Natalie Merchant — Leave Your Sleep
I discovered Natalie Merchant’s new album, Leave Your Sleep, on the Small Magazine blog recently and ordered it immediately. I’ve always been a fan of Natalie Merchant, but when I heard that the lyrics on her new album were interpreted from 19th and 20th century poems and nursery rhymes, I was sucked in.
This new album is a celebration of childhood and motherhood influenced by her relationship with her own daughter and her desire to share the power of poetry and speech with her. It brings to life the old nursery rhymes and their traditional stories in such a beautiful, wonderful way.
It’s currently playing (on repeat) on my stereo — I love it. But if you need further convincing, you can hear snippets of each song on her website.
-Courtney
Peekaboo Barn
My Iphone is my saviour — whenever I need a 5-minute distraction for my kids (think restaurant, meeting, waiting room) I hand them the device and they entertain themselves without interruption! Even my 3-year-old knows how to unlock the phone and start up his favourite applications in a time frame of about 2 seconds (can you believe we struggled with the computer 10 years ago?).
One of his favourite apps is Peekaboo Barn (and Peekaboo Jungle) which I’ve written about before. There are now 3 new animals to add for free via an update on the Itunes store, but if you still have to get the whole app all together, you can quickly email peekaboo@nightanddaystudios.com, mention the country you live in and that you’re a Babyccino Kids reader, and the first 20 readers to email will get a code for a free download.
xxx Esther
Sorry, the threshold of 20 has been reached!
They Might be Geniuses
Do you remember the band “They Might be Giants”? The quirky two-man band who turned out some of the most creative and wacked-out music in the ’80s and ’90s? Well they have recently channeled their intellectual energies into making kid’s music and I must say, they have churned out some of the most engaging music I have heard in a long time. Right now they have three CD/DVDs out and I am working my way through the set. So far we are obsessed with Here Comes Science
Here Comes Science is available from the Babyccino Kids Bookshop (US and UK).
-Dina
Kiki’s delivery service
We have a pretty regular Friday Film Night at our house. My youngest girl is almost two and gets completely enthralled by a movie, not moving an inch until the end titles roll. I am a movie addict so I am pretty excited that my kids have inherited my movie genes. So on a Friday night, we make popcorn, get into our pyjamas, bring out the blankets and the cushions and snuggle down…
One of our favourites is Kiki’s Delivery Service by Hayao Myasaki — for me one of the most enchanting animated movies ever made. It is really hard to explain the story to do this film justice: a little witch goes out and makes it on her own, meeting lots of friends on the way. It sounds banal, but the story is wonderfully told. It is a nice step away from the fast moving, action based animation that has become the norm for kids.
If you enjoy Kiki, do also check out “My Neighbour Totoro” which I wrote about a while back…
- Emilie
Balzac Cinema
My kids love going to the cinema. The crowd, the sounds, the visual experience — a promise to go to the cinema makes them get so excited they have difficulty sleeping the night before!
Luckily enough, here in Paris, the children’s cinema scene is huge, between the Forum des Images and several yearly children’s film festivals. Cinema is so much a part of the culture over here that the city organises screenings for school classes at least once a semester.
A great cinema event here on a Sunday is the monthly ‘Pochette Surprise’ event at the Balzac, an art house cinema off the Champs Elysees. On show are a series of short classic films, some of them over 100 years old, mixed in with some classic Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy and some old-school Tex Avery animation shorts. Every short is silent and the whole programme is accompanied by a musician, so even if you are completely anglophone, you will not miss out on anything… and to make it even better everyone gets a tub of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream!
- Emilie
Relax(ed) Kids
My daughter really loves audio books — she curls up on the floor in front of the speaker behind the couch and patiently listens to the story. So cute, and much more calming than television.
I strongly believe that reading a book (or listening to an audio book) enhances creativity and imagination more than watching television. In fact, even though we do have a television for watching the occasional DVD, we don’t have a cable connection in the house and I’m pretty sure we don’t miss much.
In an effort to bring more peace and calm to our household after dinnertime, I’m currently testing out a fairytales relaxation CD from Relax Kids. (My son especially needs to unwind; last night we caught him making a complex puzzle in his room 45 minutes after we put him to bed!)
