Suggest me fun songs to watch with a 4 year old.
April 22, 2018 3:57 AM Subscribe
I just can't with blippy any more.
So I've been putting on funny songs, but ones I like too. So what are songs which are good but are also suitable for toddlers.
Here's some examples from today's playlist:
Jay Foreman (where do you get your food from Grandma, and others)
Some Hamilton songs.
Professor Elemental.
Tmbg (why does the sun shine etc.)
Animaniacs
Here's some examples from today's playlist:
Jay Foreman (where do you get your food from Grandma, and others)
Some Hamilton songs.
Professor Elemental.
Tmbg (why does the sun shine etc.)
Animaniacs
Jungle Book songs?
Bare Necessities
I Wanna Be Like You
That's What Friends Are For
posted by clawsoon at 4:15 AM on April 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
Bare Necessities
I Wanna Be Like You
That's What Friends Are For
posted by clawsoon at 4:15 AM on April 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
Pat Boone - Speedy Gonzales
I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee
Feist & Johnny Cash on the Muppets
Sam the sham & the pharaohs - Woolly bully
posted by speakeasy at 4:17 AM on April 22, 2018
I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee
Feist & Johnny Cash on the Muppets
Sam the sham & the pharaohs - Woolly bully
posted by speakeasy at 4:17 AM on April 22, 2018
My 4yo loved The Go! Team (and still does at 6). Not educational or especially amazing videos but great to dance to.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 4:51 AM on April 22, 2018
posted by EndsOfInvention at 4:51 AM on April 22, 2018
Phil Harris, particularly The Thing
He also voiced Baloo, so yeah, the Jungle Book is a great suggestion.
posted by phunniemee at 5:00 AM on April 22, 2018
He also voiced Baloo, so yeah, the Jungle Book is a great suggestion.
posted by phunniemee at 5:00 AM on April 22, 2018
I have no idea how/why that posted three times.
But I also just remembered that my brother LOVED Allen Sherman (especially the camp letter song) when he was little, so that may be popular, too.
posted by phunniemee at 5:03 AM on April 22, 2018
But I also just remembered that my brother LOVED Allen Sherman (especially the camp letter song) when he was little, so that may be popular, too.
posted by phunniemee at 5:03 AM on April 22, 2018
My little nephews loved oldie R&R songs, esp The Twist ! Here is a great play list of oldies but goodies: https://youtu.be/ugf_90U9qVI
posted by james33 at 5:32 AM on April 22, 2018
posted by james33 at 5:32 AM on April 22, 2018
T-Rex is pretty great for kids and adults
posted by ball00000ns at 5:55 AM on April 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by ball00000ns at 5:55 AM on April 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
Check out the Aquabats!
posted by ChuraChura at 6:39 AM on April 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by ChuraChura at 6:39 AM on April 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
I share Weird Al’s Bob with a friend, and he and his kids love it. Additional fun: all of the lines are palindromes.
posted by FencingGal at 6:42 AM on April 22, 2018
posted by FencingGal at 6:42 AM on April 22, 2018
Mahna Mahna
Rubber Ducky
Gramma Feather bed
posted by Ftsqg at 6:49 AM on April 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
Rubber Ducky
Gramma Feather bed
posted by Ftsqg at 6:49 AM on April 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
The Barenaked Ladies have an entire kid's album "Snacktime" with adult-enough songs that I have not tired of them. I actually really like "Crazy ABCs" with its wordplay.
My kids also love Electro Swing Radio on Google Play Music. They become dancing fools. So if you like post-modern swing and big band sounds that might work.
posted by pixlboi at 6:57 AM on April 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
My kids also love Electro Swing Radio on Google Play Music. They become dancing fools. So if you like post-modern swing and big band sounds that might work.
posted by pixlboi at 6:57 AM on April 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
Peter, Paul and Mommy, Pop Goes the World, Playing in the Sand (but the cartoon is very sad).
posted by Jane the Brown at 6:57 AM on April 22, 2018
posted by Jane the Brown at 6:57 AM on April 22, 2018
Older folk music like the Kingston Trio.
