Spek-tacular Offer

Remember these guys?  And their delightful sing-along songs?  And this delightful review I posted a while back? And the fabulous giveaway?

Well, if you aren't already listening to, singing-along with, and dancing a jig to the musical talents of The Speks, you are seriously missing out ... and YOU'RE IN LUCK ... as the Irish might say!

I just received this message and generous offer from Quince, one of The Speks:

We had a great response from your Spek-tacular review and to show our appreciation to you and your readers we have created a Discount Code called DVH so that your readers and friends can download our album as an MP3 for 3 Euro (that’s about $4.50) which is the lowest price for our music anywhere in the whole wide world! DVH can be entered as a Discount Code at checkout in Our Shop on our website.

Just to clarify, The Speks are offering readers of ToddlerBrain the chance to purchase their entire CD - all 17 songs - for less than $5!  Just enter the code DVH at checkout.  How can you possibly pass up that offer?!  Original, enjoyable, educational music all the way from Ireland can be yours ... right now ... just click :)

This is how Quince signs his email messages to me ... and I love it ...

As always, sing along and sing loud!

Oh, we do.  We do!  In fact, if I can capture it on video, I will post my sweet toddler singing along to number 16, Homeward Bound ... a song about a horse with lyrcis that go faster and faster.  It is so darn cute!

Caspar Babypants ... In Concert & Camera

I think we're officially groupies.  Caspar Babypants groupies.  How awesome is that?!  Natalie and I - along with a group of our mommy and baby friends - and as many other fans as could squeeze into a local library - saw a live performance of Caspar Babypants.

The songs were fantastic, and I felt super cool because I knew the words to pretty much every song.  Which probably has something to do with the fact that we've been listening to Here I Am! in the car, on the iPod dock in N's room, on the laptop while making dinner, ... all the time!  NHV even sings along in the car, and her sweet little voice just about melts my mommy heart!  And Caspar previewed a few new tunes from the upcoming release of his second CD.  I liked what I heard - and plan to buy More Please! when it comes out November 17.

The energy from the three of them ... Babypants on guitar and lead vocals, Babyshirt on percussion and general silliness, and Babyshoes on keyboards ... was contagious!  The threesome hammed it up for the kiddos and didn't take themselves too seriously.  Parents and kiddos were having an absolute blast!  Natalie danced and stayed happy for most of the hour-long show.  We did take a snack break and shared a "binky cuddle," but overall it was just perfect! 

After the concert, I stormed the stage to introduce myself.  Seriously, I was the first person up there.  I was somewhat starstruck at the chance to meet Caspar (aka Chris Ballew) - hey, I don't get out much :)  Like a dork, I introduced myself as ToddlerBrain - since we've meet via my blog and subsequent emails.  I think he recognized me ... or at least had a vague memory of my blog name.  I then promptly handed him my precious two year old and started taking pictures.  How pushy is that?!  He didn't seem to mind too much, and the pics are priceless.  When we talked about our day, Natalie mentioned Caspar with much enthusiasm, and even said, "Him hold me.  Mommy take picture."

Can't wait for the next Caspar Babypants show ... that's not during naptime :)

the Speks Giveaway - Final Chance to Win!

Here's your 5th - proverbial - chance to win a copy

of this fantastic kids' music CD ...

If you haven't already read my review and listened to this Irish-inspired music,

it's only a click away.

May you always have walls for the winds,

a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire,

laughter to cheer you, those you love near you,

and all your heart might desire.

This is a popular Irish proverb/blessing. Your FINAL CHANCE TO WIN requires you to wax poetic ... or at least proverbial ... and rewrite this proverb addressed to your toddler. It can be funny, ridiculous, sincere, sweet, ... whatever. And there's no pressure, all efforts are considered an entry .. but I know some of you will undoubtedly impress :)

Because this one requires a little brain power, I am leaving the giveaway open until Sunday evening ... that's three days worth of proverb-writing potential :)

the Speks Giveaway - 4th Chance to Win!

Here's your 4th - wee little baby - chance to win a copy

of this fantastic kids' music CD ...

If you haven't already read my review and listened to this fantastic music,

it's only a click away.

