is [Songs from the Old School by Ivan Ulz](http://www.amazon.com/Songs-Old-School-Ivan-Ulz/dp/B000CA7V6O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1252983330&sr=8-2). Great mix of original songs and classic kid songs. His signature song, “Fire Truck,” is one of the greatest kids songs of all time, IMHO. It was turned into a book on CD ([here it is on Youtube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emv-Yn6g1r4)). The original is faster and has much more energy, but you can get the idea. He lives in NYC now but he lived here for a while so he comes back every year to do free concerts for the local kiddos. The toddler and preschool set goes wild for him. ---
**Author:** ![Rainbowthief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4bbf92/32.png) [@Rainbowthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rainbowthief)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-toddler-tunes-albums/509836/24 "2009-09-15T06:12:48Z")
It doesn’t get any better than Dan Zanes. I think [Night Time](http://www.amazon.com/Night-Time-Dan-Zanes/dp/B00006JYBG) is his best album. My three year old son loves it. Right now, though, his world revolves around Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana. ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Mood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@Blue\_Mood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blue_Mood)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-toddler-tunes-albums/509836/25 "2009-09-15T08:59:43Z")
For traditional songs I would highly recommend [Wee Sing](http://www.weesing.com/booksAudio.cfm). We have Wee Sing in the Car, Wee Sing Dinosaurs, Wee Sing Around the World, and Wee Sing America. There are no tricks or gimmicks to these - just song with simple orchestrations sung mostly by children. My kids love them. ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-toddler-tunes-albums/509836/26 "2009-09-15T09:19:45Z")
[Trout Fishing in America](http://www.troutmusic.com/) and [Billy Jonas](http://www.billyjonas.com/index.php?page=home) have a bunch of kid-oriented songs. You can listen to some of them free on their websites. ---
**Author:** ![Chinook1956](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Chinook1956](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chinook1956)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-toddler-tunes-albums/509836/27 "2009-09-15T12:21:37Z")
Anne Murray’s “There’s a Hippo in My Tub” (available at Amazon) is a wonderful album. My kids listened to it endlessly in the early 80s and I’m planning on picking it up for my granddaughter. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-toddler-tunes-albums/509836/28 "2009-09-15T13:04:42Z")
The are only a local group (DC area) but [Rocknoceros](http://www.rocknoceros.com/) does some interesting stuff for kids. They also perform as a rock bank under the name [Brain Fang](http://brainfang.com/home.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-toddler-tunes-albums/509836/29 "2009-09-15T15:18:10Z")
Harry Connick Jr. has a fun album called Songs I Heard. It has lots of stuff from Wizard of Oz, Willy Wonka, The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins, and it’s fun to listen to and sing along. Maybe a little more advanced than what you’re looking for, but it’s fun in the car. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-toddler-tunes-albums/509836/30 "2009-09-15T16:30:40Z")
Oh, I can’t believe I forgot!!! Buckwheat Zydeco’s \*\*Choo Choo Boogaloo \*\*is amazing! I listen to it frequently just because. Check out the blues version of “Skip to my Lou.” ---
**Author:** ![Jettboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@Jettboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jettboy)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-toddler-tunes-albums/509836/31 "2009-09-15T16:58:34Z")
_“Family Time”_ by Ziggy Marley is great. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-toddler-tunes-albums/509836/32 "2009-09-17T15:57:06Z")
Not quite what you’re looking for (traditional toddler tunes) but Kenny Loggins recorded two albums with a lot of sweet stuff that’s suitable for lullaby time. Return to Pooh Corner and More Songs from Pooh Corner are the two we have. Admittedly a fair bit of it is from movies (e.g. Rainbow Connection, You’ll Be In My Heart) but if you don’t mind that, it’s a nice pair of albums. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-toddler-tunes-albums/509836/33 "2009-09-17T21:54:23Z")
Get a copy of [New York Ska Jazz Ensemble’s Get This](http://www.amazon.com/Get-This-N-Y-Jazz-Ensemble/dp/B000024BKX/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1253223839&sr=1-12)and play Moby Dick. The kid will love it. The entire album is excellent so your money will be well spent. ---
**Author:** ![Jelly\_Roll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Jelly\_Roll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jelly_Roll)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-toddler-tunes-albums/509836/34 "2009-09-18T15:01:11Z")
Not exactly traditional toddler tunes either, but at our house we can’t get enough of African Playground in the Putumayo Kids series. We have a couple of their other CDs, but we all like this one the best. It is very upbeat and my 15 month old loves dancing to it. Also, the CDs come with a booklet that gives a lot of information about the various countries represented in the songs, and about the artists performing the songs. Also, I could be totally off base, but I think when I was a kid, Disney put out albums with the traditional songs. I don’t know if they do anymore or not. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2009, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-toddler-tunes-albums/509836/35 "2009-09-18T15:34:11Z")
Oooh - I just remembered some tapes we had when the kids were young, by Nancy Cassidy. They were Klutz books - came with the tape attached to the book. There’s a 2-CD compilation available now: > **[Nancy Cassidy's Kids Songs singalong songbook: Cassidy, Nancy: 9781570548581:...](https://www.amazon.com/Nancy-Cassidys-Songs-singalong-songbook/dp/1570548587)** > > Nancy Cassidy's Kids Songs singalong songbook \[Cassidy, Nancy\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Nancy Cassidy's Kids Songs singalong songbook Lots of traditional stuff, including Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, as well as some lesser-known stuff. I _highly_ recommend this one. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2009, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-toddler-tunes-albums/509836/36 "2009-09-18T15:38:44Z")
Since Free To Be You and Me and Ralph’s World were both suggested, I’ll pick [The Boogers](http://www.meet-the-boogers.com/). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-toddler-tunes-albums/509836.md?page=1)