The CDs from Relax Kids are meant to help children relax with the aid of meditative stories and soothing music, believing that a calm and confident child will have an easier time falling asleep. The CDs can also be helpful for over-active or anxious children, or for kids with specific problems like bed-wetting or nightmares. You can listen to an intro of each CD on the website, and you’ll get the gist.
Even though my kids need to get used to it still, their mama gets so super relaxed I’m sure it must eventually rub off on them! There are specific themes available, we have ‘Up, up and away‘ but I’m also very intrigued by the Princess and Superheroes CDs.
xxx Esther
The only show I will watch with my kids
Whoever is behind this show is a complete and total genius (and clearly on major drugs!) Yo Gabba Gabba is the most bizarre and entertaining thing that I have seen on TV in a long long time. I am hooked! I know most have you have probably seen the show at some point but have you ever sat down to really watch it??? It’s bananas!!! I love the songs — all of which sound like they are made up as they go along, the strange characters, and the total weirdness of it. The show also has great guest appearances –- like Jack Black, MGMT, and Biz Markie and they have a recurring segment that features excellent dance moves (which by the way serve as my cardio routine). Oh yeah, my kids really like it too. Guess that’s important to note.
-Dina
The Little Mole
I think children’s television can be beautiful and inspiring — it’s just that sadly most of it isn’t. As with most children (I’m guessing /hoping), my 3-year-old loves ‘The Box’. I try to limit viewing but I have to admit it can sometimes come in handy to have him be still for half an hour whilst the younger one needs some attention. So if we must, then lets at least find something we both can love — and boy oh boy have we struck gold!
A bit of background …. my sister-in-law asked for some present ideas for my son, and so I suggested a German DVD so he didn’t just hear English stuff. She bought me Der Maulwurf und seine Abenteuer als Gaertner (The Mole and his Adventure as a Gardener). As she handed over the present she apologised profusely saying that when she bought it she had totally forgotten that there was actually no speaking in the short films and that the title was the only German in it. But, she was sure we would love it. And we do!
The Little Mole films are the work of Czech animator Zdenek Miler, who made 50 of these 5-minute films in the ’60s and ’70s. For my husband the films are nostalgic and remind him of growing up, and for me they are wonderful pieces of art — the illustration is imaginative and beautiful (with a subtle but fantastic nod to the psychedelic fashions of the time), and the Mole is by far my favourite cartoon character (his squeal and laugh are adorable). Miler decided not to include voices in the animations so they would be universally enjoyed (clever man!), so his daughter recorded the sounds of the Mole.
See for yourself on YouTube. And if you want to buy a DVD there are many to choose from available from Amazon.de (and they ship internationally).
-Mo. x
Peekaboo Farm, fun Iphone app for toddlers
Sometimes we experience moments with our kids that bring tears to our eyes. Like recently, when my 2-year-old boy bravely stepped forward to sing his St. Maarten song for the strangers in the doorway, raising his homemade lantern in his hand, trying to sing the well memorized song but barely making himself heard thanks to losing his voice to a bad cold… So brave. So sweet. SO totally adorable.
Or this morning, when I downloaded Peekaboo Farm for him on my Iphone and the sweetest look of happy surprise on his face made me nearly eat him up! (I immediately downloaded peekaboo Wild too, another instant success.)
Peekaboo Farm and Peekaboo Wild are super cute educational Iphone applications aimed at one and two-year-olds, available in both English and Spanish. All the graphics are designed by Divya Srinivasan, regular contributor to the New Yorker, and are seriously very well done.
A total recommendation, both from my snotty son and me!
xxx Esther
Dan Zanes and Friends
I love this man. I love his hair. I love his music. My husband should seriously watch his back.
Dan Zanes sings quintessential, feel good, “family” music — each song more unique and catchy than the next. He used to be the front man for a band called the Del Fuegos and what I love is that his music is diverse, international and really appeals to parents and kids alike. My girls are obsessed with him.
