One of the things that I love so much about North America is its incredible diversity. I adore the different cultures and customs that have become traditions on our continent, and seeing how Canada has evolved as a result of the many nationalities that have immigrated here is something that continually intrigues and delights me. Like most parents, I want to introduce my children to as many of those different cultures as I possibly can. I remember how much I enjoyed learning about other countries as a child, and I want to encourage the same attitude in my sons.
When I can begin the teaching using another medium I am incredibly passionate about, I am even happier. I have pretty strong opinions about the beneficial effects of music in a child’s life, so when I was given a chance to review a downloadable CD of African music entitled Beautiful Creatures, I was thrilled.
Beautiful Creatures contains ten tracks of children’s music that is written with a style and subject matter that celebrate the South African culture. I spent a few months in my early twenties touring South Africa and Swaziland, so this CD was especially meaningful to me. The very first song had me reminiscing about my journey for the first time in years.
The tracks on this CD range from upbeat dance-along titles like Imvubu the Happiest Hippo to mellow lullabies like Down Comes the Rain. Zackary enjoyed every song on the CD and especially gravitated towards the slower tempo songs, which he loved to put on after supper. Needless to say, I appreciated the gentle calming effect of the lullabies as well.
About half of the songs on the CD feature familiar African animals such as the lion and the elephant, and hearing about their antics brought the memories flooding back to me. Imvubu the Happiest Hippo, for example, features a warning about just how dangerous a hippo actually is, and cautions listeners to keep their distance. In that moment, I was back in the hotel on the outskirts of Kruger Park with an incredibly serious receptionist telling me, “Make sure you stay on the walking paths, or the hippos might get you.” I began to chuckle, but her solemn expression soon convinced me that she wasn’t joking!
Best of all, in addition to offering children a new cultural experience, many of the songs feature an educational message as well. Lucas the Lazy Lion teaches children that the lioness primarily does the hunting for her family, with the lion accompanying her only occasionally. Within the music, children are able to learn more about animals and their behaviour as well!
Overall, I found Beautiful Creatures to be a very enjoyable CD. Zackary liked all of the music, and even Benjamin bounced cheerily along to the beat every time I put on one of the upbeat songs! This CD is a great way to give children an introduction to another country and culture while increasing their musical appreciation as well. Beautiful Creatures is available on iTunes as well as on the official website. Check out the site to listen to clips of the songs and see what you think!
Buy It: To purchase Beautiful Creatures, shop online now
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