Music is everywhere these days. Whether free or paid, you never have to look far to find great tunes to entertain yourself or your family. And, given the many benefits of exposing children to music, it only makes sense to bring them in on the fun.
If your kids are music lovers, or if you’re seeking children’s Christian music or other styles, the start of a new year is the perfect time to dive into new music. But where should you look for songs your whole family can enjoy together? Even with so many options available, it’s easy to fall into a pattern of just listening to the same thing over and over again. To jumpstart your music experience quickly and easily, explore the ideas below.
With so much new music available day after day around the web and beyond, it’s easy enough to get caught up in what is fresh. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but don’t forget that there are generations of great classic children’s songs to enjoy with your family.
Sometimes, when you need something new, the best thing you can do is dive back into those songs that have been established as classics for a reason. Songs like “The Wheels on the Bus,” “Old MacDonald Had a Farm,” and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” have endured for decades because they strike a chord that resonates with younger listeners. Of course, the classics that you turn to will depend on the age of the children you are hoping to entertain, so a little research might be necessary to find the right options to add to your catalog.
It’s also worth noting that you might be able to find some modern takes on these classic songs to make them even more relevant and interesting to your kids. Whether it’s traditional Bible songs for kids or secular music, searching YouTube is a great way to track down new versions of older songs, and they will often come with fun videos that the kids will enjoy and want to dance along with over and over again.
Check out our funky rendition of the classic jam, “5 Little Monkeys” on YouTube!
As a parent or guardian, you never want to miss a chance to sneak in a little bit of education. Sure, kids know what’s on the schedule when they head to school, but you can also help them learn passively while they’re just having fun. Some TV shows are suitable for this goal; likewise, music can incorporate educational moments in a fun and engaging way.
As mentioned earlier, how this works will depend on the age of the kids in question. For younger kids, consider songs that help them learn the alphabet or how to count. As the kids get older, the songs could add in more complex language, math concepts, and even history. Spending just a bit of time tracking down educational music for kids will make it easy to present your young people with songs that provide them with entertainment and add to the education they are getting elsewhere in life.
There is no need to overcomplicate your search for new music in the new year. It can be as simple as just letting technology do what it does best. The advanced music apps we all have access to today can help you find the right music for your family based on nothing more than other songs you enjoy. Lean on the recommendations from platforms like Spotify and Apple Music—and even YouTube—and let yourself go down a rabbit hole for a few minutes to explore some new options.
You might find it more productive to do this alone rather than with your kids. Check out the recommendations and listen to some of the options. Most likely, you’ll enjoy some of them while deciding to leave others behind. Develop a list of options to play for your kids later and see how they respond. Soon enough, you’ll have found plenty of fresh music that everyone can love and that will be requested over and over again.
Along the lines of creating a list of options for your kids to try out, it’s a good idea to create a family playlist that is saved within your favorite app and can grow over time. The key to success with a family list is to ensure everyone in the family is represented and has their tastes and preferences acknowledged. That way, when you put on the playlist and set it to “shuffle,” everyone knows they’ll hear one or two of their favorites along the way.
Having a quality family playlist is particularly useful for long road trips or chore and errand days. Of course, music tastes change over time, so updating the playlist is a good idea (not only by adding to it but also by subtracting songs that have fallen out of favor). The start of a new year is a great time to seek out new songs and clean up the list by removing some of the tunes that no one seems to enjoy anymore.
We are all guilty of falling into a rut when it comes to musical styles that we enjoy. From adults to kids, it’s a natural inclination to fall into a pattern of listening to the same things repeatedly without exploring other genres. There’s nothing wrong with having a favorite, but it’s also important to spread your wings and see what else might be out there that you will like.
This is particularly valuable advice for young people. You don’t want your kids to lock in too early and ignore the possibilities. So, make it a point to try out new styles of music, even if those don’t wind up being a hit with your group. In fact, one of the biggest lessons a young person can learn about music is what they don’t like (and that it’s okay to have preferences). By noticing things they don’t enjoy in songs, they’ll naturally gain a better appreciation for what they love and why.
At Go Fish, we not only offer an excellent selection of kids Christian music, but we also have plenty of secular preschool music to explore. We just released a brand new song for you to check out, too! Listen to “A Broken Crayon” on all major streaming platforms!
We demand that all of our music meets our lofty standards and expectations, so you can expect to enjoy a polished finished product wherever you find us—on YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon, or beyond. Your kids will love our music, and we think you’ll find yourself tapping your foot along to the beat. We’d love for you to listen!
