Best Kids Music
Music for kids is so good now - way beyond Raffi (though he's pretty great too).
Here are a few of our favorite local bands with kid-friendly tunes that rock for all ages. See our list of upcoming kid-friendly concerts to catch them in person.
Rock out to our playlist and see our podcast & audio books guide for more listening pleasure.
The Laurie Berkner Band
Catchy tunes and clever lyrics from the queen of kindie rock compel all ages to stomp like dinosaurs and brush their teeth like goldfish. Other favorite danceable tunes from her 20+ year career include Victor Vito and I'm Gonna Catch You and so many more.
GUSTAFER YELLOWGOLD
Meet a friendly creature who came to Earth from the sun and is living out an explorer’s life in a slightly psychedelic version of the Minnesota woods. Meet bizarre characters from a snake who loves socks and a monster cake with hand-drawn animations and a rocking sound.
Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats
Upbeat ukulele ditties by this Grammy-award winner evoke the jazz age with swinging beats (but with uplifting, kid-friendly lyrics). Sing/scat along and smile to Fantastic or make a bilingual salad with La Cosecha.
They Might Be Giants
The quirky band that taught the 90s that Istanbul once was Constantinople also made fantastic, educational kids albums about science, letters and numbers (plus the catch Mickey Mouse clubhouse soundtrack. Lean more geography in the Alphabet of Nations, rock out to I Am a Paleontologist or set goals to I Never Go to Work.
Tim Kubart
The retro pop songs of this cutie Grammy winner celebrate everyday moments like family breakfasts and backyard swinging - perfect for latin-tinged Dancing in the Kitchen.
Annie & The Natural Wonder Band
These creators of catchy interactive songs about the wonders of nature (whim we first discovered at the Bronx Zoo) have been around so long that a track on their beloved On Safari album instructs listeners to turn the tape to side 2. But their tunes are timeless, fact-filled and encourage moving like like hip hippopotamus, county frogs and bitter butterflies.
ONLINE MUSIC
Carnegie Hall Music Explorers
Learn about musical culture and tradition around the world – African-American Freedom Songs, South African Zulu songs and many more – with lessons plans, music and video featuring global artists. The well-designed site features a world map to explore. Also Learn about symphony orchestras in an animated adventure in Carnegie Hall Listening Adventures.
Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz Academy
Watch curated educated videos on the from Jazz at Lincoln Center’s educational programs and learn about it’s roots in African-American traditions and communities. WeBop instructors demonstrate fun activities to get families swinging and singing, members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra share performance secrets, and Middle School Jazz Academy instructors break down jazz techniques.…
Lincoln Center At Home
Watch short #concertsforkids recorded (at home) by world-class artists including musician Etienne Charles celebrating a cross-section of cultures from the African Diaspora, Soul Science Kids weaving soul, funk, hip-hop and educational themes and many more diverse voices.
Learn puppetry, dance, songwriting and other art forms with simple materials found at home with Lincoln Center Pop-up…
Chamber Music Society
Engage with the vast CMS archive of concerts and lectures including the Meet the Music family programs, short videos with the wacky Inspector Pulse and Digging Downbeats with Wolfgang Amadeus Schmutzinberry (who has his own web series). Weekly themed classical music playlists include fun assignments and activities.
Kennedy Center Education
Explore music, dance, theater, opera, visual and media arts through informative and engaging Kennedy Center Education interactive lessons with music videos. Learn about African-American History, US President’s Favorite Music, all sorts of dance, popular American songs and more.
Designed for grades K-12.
Classical Kids
Explore classical music with dramatic stories based around works by Mozart, Beethoven, Vivaldi and other great composers. My kids especially love Mozart’s Magic Fantasy: A Journey Through ‘The Magic Flute’ about a girl and a dragon’s journey through the Queen of the Night’s realm to Sarastro’s castle featuring dialogue mixed in…
Ear Snacks
Kindie musicians Andrew & Polly and their friends consider music, science, art and culture in a fun-filled family-friendly podcast enjoyable for kids and grown-ups. Developmentally appropriate & absurdist but never untrue.
Noodle Loaf
Explore music in an interactive podcast and video series born from the brain of a music education teacher and his goofball kids. Each approx. 10 minute episode features inventive sing-alongs and activities. Geared for kids 3-9 years old but all ages get into it.