I think one of the most underrated gifts for young kids is good music. “And why is a quality CD a great gift for a young child?” you ask. Well…

  1. Music is something you share. Our kids are too young to have personal music players, so when we listen to music, we listen as a family. It brings us together as we all sing along in the van, dance around in our home, or simply hum along to the songs we love.
  2. Music teaches. Whether it’s the truth of the gospel or simply the beauty of the art of music, kids learn when they listen to music.
  3. Music creates memories. I have many memories from my childhood that are tied to music. Whether it’s the CD we listened to every vacation or the record we played every Christmas while decorating the tree, listening to those musical collections bring back sweet memories.
  4. CDs are small. Not everyone has a space problem in their home, but I love giving my kids CDs because they don’t take up too much physical space. And if I could make the jump from CDs to MP3s, I’d save even more space!

I’m sure I could give more reasons that I enjoy giving my kids the gift of music CDs, but let me instead tell you some of my favorite kids CDs. Our entire family enjoys these selections because they aren’t annoying, they are musically well done, they are fun to listen to, and I like what they communicate to my children. I though this might be a timely post as Christmas approaches, and I also thought it would be fun to do the first giveaway I’ve ever done on this blog. So if you leave a comment here on the blog, maybe listing your favorite kids CD or just saying you want the free one, you’ll be eligible to win (Facebook readers, just click through to the original post). Next Friday (12/10), I will randomly choose a winner to receive a copy of Randall Goodgame and Andrew Peterson’s Slugs and Bugs and Lullabies CD. I’ll get it to you before Christmas so you can choose keep the CD for yourself or give it away. Good luck!

Sovereign Grace Ministries produces some of the best in modern worship music. Their songs are biblically based, theologically rich, and musically enjoyable. This CD, intended for children, is a worship experience for adults and children alike. The entire CD is about the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5, and while there are great applicational points in the lyrics, what I most appreciate about the CD is its focus on the fact that God in Christ is the ultimate embodiment of the fruit of the Spirit. I am constantly led to worship Christ more through the truths in these songs, and the lyrics have even helped me in teaching my children about kindness, self-control, and more. You can listen to samples and purchase the CD by clicking here.

I first heard about this CD over at The Rabbit Room and finally purchased it this past August for Lena’s birthday. I think it is just plain fun to listen to, mixing amusing, true to life lyrics with top-notch music. Seriously, the musicianship on this CD is great. While I am still learning about the nuances of jazz music, each track embodies a different “brand” of jazz music. So if you like jazz music and songs about naps, bellybuttons, and juice, you’ll like this CD. Head over here and you’ll see links for buying the CD (only $10) and even for getting 2 free songs!

I first received Slugs and Bugs and Lullabies for Christmas for myself – I let the girls listen to it though. I’ve always been a fan of Andrew Peterson, and I really enjoy what he and Randall Goodgame have done on this CD – it’s a great mixture of silliness and seriousness and everything in between. As a dad, it is encouraging to hear two dads sing about how much fun they have with their kids, how much they love their kids, and how much they want their children to embrace the truth of the gospel as they have. The new Slugs and Bugs Christmas CD, which was primarily done by Randall and just released last week, has that same great mix, making you laugh out loud on one track and having you contemplating the miracle of Christmas on the next. And just so you won’t say I didn’t warn you – “The Camel Song” has a tremendous knack for getting stuck in your head. Check out the full Slugs and Bugs website here, where you can listen to music samples in the player at the top right. You can buy the CDs from this site or from The Rabbit Room store. Or maybe you’ll win the first one!

Well, those are my current favorite kids CDs, all guaranteed to be completely devoid of all the annoying features you might associate with kids music.

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