While I had my requisite Wiggles phase, just like the rest of the world, I just got so tired of the silly songs and the turtlenecks and that ridiculous “Fruit Salad” song. Dan Zanes songs prove that kid-friendly music doesn’t have to be about gumdrops and unicorns. We sing along to him in the car all the time…. even when it’s not in the CD player (scary!). We also love watching the DVD which is basically the band, playing their instruments and having a good time. I suggest starting with his first DVD
-Dina
My Neighour Totoro
I think that film addiction must be genetic — my kids love movies as much as I do. We have started a tradition of Friday Family Film Night – to celebrate the end of the week – complete with popcorn and a glass of juice.
Now the challenge is finding movies that a 2-year-old and a 30-something-year-old will both enjoy. The greatest success we have had was the Japanese Kids Animated Classic My Neighbour Totoro, a lovely story of two sisters who move to an old country house with their dad while their mum is in hospital. In the countryside the girls encounter friendly spirits, namely the Totoros, the Keeper of the Forests. ‘My Neighbour Totoro’ was directed by Hayao Miyazaki and won him international acclaim all over the world.
The animation and designs are stunning and the Totoro character is just enchanting. I could definitely watch this movie again and again. And if I can, you can bet that my kids can too! They are addicted!
I would love to hear if you have any other suggestions for great family movies. Happy Friday!
- Emilie
The sound of silence
When I flew to London with my three-year-old twins I was in a complete and total panic. For weeks I would lie awake at night picturing nothing but six hours of high pitched screams and death stares. When I asked for advice on how to cope, one friend suggested that I flood the first class cabin with water, freeze it, and hire the escapades to perform. Another friend simply said “M&M’s, Sticker books and Benadryl.”
Like any rational parent with the will to live, I have no shame in busting out the DVD player… so when they grew tired of the doodle pads and pulling apart everything within reach I broke it out and fanned a selection of their most prized Nickelodian shows (cue the sound of angels singing). What made the DVD even more of a hit were the Califone headphones that a friend told us about. Unlike other cumbersome headsets, Califone headphones are made for smaller heads and they fit nice and snug. Choose from a crowd pleasing panda, tiger or bear. The earphones put a smile on the skeptical faces of my surrounding passengers who, like me, were thankful for a peaceful, scream free flight.
-Dina
Car sing-a-long
We are doing quite a lot of driving this summer which is not really the most exciting thing for kids to do. Sooner or later on every drive my eldest daughter informs us that she needs to vomit! She is mostly crying wolf and is only just bored, but it is always a great way of getting my attention. I have now figured out that the best way of testing if she is really feeling a bit crock or not is by getting her to sing. My reasoning behind this is that a person who is about to vomit does not feel like singing…
So now there is a lot of singing going on in our car (most of my friends would freak at this notion, as I cannot sing for the life of me) and this is our repertoire: ‘Old Macdonald’, ‘Yellow Submarine’, ‘Molly Malone’, the first verse of ‘Lemon Tree’ by Peter, Paul and Mary. We also mix in a bit of ‘No No No’ by Destinys Child, prompted by the 16-month-old as that is the only song she knows the words to, literally. Now, I am interested, what do other families sing? Any suggestions on how to expand our repertoire?
We have another 6-hour journey ahead of us soon and I do not know how often I will be able to deal with these old faithfuls…
- Emilie
Vintage children’s music
There’s something about vintage children’s music that is so refreshing. Perhaps it’s the innocence of the songs or the slightly quirky melodies, or even the charming old accents of the artists who sang them. Or maybe, more simply, it’s just nice to get a break from ‘The Wheels on the Bus’ and ‘Old Macdonald’.
We have the Vintage Children’s Favourites CD in our car right now and it is so much fun to listen to and sing along. The songs date from the ’20s to the ’50s, and while some of them I recognized, many of them were new to me. But I have to admit that after only a few days I was singing along to all of them.
Like Emilie mentioned, I’m totally into the retro-revival these days!
-Courtney
Cinema Festival
Sometimes I get fed up of living in the centre of a big city.
The traffic, the pollution the lack of green space, and space in general seems so much more oppressing in the summer time. But then I get reminded of the big advantages of city life: the huge range of cultural events right at my fingertips. From the 2nd to the 14th of July the Paris Film Festival is on and part of the festival is a great children’s program.
