Sing, Play and Move with Teddy Bear Band

PreS-K—Designed to provide an emergent literacy experience for preschoolers, the Minnesota-based Teddy Bear Band has assembled a playlist of over a dozen classic children's songs. They have been arranged by band members Ron Gustafson and/or Richard Erickson who add a twist to infuse interest. Standouts include "Hickory Dickory Dock" (a strong beat helps teach rhythm), two versions of "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" (done with a twist of changing the rhythm on the bluegrass version), "The Hip, the Hip, the Hippopotamus" (emphasizing beginning letter sounds), "Wheels on the Bus," "Bringing Home a Baby Bumble Bee" (adding bringing home a baby dinosaur), "The Alphabet Song" (including a version of the alphabet sung backwards), "Old McDonald," and "Five Little Monkeys." The silly hijinx offered in these arrangements adds freshness to each tune. Liner notes include information for parents and teachers about applications for each song. For those looking for something to use with tiny tikes that is a bit off the beaten path, this might be just the ticket.—Stephanie Bange, Wright State University, Dayton, OH