Perhaps you've heard ... there's a wee one on the way, and she's going to need a better name than "wee one."

image from here

Here's your chance to give a little input on what we should name Baby Girl 2.0 ... IF we decide to go with an Irish origin ...

According to yeahbaby.com, these were the top 30 most popular Irish baby names for girls ... way back in 2003 (it's the best I could find).

Emma - Sarah - Aoife - Ciara - Katie - Sophie - Rachel - Chloe - Amy - Leah - Niamh - Caoimhe - Hannah - Ella - Lauren - Megan - Kate -Rebecca - Jessica - Emily - Laura - Anna - Grace - Ava - Ellen - Shauna - Roisin - Holly - Aisling - Lucy

To enter and possibly WIN the Speks GIVEAWAY (see details above), simple leave a comment with your Top Choice(s) from this list of girl names.

the Speks Giveaway - 3rd Chance to Win!

Here's your 3rd - very sweet - chance to win a copy

of this fantastic kids' music CD ...

If you haven't already read my review and listened to this fantastic music,

it's only a click away.

This one is simple and fun ... here's your chance to "taste the rainbow" ...

just leave a COMMENT telling me .... which flavor is your favorite?

Missed the 2nd Chance? Click here.

Spek-tacular

There once was a mom of a sweet little tot
Many a kid's music CD she has bought
When from across the sea
New tunes just for me
A love for Sing-Alongs I've certainly caught

I'm writing silly limericks. I am craving a big bowl of Lucky Charms! (And I don't think it's just some weird pregnancy craving!) I've met a troop of leprechauns Irishmen, and they are quite talented. I've danced a jig. I've laughed with my lassy. I've even spotted a rainbow or two ... and that pot of gold comes in the form of some really great kid-friendly music ... and this discovery wasn't made at my local library (as are most of my music-finds).

No, this CD found me from all the way across the sea - an island off Ireland to be more exact. I received a delightful email from a guy named Quince. He likened his music to "Riverdance for toddlers" and said his bandmates would be "like cows jumping over the moon with delight," if I would accept a copy of their debut CD! How could I possibly refuse an offer like that?

Sing-Along Songs from Glasses Island by the Speks

The CD is a collection of traditional songs - mainly nursery rhymes - with musical arrangement that is really unique and delightful. I am mesmerized, and a bit enamored, by the instrumentation - fiddle, banjo, flutes, and others I am sure I can't even name. The familiarity of the songs makes singing along, well, easy and fun for adults and kiddos. But it's the Irish flair that gets my toes tapping and my face smiling ... and occasionally a leprechaun accent used :) We've listened to these songs in the car and during dinner-making hour, a tough time of day for toddlers ... but I've found this music puts us both in a good mood!

the Speks - Online at http://www.thespeks.com/index.html

The band's website is very, very well-done ... and I am kind of hard to please in that department. The design is clean and simple. The content is high-quality. That's about the best combination I can hope for in a website! Obviously, there's a link to listen to their songs - for free - called Our Jukebox. But what I am most impressed by is the Teaching Notes section. Talk about an unexpected little pot of gold at the end of an already wonderful rainbow! Each song is linked to an explanation of the arrangement, activity suggestions, and the lyrics. And as I told Quince, "As a mommy and a teacher, I certainly appreciate entertainment that is also educational."

Hey, Hey Did Someone Say Giveaway?

The Speks were so generous and sent me two copies of their debut album - one for me and one for Natalie ... however, this seems like the perfect opportunity to give my toddler some practice with the concept of sharing, I've decided to SHARE GIVE her copy to one of you!

Here's your first of many chances to win, win, win ... Natalie's your very own copy of ...

Sing-Along Songs from Glasses Island by the Speks

Giveaway - 1st Chance: Go visit their website - http://www.thespeks.com/ - and get to know these guys a little better: watch a video, listen to a few songs, or read a few of the Teaching Notes. Come back here and leave a FIRST IMPRESSION COMMENT.

All of the other CHANCES (5 in all) ask you a simple - Irish-related - question.
Click to go to the other posts.

