Classic Folk Songs for Kids (preview) - Various Artists

Artist: Various Artists (Smithsonian Folkways)

Album: Classic Folk Songs for Kids

Description: Just a few months ago, I wrote for the Smithsonian that it was about time for Volume 2 of Smithsonian Folkways Children's Music Collection. Well, they've sort of done that now in this, the 26th entry in Folkways' "Classic Series." The playlist -- artists and songs -- itself is certainly classic. Go to the link below to hear Pete Seeger, Bess Hawes, and Tom Glazer sing "Polly Wolly Doodle" and Elizabeth Mitchell sing Woody Guthrie's classic "Riding in the Car."

Source: Smithsonian Folkways

More Multicultural Children's Songs (Sampler) - Ella Jenkins

Artist: Ella Jenkins

Album: More Multicultural Children's Songs

Description: A follow-up to her 1995 album Multicultural Children's Songs, this new album will be released on August 5th to celebrate the music legend's 90th birthday. Twenty songs from her catalogue, plus a liner note essay from Ella herself. Here are three tracks...

Source: Soundcloud / Smithsonian

Cat Doorman Songbook (Sampler) - Cat Doorman

Artist: Cat Doorman (aka Julianna Bright)

Album: Cat Doorman Songbook (sampler)

Description: You can now stream most of one of 2013's most distinctive-sounding albums. The debut kids' album from Portland, Oregon's Bright has an Etsy aesthetic and a brave emotional tone. (And sometimes it rocks out, too.) Listen to nine album tracks via the widget below.

Source: Soundcloud

Band Together - Chicago Kindie Sampler

Artist: Chicago Kindie Sampler

Album: Band Together

Description: Eight previously-unreleased tracks for $8 from eight Chicago-area musicians, including Poochamungas, Little Miss Ann, Super Stolie, Human-Tim + Robot-Tim, and more. Proceeds go to Chicago-area Intonation Music Workshop, which provides music education to area kids.

Source: Bandcamp

<a href="http://chicagokindiesampler.bandcamp.com/album/band-together">Band Together by A Chicago Kindie Sampler</a>

123s and ABCs Sampler - Ella Jenkins

Artist: Ella Jenkins

Album: 123s and ABCs (sampler)

Description: When Ella has a new album coming out, darn tootin' I'm going to let you know about it. Set to be released January 28, it's a collection of previously released number- and letter-based songs from the Chicago-area legend. Listen to 3 tracks from the album at the link below.

Source: Smithsonian Folkways

Rocktober Halloween Party Playlist 2013

Artist: Various

Album: N/A

Description: This is a solid set of Halloween-ish songs from clients and friends of kids music publicist Beth Blenz-Clucas. Trout Fishing in America, Heidi Swedberg, Boxtop Jenkins, The Pop Ups, and more. Including Justin Roberts' "Trick or Treat," the Halloween kindie anthem par excellence.

Source: Soundcloud

Sampler - Jazz for Babies

Artist: Jazz for Babies

Album: Sampler

Description: To some extent, this is the jazz equivalent of the Rockabye Baby disks and the like. But besides the absence of hipster cachet, the five albums this sampler is drawn from (one track each) offer a greater diversity in tone -- vibraphone, guitar, trumpet, piano, and saxophone -- giving you, reader, the opportunity to test your (and your baby's) sonic preference.

Source: Bandcamp

<a href="http://jazzforbabies.bandcamp.com/album/the-jazz-for-babies-sampler">The Jazz For Babies Sampler by Jazz for Babies</a>

My Cup of Tea Sampler - Heidi Swedberg and the Sukey Jump Band

Artist: Heidi Swedberg and the Sukey Jump Band

Album: My Cup of Tea (Sampler)

Description: Four tracks from the upcoming Sept. 10 release, the second album from the Los Angeles-by-way-of-New Mexico (and other points in between) ukulele evangelist. I particularly like the title track and "Johnny Martin"

Source: Soundcloud