"I Chew" - Hullabaloo

Artist: Hullabaloo

Song: "I Chew"

Album: I Chew

Description: Steve Denyes has a new album out later this month. The album grew out of Denyes’ challenge to himself last February to write and record a song a day for 3 weeks.  He took the best songs, recorded them in the studio with band partner Brendan Kremer and a third artist, and a year later now he’s releasing a video a day.  OK, not really.  The title track is simple, but there’s enough humor in seeing the stuffed panda bear in different situations to amuse the preschoolers that are the heart of Hullabaloo’s audience.

Source: YouTube

"Ballphabet" - Andrew & Polly

Artist: Andrew and Polly

Album: N/A

Description: This quick video surprisingly sn't from A&P's new album Odds and Ends, which is released this Friday.  Instead, it's a quick video for a quick song from their excellent Ear Snacks podcast.  All sorts of balls, including a few you'd never guess.  (John Baldessari?)

Source: YouTube

"Kidz Rock" - Twinkle Time (feat. Mista Cookie Jar)

Artist: Twinkle Time (feat. Mista Cookie Jar)

Song: "Kidz Rock"

Album: N/A (forthcoming 2015 album)

Description: I can't say that this is something I'd choose to watch repeatedly -- to me it is a sonic and (especially a) visual overload.  The Los Angeles-based Alitzah Wiener (aka Twinkle Time) and her band, plus fellow SoCal artist Mista Cookie Jar, throw everything into the video (and song).  But, man, in terms of an all-out kindie pop extravaganza -- EDM, hip-hop, pop all rolled into one -- it's on an entirely different level than most independently-produced kids music.  (Listen to and purchase the track here.)

Source: YouTube

"I Like You" - Earthworm Ensemble

Artist: Earthworm Ensemble

Song: "I Like You"

Album: Backyard Garden

Description: Aw, this is just a sweet video from the Los Angeles' band's forthcoming album.  Directed by Seth Naugle, the video features Earthworm Ensemble's Denny Moynahan and his two daughters on a day out in Los Angeles and it totally needs to be played at the next Daddy-Daughter dance.

Source: YouTube

"My My My" - Mista Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips

Artist: Mista Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips

Album: 3's a Charm

Description: Is this basically a version of those photograph clip videos you seen at weddings, graduation parties, and class reunions? Yes. I don't typically like them, so don't typically post them. But this one a) is very well-done, b) features kids are familiar to most of us who've seen MCJ in the kindie world over the years, and -- most importantly -- c) is a perfect fit for the slightly wistful singalong about growing up.  I quite like it -- it's a great intro to the new EP from the band.

Source: YouTube

"Ice Cream Sunday" - Groovy David

Artist:  Groovy David

Song:  "Ice Cream Sunday"

Album:  Kiddie Lounge

Description:  A swingin' ode to ice cream.  I think I was at an ice cream shop in San Francisco once that featured both "bacon and blueberry" and "dirt" flavors.

Source:  Vimeo

"Camping Paper Story" - Angie Engelbart (PLAY music)

Artist: Angie Engelbart (PLAY music)

Song: "Camping Paper Story"​

Album: N/A

Description:​ It's a craft, it's a song, it's a video.  Though nicely sung by Angie Engelbart, I don't expect the video itself to capture a child's attention for repeated views.  Done live, however, I can imagine the origami story song by Anne Kelly-Saxenmeyer would be fun for a storytime.

Source: Vimeo​

"Lover Not a Fighter" - Mista Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips

Artist: Mista Cookie Jar & the Chocolate Chips

Song: "Lover Not a Fighter"

Album: Ultramagnetic Universal Love Revolution

Description: It's the details in what would otherwise be a fairly typical performance video featuring MCJ and Ava Flava that make this a notch above -- the Soul Train footage in the background, the disco ball, the '70s-era font.  Plus, it's an undeniably groovy (and fun) track.

Source: YouTube