Music for toddlers and parents?

My kids are in college now but one of the great joys of raising them was watching them respond to music -- not that I was trying to teach them anything -- they just liked what they heard.

Start by watching Disney's Fantasia on DVD.

Just sticking to classical, pick music that's dramatic, colorful, rhythmic--so much to choose--where to begin?

Tchaikovsky, Suites from Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Nutcracker

Prokofiev, Peter and the Wolf

Offenbach, Gaite parisienne (with "Can-Can" music)

Bach, Brandenburg Concertos

Saint-Saens, Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah

Dukas, Sorcerer's Apprentice

Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition

Chabrier, Joyeuse March, and Espana

Bizet, Jeux d'Enfants; Suite from Carmen; L'Arlessienne Suites

Ravel, Mother Goose

Dvorak, Slavonic Dances; Carnival Overture

Mozart, Piano Concerto # 21; Rondo Alla Turca

That's just scratching the surface.

When she's a little older, watch Ingmar Bergman's Magic Flute.

If you go to Amazon and search "Classical music for children" you'll find lots of anthologies.

The many and various "Adagio" and "Relax" classical anthologies make nice going-to-bed music.

And in a couple of years, she might like the story-music CDs in the "Classical Kids" series (e.g., Beethoven Lives Upstairs; Mr. Bach Comes to Call).

And why not play both Mahler and ZZ Top? If your child likes it--or doesn't--you'll know!

Check out Bruce Haack's work. I find it very interesting for children's music.

Arthur

The Jack Johnson soundtrack from "Curious George" is good for both parent and child. I don't have the CD, but I did enjoy the movie with my young son. Here's one of the reviews off of Amazon:

I'm a 46 year old music junkie with a 2-year-old daughter. So when I find an album that passes muster as kiddie fare but I can groove to it as well, that's gold. And if that's your criterion, this is one of the records of the year.

Laid back Hawaiian surf bum Jack Johnson's easy breezy whimsy goes just right with the George oeuvre. Happy strumming, never in any hurry, and with cheery little stories and lessons embedded into the lyric, which you don't even have to pay attention to. Playful words, playful music. The kind of record I love, and that I want my little girl to love-- which she does.

If you're in the same boat as me-- looking for happening tunes for daddies and babies alike-- also check out Dan Zanes and Friends, Catch That Train!

According to that reviewer, the Dan Zane album might be a good one too. I've enjoyed Zane when I've seen him on PBS Kids...

Enjoy,

TIC

My experience may seem heretical here. I played mostly oldies when my kids were growing up. Now they really like Sinatra, Elvis, the Fifties and the Eighties. They do listen to the latest and the "greatest" now and then but they have a healthy respect for the quality of past popular music. They did get some exposure to classical from movies and they did play in the school orchestra but nobody in either side of the family was interested in it. They also grew up witn Christian praise and worship music.
Play fun music so they can appreciate it in general.

One word of warning- the Night on Bald Mountain and Sorcerer's Apprentice segments on Fantasia scared the !@@##$% out of my 3 y.o. 16 years later, he still won't watch Fantasia.