Also try classical ballet. You never know. If your young 'un decides to dance you will be combing music with exercise and play time, not just passive time. Sadlers Wells ballet dance Beatrix Potter would be a good start.
Also try the two Disney Fantasia movies if classical music seems to work.
posted by Jane the Brown at 7:01 AM on April 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
Also try classical ballet. You never know. If your young 'un decides to dance you will be combing music with exercise and play time, not just passive time. Sadlers Wells ballet dance Beatrix Potter would be a good start.
Also try the two Disney Fantasia movies if classical music seems to work.
posted by Jane the Brown at 7:01 AM on April 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
Anything and everything by Bill Harley. He writes songs and stories and a combination of stories with song (he's an incredible storyteller). His website allows you to sort his song and story albums by age, because some stories/songs (like the amazing Zanzibar) are really too long for younger kids. Here's Zanzibar, a song my kids still sing.
This may be my favorite story: Alicia and the Little Monster. Also a favorite of my kids (now 16 and 13 years old).
ETA: Sorry, I just saw that you said "watch"; my Bill Harley recommendation still stands though. :)
posted by ceejaytee at 7:22 AM on April 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
This may be my favorite story: Alicia and the Little Monster. Also a favorite of my kids (now 16 and 13 years old).
ETA: Sorry, I just saw that you said "watch"; my Bill Harley recommendation still stands though. :)
posted by ceejaytee at 7:22 AM on April 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
Peter Paul and Mary - Puff the Magic Dragon
Cat Stevens - Morning Has Broken
Pharrell Williams - Happy
Pretty much anything by The Beatles
lots of Beach Boys songs
posted by pseudostrabismus at 7:24 AM on April 22, 2018
Cat Stevens - Morning Has Broken
Pharrell Williams - Happy
Pretty much anything by The Beatles
lots of Beach Boys songs
posted by pseudostrabismus at 7:24 AM on April 22, 2018
Casper Babypants.
posted by jeffamaphone at 7:25 AM on April 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by jeffamaphone at 7:25 AM on April 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
Raffi ? Anything by Raffi on YouTube.
My kid is scared of the Beatles after seeing a poster of them smizing and a particularly choice clip from yellow submarine. ymmv
I also can't with blippy...
posted by St. Peepsburg at 7:26 AM on April 22, 2018
My kid is scared of the Beatles after seeing a poster of them smizing and a particularly choice clip from yellow submarine. ymmv
I also can't with blippy...
posted by St. Peepsburg at 7:26 AM on April 22, 2018
Also, not a song, but my grandkids love the Simon’s Cat videos on YouTube, and so do I.
posted by FencingGal at 7:41 AM on April 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by FencingGal at 7:41 AM on April 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
We are a zero-tolerance blippi household. My kid loves the Twenty Trucks truck tunes channel on YouTube and we just listen to the audio. On repeat. It’s not terrible.
posted by andreapandrea at 7:53 AM on April 22, 2018
posted by andreapandrea at 7:53 AM on April 22, 2018
The Dog with the Longest Name (aka The Dog who Went to Yale) as animated by elementary school kids. Warning: yes, the dog dies at the end. It's played for comedy.
posted by Flannery Culp at 8:19 AM on April 22, 2018
posted by Flannery Culp at 8:19 AM on April 22, 2018
Weird Al is pretty fun for all ages, and he's had a lot of videos over time.
posted by bile and syntax at 8:30 AM on April 22, 2018
posted by bile and syntax at 8:30 AM on April 22, 2018
When my oldest was a toddler he loved an early-70's funk compilation I had, especially:
-"It's Your Thing," the Isley Brothers
-"Shining Star," Earth, Wind, and Fire
-"Family Affair" Sly and the Family Stone
-"Tell me Something Good," Chaka Khan
-"Pick up the Pieces," Average White Band
-"You Haven't Done Nothin," Stevie Wonder
Much dancing was had.