Giveaway - 2nd Chance

Giveaway - 3rd Chance
Giveaway - 4th Chance
Giveaway - 5th Chance

Giveaway ends Sunday, October 4th at midnight PST. If you leave a comment, please make sure I have a way of contacting you.

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Start with a limerick, end with a proverb, that's what I always say ...

“Your feet will bring you to where your heart is.”

We're Loving Casper Babypants

And I do mean ... We're! All three of us are enjoying this CD and singing along and shouting, "More. More. 'Gain," in true NHV-style :)

And I do mean ... loving! Like listening to all 22 tracks ... over and over again ... kind of love. While there are some I like better than others, there isn't a single track that I want to skip. Now that's saying something!

Again, I am a total sucker for a cute cover and a clever name ... Caspar Babypants? Check! And check! This disc is loaded with original songs and sprinkled with a few traditional ones, newly arranged - think Three Blind Mice with a rocking twist. I think what I like best is the sing-a-long-ability of these songs. The "hooks" are super catchy. The lyrics are creative but not weird. And the music itself is mostly acoustic guitar and keyboards and not overly complex.

Now, if you're into Indie Rock, you may be familiar with Chris Ballew, lead singer of The Presidents of the United States of America. He's the genius songwriter and voice behind Caspar Babypants. How cool is it that he's a rocker who's also a dad (some songs were written for his daughter) and sharing his talents in the toddler arena?

You really should take a few minutes to check out the Caspar Babypants Website to hear all 22 tracks off the CD.

Here's the track list with a few notes ...
01. small black ant

02. little broken truck - fun, fun sing-a-long

03. brown and lonely worm

04. free like a bird - V Family Favorite

05. baby bear - V Family Favorite

06. three blind mice

07. baby in a corn tree

08. heard a bird

09. babies little self - great song for teaching body parts

10. run away

11. the island hop - a bit of a "hula" feel & so much fun

12. under a rock

13. bug in the cuff

14. shortnin bread - reminds me of my childhood

15. let the s go - so clever; great play with letters of the alphabet

16. billy pringle

17. poor dust bunnies - this one makes me laugh out loud

18. freres jacques

19. bright bug - NHV's personal favorite

20. monkey river

21. calling from clouds

22. sleeping baby

Go jam to some Caspar Babypants and then hurry back here and tell me YOUR favorite :)

An Original Clean Up Song, Just For You

I got an email request from a good friend, known in blogland as Chitown Momma.

Do you know of a clean up song that is tolerable??? Not make me want to slit my wrists annoying...thanks!

I guessed she was referring to this little ditty ... a classic in its own right ...
Clean up, Clean up
Everybody, Everywhere
Clean up, Clean up
Everybody do your share

I replied ...
Hmmmm ... seems like we should put our creative genius together and write our own Clean up Song ... to the tune of a popular song we can tolerate. I'll get CPV's brain working on it, too ... he'll probably want to include the kazoo :)

And that's just what we did - hubby and I collaborated last night on a new Clean Up Song, Just for You (and Chitown Momma, of course).

We started with Clean Up sung to the tune of Michael Jackson's Beat It, but it just didn't come together.

I moved on to my hip-hop roots and gave It's Such a Mess in Here - to the tune of Nelly's It's Getting Hot in Here - a good long try ... but again, it just didn't click.

Still feeling a little hip-hop and a little old school, CPV threw out this version to the tune of Salt-n-Peppa's Let's Talk About Sex ...

Let's talk about this mess, Baby
Let's talk about you and me
Picking up all the books and the toys
That you can see
Let's talk a-bout this mess ...

While waiting in line at Mickey D's for a yummy 'nilla cone, the song You're the One That I Want from Grease was playing over the radio. Inspiration comes in strange places, and our new catchy, danceable Clean Up song was born ...

To the tune of "You're the One That I Want" (Grease)
You've got toys
They're multiplying
And Mommy's losing her mind
'Cuz the mess it keeps growing
It's so annoying

You better clean up
'Cuz you made this mess
And I really need your help
You better clean up
You better lend a hand
All these toys must go away

(so much left, so much left for us to do)

It's time to clean up
Please pick up all your toys
Oh, Oh, Ooh, ______________ (child's name)
It's time to clean up
Please pick up all your toys
Oh, Oh, Ooh, ______________ (child's name)

As you are doing your daily toy round-up, please feel free to sing this original Clean Up Song ... may it bring a little joy to a routine task!

