Happy Earth Day!
Happy Earth Day! While Earth Day is officially celebrated once a year, every day should be Earth Day. Whether you are recycling, growing plants in a garden, or taking a walk to enjoy all the beauty that nature has to offer, we can all do our part to honor this planet we call home.
To kick things off, here is “Greener Plan,” the latest single from Esther Crow. This rocking 1960s style protest song is a call to action for decision makers and those in positions of power to, “Give us a greener plan/We know that you can/For our children and for us/All of us.” Esther doesn’t just sing the song, she walks the walk as a climate crisis activist and staunch defender of the Earth and ALL of its inhabitants. “Greener Plan” is a family affair with Esther’s husband on guitar and her 11-year-old son Vincent on drums.
From defending the Earth to celebrating the Earth, next up is the third album from St. Louis’s own Marko Polo, aka Mark Pagano. Mark’s love and respect for nature is evident in Tree Sounds, this new collection of 13 original songs that are rooted in the outdoors and inspired by the healing power of biophilia, or connecting to nature. Funded by a grant from The Regional Arts Commission, Tree Sounds is filled with a fun retro vibe that takes listeners on a walk through the woods, celebrating the wonder of the surrounding trees like the “Magnolia Bloom” and the “Golden Gingko.” Mark is joined on this journey by children’s performers Andrew & Polly on “Leaves” and “Plant a Tree” and Molly Ledford on “Evergreen.” This is an album that the whole family can enjoy.
Finally, here is a playlist from the Children’s Music Network that was created for Earth Day, but can be used all year through. Featuring over 70 songs by nearly that many children’s music artists, this is a list that is not to be missed!
As a child, whenever I heard adults use the phrase, “where does the time go?” I always thought, “I don’t know where it goes, but it sure goes slow.” Now, as an adult, I too wonder where the time goes, and why it goes so quickly. It feels like Halloween was just yesterday yet the first day of 2025 is only two weeks away. I had every intention of writing several posts over the course of the past month highlighting various new holiday songs, but alas, best laid plans and all. Instead, here is one bigger post to celebrate the sounds of Christmas. 
Grief has been on a lot of people’s minds lately, mine included. So often it is correlated to the death of a loved one, but among other things, it could also be the result of the loss of a pet, or the end of dreams that will never be realized. I consider myself lucky that while growing up, whenever I was grieving a loss, however big or small, my parents never said, “Don’t cry. Everything will be ok.” Instead they let me cry, or talk, or just be alone for a while.
Set to be released this Friday, October 18, children’s indie folk band Little Coyotes’ debut album Songs to Howl & Sing is a real delight. The ten tracks in this collection are a love letter to the outdoors that celebrates many of the facets of nature, while also conveying messages of positivity and empowerment for young listeners. Whether learning about the national parks, shapes, sunny or rainy days, or the power of vowels, children will be enchanted by the lyrical prose found in each of the musical phrases. 
For children and adults, having to do things on our own may be scary, but many times that is the only way for us grow and progress. For emerging children’s artist Katie T (Kansas’s Katie Todd), this is a very personal message. With over a decade of experience teaching music to elementary school children, Katie is now taking the plunge and releasing her own music. “Chickadee” is her first single and a real delight. On the surface, the tune is a simple, jaunty song about a bird that contains repeating lyrics and action movements that would work well in storytime, but when you listen a little closer you realize that there is an important message about perseverance and how special it is to encourage one another on to success.
According to Katie, the inspiration for “Chickadee” came from a conversation that she had with her dad earlier this year. Seeing her feeling discouraged, he told her about a chick coming out of its shell and how it needed to break out all on its own in order to survive in the wild. With that story as the basis for her new song, Katie went on to pen a tune that she hopes reminds listeners that, “We have to do hard things and sometimes that means taking a break, taking a breath, and when WE are READY (not anyone else’s expectations) we can step up and try again and listen to the encouragement of those around us to make it through.” Just like that chickadee, Katie T has broken out of her shell with this single. I look forward to hearing more from this new voice in children’s music.
To celebrate CMN coming to Chicago, I thought now would be a good time to highlight two albums from the Windy City’s children’s music community. First up is 
The second album is 
Our first album today comes all the way from New Zealand. 
Next up is 
The final album is