posted by baseballpajamas at 8:46 AM on April 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
-"It's Your Thing," the Isley Brothers
-"Shining Star," Earth, Wind, and Fire
-"Family Affair" Sly and the Family Stone
-"Tell me Something Good," Chaka Khan
-"Pick up the Pieces," Average White Band
-"You Haven't Done Nothin," Stevie Wonder
Much dancing was had.
posted by baseballpajamas at 8:46 AM on April 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
Just You Wait, Henry Higgins from My Fair Lady. The feelings and words make perfect sense to a four year old. Also, The Rain in Spain, for the wordplay.
posted by JonJacky at 9:04 AM on April 22, 2018
posted by JonJacky at 9:04 AM on April 22, 2018
I've never met a kid who doesn't love 'Graceland' by Paul Simon, especially 'You Can Call Me Al'. There's enough going on with penny whistles and funky breakdowns to keep them bopping away happily for hours.
posted by matthew.alexander at 9:29 AM on April 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by matthew.alexander at 9:29 AM on April 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
Sit DownJohn And other songs from the musical 1776. Assuming you’re ok with minor swearing.
posted by FencingGal at 10:02 AM on April 22, 2018
posted by FencingGal at 10:02 AM on April 22, 2018
I liked birdland by Manhattan transfer as a kid.
posted by azalea_chant at 12:47 PM on April 22, 2018
posted by azalea_chant at 12:47 PM on April 22, 2018
Horrible Histories songs are child-friendly, ridiculously catchy, and educational. You may also have fun spotting which original song/singer/band certain ones are parodying...
Some of my favourites:
Dick Turpin
RAF Pilots
Florence Nightingale
Charles II
Kings & Queens
posted by Morfil Ffyrnig at 1:01 PM on April 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
Some of my favourites:
Dick Turpin
RAF Pilots
Florence Nightingale
Charles II
Kings & Queens
posted by Morfil Ffyrnig at 1:01 PM on April 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
I grew up on Rosenshontz. I remember their being goofy and not-cloying enough that my too-cool-for-school punk/hippie mom could even stomach them.
A more modern equivalent might be Rhett and Link — at least their light-and-fluffy stuff.
posted by armeowda at 1:18 PM on April 22, 2018
A more modern equivalent might be Rhett and Link — at least their light-and-fluffy stuff.
posted by armeowda at 1:18 PM on April 22, 2018
I’m From Barcelona are an adult band good for kids, kind of like Barenaked Ladies or the Beatles.
I logged in to recommend TruckTunes by Twenty Trucks - videos on YouTube, but you can buy the album off their website if you only want music. A video editor got together with his songwriter brother in law and made a bunch of songs about trucks for their kids and it’s all very well done. The songs sound like normal songs (as it were).
There’s also a British series on YouTube (four half hour episodes) Here Comes A... (Digger, Train, Tractor, FireEngine) that all have a bunch of songs in them.
posted by jrobin276 at 1:23 PM on April 22, 2018
I logged in to recommend TruckTunes by Twenty Trucks - videos on YouTube, but you can buy the album off their website if you only want music. A video editor got together with his songwriter brother in law and made a bunch of songs about trucks for their kids and it’s all very well done. The songs sound like normal songs (as it were).
There’s also a British series on YouTube (four half hour episodes) Here Comes A... (Digger, Train, Tractor, FireEngine) that all have a bunch of songs in them.
posted by jrobin276 at 1:23 PM on April 22, 2018
Also, various songs from Maid Marian and her Merry Men. (I see from your profile that you are a fellow Brit of a similar age to myself, so you probably remember them from the first time round!)
P-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-pancake Day
Father Bloopy
Pain
posted by Morfil Ffyrnig at 1:43 PM on April 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
P-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-pancake Day
Father Bloopy
Pain
posted by Morfil Ffyrnig at 1:43 PM on April 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
Laurie Berkner, particularly The Goldfish Song and We Are The Dinosaurs (and probably others but those are the two main hits in our house).
posted by emkelley at 2:40 PM on April 22, 2018
posted by emkelley at 2:40 PM on April 22, 2018
School House Rock!
