Will Stroet Rocks!

We had a fantastic time at the Will Stroet concert today, and really enjoyed his Backyard Band. The concert was bilingual, and included English, French and even some Spanish in the songs.

I liked how small the venue was, and the kids were able to run around and dance without worrying about crowding people in their seats. If I had one complaint, it's that it was too loud for little ears!

Another highlight was a mini-show from Rock the Arts, a local puppet company. It took me back to my Fraggle Rock days :) The girls were in stitches over the hilarious puppets!

We danced the afternoon away, and the girls were asleep by 7 p.m.!

CBC's Will Stroet: CD Review and Giveaway!

Many offers land in my inbox here at Kids in the Capital. My favourite ones are those that ask me to review a book or a CD. Music is one of my passions, and I've been sure to introduce a wide range of music to my children. Unfortunately, some children's music is not only terrible, but insufferable! That's why I'm so happy to be reviewing Will Stroet's new CD "Just Imagine." It's a breath of fresh air for parents who can't take another rendition of "Do Your Ears Hang Low."

You may recognize Will's name from Will's Jams, which air on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on Kids CBC. The songs are catchy and educational, covering a wide range of topics (eating your veggies, getting exercise, and creativity).

Will Stroet is embarking on a cross-Ontario tour this Fall, and you'll have a chance to win tickets to see him play at the Bronson Centre on November 23rd. Make sure to follow our Facebook page for details of the contest!

When I received the CD in the mail, I immediately popped it in our player and my girls started dancing around the room. The first track - Chuggada Choo - is reminiscent of Johnny Cash, and super catchy! Same goes for the Brazilian "Mama Samba," and I found myself humming "My mama loves to dance, she's gonna do the mama samba" for the rest of the day. The girls, of course, loved to see me attempt the Samba :)

Will and his Backstreet Band (Elliot Langford and Kevin Romain) show their musical chops with  a wide range of influences - bluegrass, blues, folk, rock and so much more. Each song is very different, so you don't run the risk of getting totally and utterly bored as a parent listening to this CD.

And it's clear that Will is a devoted father of his own two girls (Ella, 4 and June, 4 months), as evident in the final track on the CD - Daddy's Lullaby. Very sweet!

If you're looking for some new music to pop in the CD player while driving your car, then I would definitely suggest purchasing Just Imagine. You can buy Will's CDs from his website and also give him a follow on his Facebook page.

And if you're looking for a fun family outing, don't forget he's playing at the Bronson Centre on November 23rd.  Here's the link to purchase your tickets!

Disclosure: Kids in the Capital was compensated for this review, but all opinions are my own.

An ode to an app

My kid has been playing with the iPad for a long time and we have tried a lot of learning apps; some have been bigger hits than others. Some she has loved and I have hated because I don't understand what they were actually teaching. We've had some big hits that she still plays with, like the Monkey Preschool apps that I recommend to anyone looking for a toddler or preschooler friendly game. Last week I downloaded the Super Why! app from PBS Kids.

This is my ode to that app.

In the mornings we tend to watch CBC Kids while I'm getting some a bit of work done, and I had noticed that the kid got into Super Why! and was doing well with the sounding out of works with the Super Why team. I figured the show would have an app so I went looking and downloaded it.

When the kid plays the app, which has all four main characters doing different activities with letters and words. Princess Pea sings, and right along with her my daughter says 'S-P-E-L-L spell!'

She finds the sounds, makes the words, sings and laughs. This app is working her towards reading more than any other she's played so far and I love to watch it. When I sit down with her with workbooks or a crayon on some paper she doesn't get as involved as she does with the Super Why! team.

I give it an A+.