While it’s absolutely important to our society that we commit the time and resources required to teach music, creating educational music that actually sticks with kids can be a real challenge. One of the most successful approaches we’ve discovered is broadening the scope of the material (after all, there are only so many ways of singing: “One plus one equals two…”).

On our first album, “Yellowberry Jam”, here are some of the educational gems that kids can absorb as part of learning these engaging and memorable songs:

SCIENCE

• Lots of really interesting facts about beetles (including the names of several specific kinds of beetles, their habitat, their diet, the fact that fireflies are beetles, and the name of the chemical that causes firefiles to light up!)
• Facts about the Galapagos Islands (including several of the species that live there, the fact that its a pretty scary environment full of predators and volcanic activity and the fact that the giant tortoises are as big as rocks!)
• And many characteristics about bunnies in Bunny Baby as well…don’t overfeed them sugar, they generally don’t like to be held, the fact that they purr, etc

SOCIAL SKILLS

• They learn the power of projecting positive “vibes” toward others (that it can diminish negativity and helps to elicit a warm response)
• Embracing diversity in a complex world (appearances can be decieving…learning to treat others as we would want to be treated)
• The power of touch and hugs (appropriate touch, bonding)
• The power of laughter (and even tickling!) to disarm arrogance and tension in some situations
• The appropriateness and effectiveness of time-outs as a discipline response to inappropriate behavior
• Social impacts of eating

READING

• The mystery, power and adventure of books (how we can live vicariously through the eyes of authors)

HISTORY

• Who invented peanut butter

IMAGINATION & CREATIVITY

• An imaginary trip down a water slide
• What if there was a magic sauce that could make even unappealing foods palatable?
• What if there was a contest for the best-tasting food in the world?