This year the focus is on my favourite pet subject, animation. Lots of things are on offer: workshops, lectures and, of course film screenings. The first public screening in France of the new Pixar 3D extravaganza “Up” is on offer, as are modern day classics like Wallace and Gromit and Disney’s 1963 “The Swords in the Stone”. The films are for kids aged 3 and up, and there are so many choices that it should satisfy all tastes. You can check out the program here.
I guess city life is not so bad after all….
Sam Sam
Sam Sam is my son’s favourite cartoon these days. It’s shown on satellite TV here in Italy but it’s originally a French comic book series illustrated by Serge Bloch.
Sam Sam is a 6-year-old superhero who lives a “normal” life with his SamParents, and his friends. They do what any normal child does — they play, go to parties and have little adventures. These adventures are just a tad more exciting because Sam Sam lives on a strange planet and instead of a bicycle he rides a tiny flying saucer.
Sam Sam tries really hard to behave well because he is a “good” superhero in training. The stories are never violent and they tend to pass on a good message of loyalty, friendship and courage. Even the “bad guys” are totally funny, like the Bedwetters who are strange little yellow creatures armed with water guns.
In addition the colours and the images are nice and modern, so I actually don’t mind watching it too!
-Michela
Giggles
How long do you spend on your computer each day? How many times have you told your children to “just wait one minute, I have to check/send/read something”? Well, it has happened to me many, many (probably too many) times. One of the (visible) obvious results is that my children both have developed a strong attraction to computers from a very early age. But given that they (the computers!) are among my most treasured possessions, they (the children!) were never allowed to touch them. This was until we got some software by Giggles.
Giggles has developed a few interactive computer games for babies from 6 to 36 months. They are easy to install and, once you launch one, your hard drives are perfectly safe because the game blocks the rest of the computer off so it doesn’t matter what key the baby presses –no damage can be done! (more…)
Under the Sea in 3D!
Taking young kids to the cinema can be risky business. No matter how great the film is, it will probably end up being too long to keep your kids’ attention, they’ll likely spill the popcorn, talk too much and too loudly, and need several trips to the toilet. (Can you tell I’ve learned the hard way?)
Last weekend, however, we risked it all and took the boys to see the Under the Sea 3D film at London’s BFI IMAX theatre, and it was a huge, huge hit!
You put the funny glasses on (which my kids loved), take a seat in front of the UK’s largest cinema screen (taller than 5 double decker buses!), and spend roughly 45 minutes feeling like you’re swimming under the sea, literally face-to-face with exotic sea creatures! My kids thought it was the coolest thing they’ve ever seen!
The IMAX films are short, they’re 3D, and they’re educational. Perfect for kids! I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before now…
-Courtney
Wheels on the bus
I have given into the hype and acquired an iPhone and am loving it. It holds all my addresses, calendars and emails. I feel like I am the most organised person alive (which I am not: Courtney and Esther are).
I have only recently discovered another huge advantage of my new favourite gadget: it is a great thing to distract my 3-year-old! I was stuck on a train the other day with a very grumpy toddler, and I suddenly remembered a little download one of our readers wrote to us about. I downloaded it and suddenly — heavenly silence for a good little while. (A good little while in this situation constituted of feeding the toddler’s little sister her full lunch uninterrupted…).
The Wheels on the Bus iPhone game was developed by some mom’s who realised how much little kids like to play with their parents’ iPhones. They decided to make something educational and fun for them. The game can be played in different languages and there are lots of little things that can be moved around on the screen, keeping little minds busy. The other great thing is that this toy is impossible to forget, as it is right there, on your mobile!
- Emilie
Animal Party, goodybag idea
Another cute idea from the animal-themed party…
Mo created ‘Animal tunes’ CDs for all the goodybags. She burned a random mix of animal-themed kiddie songs (‘Bear Necessities” from The Jungle Book, “Animal Crackers”, “When I See an Elephant Fly” from Dumbo, “No More Monkeys”, etc.) onto CDs. She then put the CDs into cardboard cases (which she got from Muji), and stuck cute labels on the outside. Each child got to take home his own ‘Animal Tunes’ disc.
Such a great goodybag idea. We’re loving the new tunes!
-Courtney
