Reggae Playground

Review

Common Sense Media says

An exquisite reggae CD for all ages.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this CD offers a selection of kid-safe reggae songs, some with inspiring messages (one reminds us how lucky we are compared to many others in the world).

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What's the story?

We dare you to find anything wrong with Putumayo Kids' REGGAE PLAYGROUND, a CD that is so exquisitely produced, performed, sequenced, and mixed. The infectious, multilingual offerings are not in any way condescending to kids -- in fact, songs like "Le Vieil Elephant," performed in French by Alain Schneider, and former Bob Marley backup singer Judy Mowatt's "Let's Dance" manage to be both musically challenging and all-ages-accessible. Rita Marley's "Harambe" is fantastic, as are the reggae takes on two pop classics -- "Here Comes the Sun" by The Burning Souls, and "Take Me Home Country Roads" by Toots and the Maytals.

Is it any good?

 

The songs on this CD are sophisticated, beautifully performed and arranged, and yet innocent enough for the youngest child to enjoy. For example, "Turning World," by Eric Bibb, reminds us of how lucky we are compared to many others in the world. The magic of this CD is that it's inclusive without being condescending, kid-friendly without allowing for a moment of parental tedium. Play this wonderful CD over and over again and dance and sing along, with or without your kids.

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What families can talk about

Families can talk about the fact that the liner notes are in four languages: English, Spanish, French, and German. Parents can ask kids why they think reggae has such universal appeal.

This review was written by Kathi Kamen Goldmark
Artist:Various Artists
Release date:January 24, 2006
Label:Putumayo World Music
Genre:Reggae
Parental advisory:No
This review was written by Kathi Kamen Goldmark
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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