Songs: Parts of the Body

Learning the parts of the body starts at a pretty early age. I remember marveling when NHV could point to her cute little nose or lift her shirt to find her belly button. I read somewhere that a two-year old may be able to point to about ten different body parts and perhaps name many of them.

Through the toddler years, it is important to continue to build upon that knowledge. Learning the Parts of the Body increases vocabulary as well as self-awareness. "As an infant moves into toddlerhood, he works on figuring out who he is in relation to the outside world, and his body is his point of reference."

With all that said, let's get to the SONGS!

So there are the basics:

• Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes - personally, I can't do another rendition of this song. I am so over it. But it is effective.

• If You're Happy and You Know It - definitely an old standard with tons of possibility. Go (way) beyond "Clap your hands" and "Stomp your feet" - you can customize this song in an endless number of ways: tap your knees, rub your tummy, touch your head, honk your nose, wiggle your fingers. And if you really want to shake things up, use an appropriate adjective other than "happy." For example, if you're hungry and you know it, rub your tummy ... you get the idea :)

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On the other end of the spectrum, here are some funky options from Sesame Street:
We have a few "old-school" Sesame Street DVDs; they were gifts from my SIL. One of them is called What Makes Music, and a scene includes a bunch of kids dancing around and singing, "The Body Dance." I was able to track it down on YouTube, but the quality is awful. Unfortunately, I can't find just an audio version. But I will tell you that Natalie loves this song. She dances all around and can even sing some of the lyrics. Finding this video on YouTube led me to another, so I included it, too. You are forewarned, they are a little funky fresh - very Fresh Prince back in the day!

• The Body Dance
• Get Up and Move Your Body
  

(Because of the poor quality, I didn't embed the videos; you'll need to click the links and head over to YouTube.)

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And finally, somewhere in the middle, these are songs that are sung and used in preschools. I did a lot of searching online, and these were the only two that I could really see myself using with my toddler.

• Song 1: Everybody Knows
• Everybody knows I love my toes
  Everybody knows I love my toes
  I love my nails, my knees
  My neck and my nose
  But everybody knows I love my toes!
• Everybody knows I love my eyes
  Everybody knows I love my thighs
  I love my legs, my lips
  My neck and my nose
  But everybody knows I love my toes!
• Everybody knows I love my feet
  Everybody knows I love my seat
  I love my skin, my chin
  My knees and my nose
  But everybody knows I love my toes!
• Everybody knows I love my toes
  Everybody knows I love my toes
  I love my nails, my knees
  My neck and my nose
  But everybody knows I love my toes!
  
  
• Song 2: Parts that Bend
  Sung to: "B-I-N-G-O"
• My arms have parts that bend and move
  Every time I use them.
  Shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand.
  Shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand.
  Shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand.
  And this is how I move them!
• My legs have parts that bend and move
  Every time I use them.
  Knee, ankle, heel and foot
  Knee, ankle, heel and foot
  Knee, ankle, heel and foot
  And this is how I move them!
• My trunk has parts that bend and move
  Every time I use them.
  Neck, back, waist and hips
  Neck, back, waist and hips
  Neck, back, waist and hips
  And this is how I move them!
• I'm made of parts that bend and move
  Every time I use them.
  Shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand..
  Knee, ankle, heel and foot.
  Neck, back, waist and hips
  And this is how I move them!

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Okay, your turn to share. What songs do you sing with your toddler to help teach and reinforce the Parts of the Body?

Music for the not-so-musically-inclined

Guest Blogger: Daddy of the Toddler ... we'll call him KazooDad, just for fun

Let's face it, some of us "got it" while others of us just don't. My wife and I fall into the latter category when it comes to music ... or at least our ability to create music. We'll listen to music all day long, but neither one of us can read a note or play an instrument. That's a fact that isn't going to change. But we do have a young daughter who demands "fresh" music on a daily basis. While my extraordinary whistling talents usually satisfy her appetite, I've recently discovered the magic of the kazoo.

