Kids Learn A Song

Little ones can learn a lot more songs than some grown-ups might guess; they just need the same kind of musical motivation as adults — the classic combo of a catchy tune and a singer making magic happen. There’s a little boy’s heart beating at the center of lots of Cat Stevens songs, but the troubadour sends out encouragement to kids everywhere on “If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out.” Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” brought the world a “don’t worry, be happy” message long before Bobby McFerrin, and the cheery, chirpy feel of the reggae ruler’s tune makes for an ideal sing-along. And “The Rainbow Connection” may have started out as Kermit the Frog’s signature song, but Sarah McLachlan shows you don’t have to live on a lily pad to sing it.

Alt-rockers and jazz giants kick into some kids’ music, in Next Steps.

Some of the greatest artists from rock, jazz, folk, and beyond have cut tracks tailored to tickling the ears of wee ones. Quirk-rock kings They Might Be Giants have made a second career of kids’ music, and when they ponder the question “Where Do They Make Balloons?” over high-flying, Beach Boys-like backing, you’ll understand why. Being the greatest innovator in American music didn’t keep Louis Armstrong from dipping into the Disney songbook, and coming up with a swingin’ strut through “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah.” And just in case the kids bring some musical mutts into the mix, songstress Jane Siberry has a sentimental song for hounds to howl along with “Everything Reminds Me of My Dog.”

In Deep Cuts, folkies fly to the moon and monkeys swing from more than just the trees.

If you’re aiming to get kids involved in music, sometimes the best way is to sing straight to them. Nineties alt-folk “it girl” Lisa Loeb joins Elizabeth Mitchell to invite young listeners along for a lunar excursion, when the duo croons “Catch the Moon.” Fleet-fingered folkie John McCutcheon tosses a Celtic tinge into his tune about the big futures of little tykes, asking “Whatchagonnabe?” And while swing king Louis Prima played a monkey singing to a bear in Disney flick The Jungle Book’s “I Wan’na Be Like You (The Monkey Song),” the jazzy, jumpin’ track still feeds kids’ fascination with the funny ways of grown-ups.

Getting a song to stick in the memories of moppets isn’t rocket science — kids love to let their lungs loose and holler, howl, or whatever else their little pipes can muster. All you have to do to get them going is send the right songs in the direction of their eardrums. Easy enough, right? You bet, especially since we’ve handpicked a perfect batch of musical companions for children to chime in with. Some seem like no-brainers — pretty much anything from Dan Zanes, the Raffi of rockers, is sure to get the kids crowing, but we’ve tapped some surprising sources too. Along the way, everybody from Bruce Springsteen to Joni Mitchell joins in the fun, with kid-friendly cuts that will have the whole mishpucha singing along with all their might.