The Best Children’s Music

Family-friendly picks that will strike a chord with kids and parents.

Best for Teaching Your Kids a Little Something New

Stefan Shepherd, the man behind the children’s-music site zooglobble.com, sorted through hundreds of CDs to find the most entertaining. Then kids of all ages (whose feedback consisted of dancing and head bobbing) narrowed down the list. Shepherd, a father of two, explains what makes these discs so appealing.
 
 

¡Nueva York!, by Dan Zanes and Friends
Zanes is the godfather of the children’s-music renaissance. He became popular with his unique take on folk songs and sea chanteys, plus the occasional original track. He hits a high note with this lively collection of Latino songs, recorded in New York. Your family probably won’t become fluent in Spanish by listening to the album, but they will learn many different types of songs and the stories behind them. More important, this disc is fun to listen to ($17, amazon.com).

 You might also like: Here Come the 123s, by They Might Be Giants ($12, amazon.com).