What do you get for a baby who has everything? "Baby Christmas," the latest CD from the award-winning lovely baby CD series.
Creative Child Magazine recently ranked "Baby Christmas"and another new release in the series, "Lovely Baby and Daddy" among its "Top Creative Toys for 2004."
The verdict is still out on whether it enhances creativity, but my three-month-old daughter really enjoys the "Baby Christmas" CD. The gentle piano melodies are soothing and fun. From the moment that we played the first track, "Jingle Bells Fantasy," she reacted with a wide grin and raised her arms. She even coos along to some of the instrumental tunes. I found the 10-song disc both relaxing and interesting, especially the baby, toy and nature sounds.
The music definitely captivates and calms my wee one. That's the desired effect, according to series creator, Raimond Lap. The award-winning Dutch composer says lyrics at the earliest stages of life do not add to the educational value of music. That's why he uses what he calls "super-stereo" as a tool to aid physical response and development. He emphasizes piano and keyboard and mixes in toy squeaks, baby gurgles and giggles.
The seven disc series introduces babies to a diverse palette of styles and well-arranged music and helps create a peaceful home environment, resulting in parent-child bonding and reduced stress.
The CDs, touted as the first and only original music series in the world for babies from prenatal to 36 months, are used in elite infant education programs around the world. Major corporations have used the music, including Procter & Gamble/Asia, a company that calls the music of Lap "the best baby music in the world." The company tested other pieces of music in search of the right sound for a recent TV campaign and chose Lap's baby music for its educational impact.
"It's a fact that music has a great influence on the development of a baby's brain," wrote Lap in the liner notes of the "Baby Christmas" CD. "I truly believe this is underestimated, but we could change things. My music is meant not only for entertainment, but also for learning and developing. Lets offer our next generation the advantage of early learning."