As I head back to school this week to teach Language Arts to 8th graders, I’m excited to re-connect with Putumayo Kids, a Cool Baby Kid all-time favorite. While their new CD, Picnic Playground, is a perfect companion to daily dance parties with our 1.5 and 3 year old children, the Putumayo Kids teacher tools remind me of resources I can incorporate into the classroom as well. According to their site, “Putumayo Kids produces music that entertains, educates and inspires cultural curiosity,” and I could not agree more. Since discovering Putumayo Kids, it has become an almost daily part of our lives since we love to dance! Picnic Playground doesn’t disappoint. Taking us around the world, from the USA to Europe and beyond, songs like our favorites Ice Cream by Asheba (Trinidad) and Pomodoro by Bomba (Australia) offers upbeat tunes for dancing while expanding our cultural horizons at the same time.
Smart Tip: For a fun island sound listen to Jamaica Farewell (Jamaica) by Desmond Dekke fun island sound and Tambou Dan Tche Nou (Martinique)by Kali for a fast, hip shaking dance tune. Preview Putumayo Kids children’s music on their website.
