This past weekend we had a Family Adventure. In case you are wondering, Family Adventure is a proper noun because any time you willingly spend 4 plus hours driving to a destination (and then spend another 4 plus hours driving back home) with three kids it is worthy of being a properly named occasion. Let us hashtag that as a #ParentingTruth. Anyway, back to the Family Adventure…
When on a Family Adventure, we have found that having a steady supply of tunes for the kids can either make or break our experience. Knowing my children and their love for music I plan ahead and make sure to have both new and old favorites along for a listen. It can seem like such a small thing, but for us the right music can be the difference between fun for everyone or an overwhelming desire to just pack up and go home.
So, in no particular order here are three of our most recently released favorites that made the latest Family Adventure a success:
1) “Lemonade” from Justin Roberts :: this is the 13th album from Justin for families and it is a complete hit with my family. The album has 12 new original songs that feature a diverse group of instruments including ukulele, upright bass, acoustic guitar, cello, piano, fiddle, harpsichord, marimba, banjo, as well as homemade instruments like paint cans, cardboard boxes, salt shakers, and more! These catchy songs not only have the kiddos singing along but bring back fond memories of childhood for the grown members of the family. A great album to bring a little sunshine and summer into the cold and rainy days of fall!
2) “Greatest Hits” from Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band :: this band has been a long time favorite of my family it is a treat to find 21 of the band’s most requested songs on one album! There is a very good reason why Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band were the first Americans to ever win a Latin Grammy in the children’s album category and if that prestigious award alone doesn’t convince you that you need this album just take a listen to any of the samples of their music. From the opening notes of Piñata Attack to the end of The Best Day my kids and I rock along with the band while having our own little dance party.
3) “La La La” from Priscilla Ahn :: while this may be the first children’s album from Priscilla Ahn, she is by no means new to the music world. You may have heard her songs in some of your favorite TV Shoes and films but the birth of her son in November 2015 was the spark that brought this whimsical album to materialization. We love the playful sounds that open the album in Body Sounds and by the time we have moved on to the calm of Desert Lullaby my kiddos are sure to be in a serene mood. If you have a budding artist in your clan it is fun to note that the album insert is a coloring book!
I am being completely honest when I say that all three of these albums are not only loved by all three of my children who are 17 months, 6 years, and 9 years old but are also choices that are appealing to us parents. I may or may not make my children listen to Cuantos Tacos (The Taco Song) every time we go get tacos for dinner.