Also when my much, much younger sister was little, we played a lot of old musicals for her to sing along with. HMS Pinafore, Hello Dolly, and Anything Goes were big hits. (Also Evita. I think my sister actually auditioned for her grade school choir with Another Suitcase in Another Hall, age 6.)
posted by DarlingBri at 5:39 PM on April 22, 2018
Also when my much, much younger sister was little, we played a lot of old musicals for her to sing along with. HMS Pinafore, Hello Dolly, and Anything Goes were big hits. (Also Evita. I think my sister actually auditioned for her grade school choir with Another Suitcase in Another Hall, age 6.)
posted by DarlingBri at 5:39 PM on April 22, 2018
Craig Smith: Wonky Donkey (good for long car trips with extra attributes improvised)
posted by flabdablet at 6:45 AM on April 23, 2018
posted by flabdablet at 6:45 AM on April 23, 2018
My kid loved the Monster Mash and Purple People Eater. Now he only wants to listen to Imagine Dragons. 4 year olds are weird.
My favorite music ever as a kid was this album of Sebastian from the Little Mermaid singing reggae songs and I would say they are all great choices for that age with or without an animated lobster providing the vocals.
posted by galvanized unicorn at 6:54 AM on April 23, 2018
My favorite music ever as a kid was this album of Sebastian from the Little Mermaid singing reggae songs and I would say they are all great choices for that age with or without an animated lobster providing the vocals.
posted by galvanized unicorn at 6:54 AM on April 23, 2018
My Kids grew up listening to Trout Fishing In America's and They Might Be Giants' kid's music. Even my most sullen teenagers have wistful memories when they hear "All I want is a proper cup of coffee" and "The Pico de Gallo Song."
posted by cross_impact at 12:15 PM on April 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by cross_impact at 12:15 PM on April 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
They're not fun songs, per se, but my kids were completely obsessed with the Where the Heck is Matt videos. All of them are on Youtube. I used to read them all of the place names that would appear on the screen, and then as they got older, I pulled out maps and showed them where he had been. They would be delighted when he was somewhere they knew about ("Scotland! Merida lives there, Daddy!") or that they had visited. ("He's in Boston! We've been there!)
They used to ask to watch them over and over again.
Laurie Berkner was also a huge hit in our house between 2 and 5. As were the Disney Sing-Alongs.
posted by zarq at 1:44 PM on April 23, 2018
They used to ask to watch them over and over again.
Laurie Berkner was also a huge hit in our house between 2 and 5. As were the Disney Sing-Alongs.
posted by zarq at 1:44 PM on April 23, 2018
My kid has loved Kraftwerk from the very beginning, particularly The Robots. So many of their songs are repetitive, easy to learn and fun to dance to.
We also love Pete Seeger's Children's Concert at Town Hall, which is some of the only music specifically for kids that I can stomach listening to again and again.
(For the last five years I have been compiling a Spotify playlist of songs that both my kid and I enjoy. It's almost five hours long. I'm pretty proud of it, but I don't know if it'd be self-linking to post it here, so memail me if you want the link!)
posted by lollymccatburglar at 7:22 AM on April 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
We also love Pete Seeger's Children's Concert at Town Hall, which is some of the only music specifically for kids that I can stomach listening to again and again.
(For the last five years I have been compiling a Spotify playlist of songs that both my kid and I enjoy. It's almost five hours long. I'm pretty proud of it, but I don't know if it'd be self-linking to post it here, so memail me if you want the link!)
posted by lollymccatburglar at 7:22 AM on April 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
Nothing wrong with self-linking in a comment. The No Self Links rule is there to stop people abusing the front page of the Blue for unpaid advertising, not to prevent useful answers in here.
posted by flabdablet at 5:41 AM on April 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by flabdablet at 5:41 AM on April 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
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