Title: Early Childhood Classics
Artist: Palmer, Hap
Label: CD Baby
Product Type: COMPACT DISCS
UPC: 600038011124
Genre: Children's

Early Childhood Classics Old Favorites With A New Twist Here is a joyful collection of all time favorite activity songs for young children. In these unique renditions, Hap Palmer preserve's the charm and simplicity of traditional songs while adding new, original lyrics and melodies to extend and enrich the familiar classics. The simplicity and repetition of these songs guarantee active participation by encouraging children to sing and move with the music. While having fun and participating actively, children develop motor and musical skills and learn about animals, counting, identification of body parts, and phonics. As children sing along, responding to the imagery and humor of the lyrics, reading readiness is also enhanced. Alliteration and rhyme develop a child's ear for the sounds of language - an important prereading skill. These songs are developmentally appropriate for the very young child - infant to 5 years. However, the familiar melodies and contemporary arrangements also elicit surprisingly gusty participation from first and second grade students. A variety of musical styles adds new life to well known songs with swing, blue grass, country, classical, rock, pop, and blues arrangements. Fifteen songs are presented with vocal interpretation. The sequence is then repeated instrumentally providing opportunities for singing along and creating new lyrics using children's ideas. The instrumental selections also familiarize children with the sounds of a variety of musical instruments including piano, bass, drums, guitar, violin, viola, cello, trumpet, trombone, tuba, French horn, saxophone, flute, English horn, accordion, and a variety of percussion instruments such as conga drums, bougaraboo drum, ouiro, shaker, wood block and tambourine. The instrumental versions of each song can be used in the following ways: 1. After children have learned words with the vocal version, they can sing along hearing only the music. 2. Children can create their own lyrics and sing the song using their ideas. 3. The music can accompany sessions in movement exploration and creative movement. REVIEWS PUBLISHERS WEEKLY Music EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSICS: Old Favorites with a New Twist HAP PALMER, Hap-Pal Music, CD $14.95 cassette $9.95     Palmer (Can a Jumbo Jet Sing the Alphabet?) is at his spirited best on this latest collection of songs designed to get kids moving. A master at blending music and simple movements for a fun (and, yes, educational) experience, Palmer takes an all-time-greatest-hits list of action songs and gives them fresh appeal. From 'Itsy Bitsy Spider' to 'I'm a Little Teapot,' traditional tunes form the foundation upon which Palmer builds new, original lyrics and musical arrangements. 'Pat-a-Cake' and 'One, Two, Buckle My Shoe' take on a bluegrass flavor, while 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes' approaches a bluesy rock sound. Several new verses turn 'Bingo' into a nifty phonics lesson: 'Bingo growled as gophers gobbled/ Underneath the garden/ Growl begins with 'G'/ Let's clap the letter 'G.' ' Palmer's sunny vocals receive strong support from a bright sounding children's chorus and crisp accompaniment on a vast range of instruments. After Palmer sings the 15 songs they repeat in sequence again, as instrumentals, so that kids can sing along and perhaps even make up their own lyrics. A booklet containing song lyrics and suggested movements in included. Ages 1-7 PUBLISHERS WEEKLY . April 10, 2000 Pedia Media A preschool music primer for parents by Fred Koch One of the real pioneers in children's music is Hap Palmer.  His latest, Early Childhood Classics (Hap-Pal Music, 2000) recently won a Parents' Choice Gold Award and is aptly subtitled 'Old Favorites With A New Twist.'  This is an upbeat collection of some all-time favorite activity songs for young children, many updated with new, original lyrics and melodies. Palmer knows 3-to 5-year olds well. (My son gave it a listen using my headphones and portable CD player and refused to give up the headphones until about the twelfth song.)  Standouts include a neat 'Circle Songs' medley as well as standards such as 'Bingo,' 'The Wheels On The Bus' and 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.' Another feature found often in 'educational' recordings are instrumental tracks that allow children to sing along without the vocalist - a kind of preschool Karaoke experience.  Teachers love this feature.  Early Childhood Classics includes 15 songs; tracks 16-30 are repeats with the vocals mixed out.  As a parent and educator, I also appreciated the guide which was included with the CD, featuring lyrics and recommended activities for each song. CHICAGO PARENT   July 2000 MUSIC by Shannon Maughan ages 1 to 7 EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSICS   (Hap-Pal Music) Hap Palmer is a master of using music and movement to help kids learn and have fun.  His snappy renditions of classics like 'I'm a Little Teapot' and 'Pat-A-Cake' make great accompanying music to the record's suggested activities. JUNE/JULY 2000  Dads Magazine  BIOGRAPHY Hap Palmer pioneered the integration of music and movement in the area of early childhood education. His songs enhance the development of motor skills, language acquisition, reading readiness, and math concepts as well as nurture the imaginative process and encourage creative problem solving. His widespread popularity in schools and day-care centers for over twenty years, makes him a living legend within the teaching community for young children. Teachers have used his music for more than two generations to teach letters, numbers, phonics, days of the week, colors, shapes and more. A third generation of children is now learning with his songs and movement innovations. An accomplished musician, singer/songwriter and educator, his multiple skilled talent on guitar, bass, percussion, saxophone, and clarinet are heard on his various recordings. His 'Baby Songs' live-action music video series for young children has sold over 2 million units. Hap continues to write, record and produce award winning videos and recordings which have received numerous honors including Parents' Choice Gold Awards, the American Library Association Notable Designation, the National Association of Parent Publications Gold Award, The Early Childhood News Directors Choice Award and the American Video Award. As a teacher of teachers, Hap teaches classes and workshops for organizations such as the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the University of California at Los Angeles Education Extension, the Los Angeles City Schools, the Georgia Pre School Association, the Oklahoma Early Childhood Association, the New England Kindergarten Conference, the Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children and many other school districts and educational organizations throughout the nation. Using his background in music, education, and dance, he helps teachers find innovative, imaginative and fun ways to teach their students with enjoyable music and lyrics that children love to listen to over and over again. With a Masters Degree in Dance Education from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a love of music, Hap Palmer gives the world of early childhood education and young children a lasting gift of learning that spans the generations.

Tracks:
1.1 Itsy Bitsy Spider
1.2 Pat-A-Cake
1.3 I'm a Little Teapot
1.4 Old Mac Donald
1.5 Touch Your Toes to Your Nose
1.6 Circle Songs: The Mulberry Bush, Ring Around the Rosy, Hokey Pok
1.7 Open Shut Them
1.8 One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
1.9 Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
1.10 Bingo
1.11 The Elephant
1.12 I'm Glad I'm Me
1.13 Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
1.14 The Wheels on the Bus
1.15 Good-Bye Song
1.16 Itsy Bitsy Spider -Instrumental
1.17 Pat-A-Cake -Instrumental
1.18 I'm a Little Teapot -Instrumental
1.19 Old Mac Donald -Instrumental
1.20 Touch Your Toes to Your Nose -Instrumental
1.21 Circle Songs -Instrumental
1.22 Open Shut Them -Instrumental
1.23 One, Two, Buckle My Shoe -Instrumental
1.24 Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes -Instrumental
1.25 Bingo -Instrumental
1.26 The Elephant -Instrumental
1.27 I'm Glad I'm Me -Instrumental
1.28 Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star -Instrumental
1.29 The Wheels on the Bus -Instrumental
1.30 Good-Bye Song -Instrumental

Audio Sample:
All soundclips are provided by Tidal and are for illustrative purposes only. For some releases, the tracks listed may not accurately represent the tracks on the physical release.