Allow me to interject and say that dear hubby had been deprived of a kazoo all his life, which I find hard to believe ... until this past Father's Day, when I purchased a shiny, red one just for him. I had promised guitar lessons the year before, but that didn't pan out.

So before you run out to pay for those guitar lessons - that you know aren't going to pay off - let's run through the Advantages of the Kazoo:

• Quite possibly the easiest instrument to play; if you can hum, you can play the kazoo
• No tuning required; even if it is out of tune, you won't know it and your toddler won't mind
• Fits in a pocket for those spontaneous jam sessions
• If you don't like to sing, this is the perfect excuse
• Best dollar you ever spent; seriously, I got ours in the dollar section at Michael's

Here are a few fun kazoo options for you and your toddler:

• Get your wife (friends, neighbors) involved and have a classic sing-a-long. A good time is sure to be had by all.
• A personal favorite, and a game my toddler is learning quickly, Guess the Song. The other night, NHV even managed to name a few my wife couldn't figure out! From a teacher's point-of-view, this is an awesome auditory learning activity!
• Thinking ahead to future celebrations, the kazoo would be a great accompaniment for "Happy Birthday."
• For all you drool-loving musicians, let your toddler play. You may want to save this for the last song of the evening as your kazoo will probably need to dry out.
  

What are you waiting for? Go out and get a kazoo already.

And we'd love to hear about your kazoo tales.

Recess Monkey

What kind of name is Recess Monkey? I know, I know. I thought the same thing. But after hearing their music, I just don't really care. Their funky logo sealed the deal for me. And then Natalie and I watched them perform live ... hooked, totally and completely hooked ... pass me a freakin' banana already!

How c-u-t-e is this?

This Seattle-based band of three guys is sure to have you dancing and laughing and singing along. As elementary school teachers, it's beyond clear that these talented songwriters have some idea of what kids like. Their musical style has been compared to the Beatles and their lyrics are hilarious! Each song tells a story. Each song is something kids and parents can relate to.

With five albums to their credit, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a song you don’t like! Their latest CD is called Fieldtrip and features songs like Marshmallow Farm, Sack Lunch, and Knocktopus. You can listen to a bunch of their tunes here, and while you're there browse their website - it's entertaining.

If you live in the NW, it's worth noting that these three guys perform at a lot of local venues - from libraries to Bumbleshoot. They have an energy and enthusiasm and stage presence that will make you love their music even more.

This photo pretty much tells it all ...

Two Cheers for Two Flowers

I will be the first to admit it. I judge a book, or in this case a CD, by its cover. I am not going to apologize for this because I have found that my first impressions are usually not wrong. And just look at this CD cover!

I will also admit that I find most of my kids music either online or at the library ... mostly at the library. I check-out one "new" CD everytime we go, and I have had a lot of success with that practice.

Most recently, I found Danielle Sansone's Two Flowers, and I adore it! After reading about her here, I think I adore it even more. She's a mom of two ... and I will soon be a mom of two, too!

But seriously, her music speaks for itself. This disc is great for snuggling, mellowing, bedtiming, and I would suggest it (or gift it) to new moms with really little ones - it's that soothing.

Her style can only be described as eclectic (lucky for me because I love this word); every song offers a little something new, different. But I would classify her sound as somewhat bluegrass. The snippets available through her website are just not enough. You need to hear an entire song to really experience the sweetness of her lyrics, the complexities of the instruments, and the variety of her vocal tone. Sometimes she reminds me of Natalie Merchant, other times I swear I'm listening to Sarah McLaughlin or even Norah Jones. I could listen to this CD every day, and that's saying a lot for kiddie tunes!

Our favorites:

Track 5: Sleep So Sweetly

Track 7: Blanket

Track 8: The Sleepy Mile - Natalie also goes crazy for this one because it features Danielle's daughters. There's something about the singing voice of a little girl that Natalie really loves.

You can find a direct link to this CD in my sidebar.