The Bottom Line
Pros
- Introduces children to various musical styles of Brazil.
- Features notable Brazilian artists.
- Excellent music production that entices listeners to dance.
- Comes with liner notes in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.
- Other learning materials are downloadable from their website.
Cons
- None
Description
- Released by Putumayo Kids as part of their Playground cd series for children.
- Contains 13 lively and kid-friendly songs from some of Brazil's notable artists.
- The Putumayo Kids' cd series have gained recognition and consistently won awards.
- These include: Awards from the National Parenting Publications Association and the Parents’ Choice Award.
- Each song has been carefully chosen to showcase the musical styles of Brazil through kid-friendly and upbeat songs.
- A great way to introduce kids to world music, musical styles, and musical instruments native to that region.
- Teachers and parents who homeschool can use this cd to teach other subjects such as Geography, History and Foreign Language.
- The cd comes with liner notes in 4 different languages; it also has a music glossary and a map.
- A learning guide is downloadable from their website which includes fun learning activities.
- Price: $14.98, a portion of the proceeds goes to the Axe Project.
Guide Review - Product Review of "Brazilian Playground" Music CD
"Brazilian Playground" is the ninth album from the Putumayo Kids' Playground series. It contains 13 songs featuring talented Brazilian musicians; most notably Gilberto Gil, the Brazilian Minister of Culture. Each song was recorded in their native language and has been expertly chosen for its kid-friendly content, enticing rhythm and educational value.The cd comes with liner notes in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese. Here we learn more about the people and culture of Brazil, the meaning of each song and a brief background of the artist who recorded it. The full-color liner notes include a music glossary and a map. Other materials such as song lyrics and learning guides may be downloaded from their website.
The learning guide contains suggested activities while listening to the cd. These activities may be stretched out by the teacher or parent to cover other subjects such as History and Geography. Those who homeschool and use the unit study approach will also find this cd a good learning tool.
I enjoyed listening to all the songs, the rhythms are so infectious that I found myself dancing along to it. For someone who has two left feet, that really means a lot. Each song showcases the rich musical heritage of Brazil. For example, African influence is highlighted in the song Marinheiro Só (Lonely Sailor).
If you're looking for a cd that will help introduce kids to world music and musical styles like the bossa nova and samba, "Brazilian Playground" is a must-have.
