Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

A Hop, Skip and a Jump Children’s CD Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Today I’m featuring a CD that has been out for a while now, and has been sweeping up awards left and right, so it’s definitely becoming an instant “classic” in the world of children’s music. It’s called A Hop, Skip and a Jump and it is by Pam Donkin. It is 48 minutes in length, and is loaded with activity songs especially designed for the 1-5 year old crowd. The songs are very easy to sing along to (and of course, to dance to!). 

The CD has won 3 prestigious awards: Parents’ Choice Approved Award, Creative Child Seal of Excellence, and a Children’s Web Award. This is proof that parents and children alike are really impressed with this CD, and they are right to be! I find the music to be just great for getting Darah dancing and moving around, and she loves being able to pick up on the songs so quickly.

This recording comes from the Grandma-owned record label, A Gentle Wind, which has been producing award winning music and stories for kids for over 30 years. They certainly know what they are doing, and they are doing it right!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of A Hop, Skip and a Jump!

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Farmer Jason CD Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Today I’m featuring a children’s artist named Farmer Jason. The “farmer” part of his title isn’t just for fun, folks. Jason really does operate a farm outside of Nashville, TN! He’s also a father of 3! And as if that weren’t enough, he’s also an American Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award winner!

Jason Ringeberg created Farmer Jason in 2002 to help educate children about farm life and the wonders of nature. This is his third album to date. Previous works have won him an Emmy and a spot on the Los Angeles Times’ Childrens’ Record of the Year list!

If you’d like to check out some of Farmer Jason’s music in video form, you can find a variety of songs at MyKaZoo TV (and lots of other great children’s music videos, too!). I think you’ll find his style to be easy on the ears and a whole lot of fun. Give him a listen!

Nature Jams is currently available for purchase through his website for $12.98. We have certainly enjoyed listening to this cd, and I bet you will, too!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of Nature Jams by Farmer Jason!

 

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Hunk Ta Bunk Ta Greatest Hits cd (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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Today I’m featuring a children’s artist who is new to me, but she’s been cranking out award-winning music since 1992! Her name is Katherine Dines and her band is called Hunk Ta Bunk Ta. If you are also new to this band, I’ve got great news…there’s a new cd that can help you get to know the band by featuring the very best hits from their albums! It’s called Hunk Ta Bunk Ta Hits and it has 15 songs that fans over the years have treasured the very most. That means that every song on the album is toe-tapping, very catchy and just plain delightful!

I think the sound of this group is a bit folksy, with lyrics that are easy to follow and sing along with, which I really appreciate for younger kids. I would definitely recommend it as a great cd that is stuffed with fun music your little one is likely to love!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of Hunk Ta Bunk Ta Hits!

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DidiPop’s Latest CD: Everyday Adventures Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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DidiPop is a delightful children’s music artist, and I’m not the only one who thinks so. Her last album that I reviewed, DidiPop Goes to Hawaii, has a song on it called, “Hawaiian Alphabet Song,” and it just won the grand prize in the children’s category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. That, my friends, is a REALLY big deal! Additionally, it has been submitted for Grammy consideration for 2012. Good luck, DidiPop!

Her new album is every bit as fabulous as her last, and I’m sure it will pick up awards left and right in the next year, too! It’s called Everyday Adventures, and it launches TODAY! It’s got one of Darah’s all-time favorite songs on it (one that is features a YouTube video that has gone completely viral!). Check out The Cool Alphabet Song…you are sure to like it, and your kids will, too!

DidiPop’s vibe is chill and laid-back, but still jam-packed with lots of fun and laughs. She’s an artist I highly recommend because the whole family will enjoy listening to her songs, not just the kids.

Buy it!: If you are looking for a great holiday gift, I recommend the gift of music, and you absolutely can’t go wrong with DidiPop. Everyday Adventures is available for $14.99 or you can buy all the mp3s for just $9.99!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is about a win a copy of DidiPop’s latest album! Hooray!!!

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DidiPop Goes to Hawaii, and You Can, Too

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Oh the weather outside is frightful!

