Learning about animals is a common interest and fun activity for little ones of all ages, so why not sing about them too? Many of Raffi's Animal Songs feature the piano and guitar, while the trumpet and funky keyboard sounds are heard in Octopus's Garden. The unique sound of a muted trumpet is displayed in Baby Beluga, and delicate harmonica flourishes are even heard in the album's only lullaby, Irene, Goodnight. Raffi also whistles the whole first verse of Eensy Weensy Spider, and the sounds of ocean water moving and whales 'talking' at the beginning of Baby Beluga is a fun surprise. Perhaps the most fun sound of all - children singing along - is heard on Goin' to the Zoo, Who Built the Ark, and Down By The Bay. Anansi and Tingalayo are island influenced, and sing about a clever spider who wants some mangoes (Anansi) and a donkey with some fun and easy-to-learn lyrics; "Me donkey fast, me donkey fast, my donkey come, and me donkey go" (Tingalayo). Many of the songs contain silly lyrics and humor your little one will understand and enjoy, such as in Down By the Bay when Raffi is calling out the main rhyme of each verse and finally ends up singing, "Did you ever have a time...when you couldn't make a rhyme?"
Considering the main motif of the album, animal sounds are abundant throughout the tracks, supplying ample opportunities for your little one to jump in on the fun even if they don't know the words yet. In Over In the Meadow alone they can 'quack' with one duck, 'glub' with two fish, 'whistle' with three birds, 'ribbet' with four frogs, and 'buzz' with five bees! Perhaps just like the little one at the end of the song, your child will laugh "just to hear such fun." The repetition and rhymes in lines like, "Going to the Zoo zoo zoo, how 'bout you you you, you can come too too too" make learning the song fast and fun. You can also encourage your little one to listen to the lyrics and imagine what they are singing about - or even take it a step further and act some of them out which will delight your child. Just think of the entertainment possibilities in Here Sits a Monkey, the story of two lovesick monkeys, "Oh, here lays a monkey under the chair, chair, chair. He lost all his loves that he had last year."
I first listened to this album with my one-year-old friend, Mosley, during his play time. He had a blast watching me dance around and sing along to the lyrics. For whatever reason, I bent my arms and flapped them whenever Raffi sang "quack quack quack" in 6 Little Ducks, which really impressed Mosley so he smiled big and started joining in. He was giggling and imitating me for the rest of the song after that, so I started being even sillier to see if he would copy. The harder I laughed, the harder it made him laugh, and we finally ended up just collapsing on the couch together exhausted from all the fun.
--Audra