DidiPop I’m totally in love with the holiday season, and with the season where fall starts to give way to winter. I embrace the cold (probably because I live in a part of the country where winter is relatively mild). I love to bundle up in the covers, or take long hot baths and even go outside and just enjoy being cold for a little bit! Over time, it makes me a bit nostalgic for the warm days of summer (which is good, because I sort of don’t like summer…TOO hot!). Am I the only one who starts daydreaming about trips to Hawaii in November and December? Yes, I think sunny and a high of 76 sounds quite lovely, and I think I could go for a little bit of that right about now, but just for a few days!

Well, Darah recently got a new cd, and it is so much fun, because it takes you straight to Hawaii, no plane ticket or packed suitcase required! DidiPop Goes to Hawaii is just what the title suggests, a musical trip to the islands!

I’ve got a fun way to give you a preview of what DidiPop Goes to Hawaii is like! This video shows you a mango picker on Maui and gives you some glimpses into the recording of the song, “Mango.”

I love having a little splash of summer in November! It’s fun to embrace the holidays, but I also like to remember all the fun we have to look forward to when the weather warms back up again! And mangoes are my very favorite fruit, too. I always welcome their return to the stores!

Buy it!: DidiPop Goes to Hawaii will be released on Decmeber 14th, just in time to make it into the stockings of good little girls and boys! 🙂 You can pre-order the cd here for $15 or you can download all the mp3s for only $8.99!

Win it!: DidiPop wants to bring Hawaii to you! One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of Didi Pop Goes to Hawaii! The contest will run until December 6th at 11:59pm EST when the winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

Mandatory entry: Tell me your favorite warm weather location! Do you wish you were there right now, or are you enjoying the cooler temperatures? My favorite spot to go is to Destin, Florida, though there’s plenty more beach in this world that I still need to see! And actually, I love going to the beach when it is cold, because I think the blue-gray skies and stormier weather are beautiful!

Additional entries:
1. Sponsor love: Sign up for the DidiPop Times, a monthly newsletter (that is super good!). Also, they give away a cd every month! (look in the bottom right corner of the linked page to sign up).

2. Blogger love: Subscriber to Stuff Parents Need by email or RSS

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Meet The Squeegees! (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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I’ve got SUCH a fun stocking stuffer for you today! If your child doesn’t have his or her own music collection, it is seriously time to get that started. And if they do, it’s time to add to it!!!

Meet the Squeegees is a wonderful cd that is available exclusively at Target! Many children’s cds don’t get such mass exposure and have to make their sales through smaller venues, so that should tell you something about how good this cd is!

I’m listening to it right now, and Darah’s at daycare for the moment. Are you judging me for listening to kids music while my kid isn’t around? If so, it’s just because you haven’t had the pleasure of hearing this cute cd! It is SOOOO singable, and the topics the songs cover will inspire some great conversations with your tot! I love the extensive listing of yummy fruits in “apples, oranges and peaches.” It makes me want to go find a kumquat for Darah to try! And “the elements” does such a great job of describing all the great things that wind, fire, earth and water do! Love it!

The mood of this cd is hip, cute, but not obnoxious. It is easy on the ears, I promise! I’m totally committing to memorizing these songs so that I can sing them to Darah, because she’ll be learning great things while I sing them to her!

Buy it!: This cd has 14 educational and fun songs, and is perfect for kids 0-7. As I mentioned, this is a cd that you can find at your local Target and it is just $7.99. That’s a great buy, folks!

Win it!: Now is your chance to snag this great cd for your little one! The contest will run until November 19th at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

Mandatory entry: Tell me the last piece of music you bought (could be a cd or an mp3!). My answer: Ben Folds Accapella album he did with college students. And that was almost a year ago, so clearly I need to spend a little time over at Itunes getting up to speed!

Additional entries:
1. Sponsor love: Join the Squeegees mailing list (scroll down toward the bottom of the linked page to sign up)
2. Blogger love: Follow Stuff Parents Need on Google Friend Connect

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my home page.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary album for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.