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Original poster

What 10 albums would you buy for a toddlers first introduction to music?

107 replies

SoloMumJustMuddlingThrough · 17/11/2025 16:00

My 20 month old is obsessed with the cd player, for Christmas I would like to buy her a bunch of second hand CDs. At the moment she has a few audio books and some french nursery rhymes which we have on repeat. She knows how to change the cd, and skip to her favourite.

I would like to give her exposure to a range of music, jazz, rock, pop, classical. So I guess the question is what 10 CDs/albums would you start with? I love music but honestly cannot narrow it down (I don't have room int he flat for a huge cd collection, we are already being overrun with books!)

OP posts:
HushTheNoise · 17/11/2025 18:53

Beetles, some folk like Kate Rusby, classical like carnival of the animals, young persons guide to the orchestra with good narrators. Some jazz. We like La Boume! , very energetic. Graceland, good rhythm. Bit of traditional Scottish dance music to have your own ceilidh. We're Christians, so had lots of Colin Buchanan or Fishy Music ones. Lots of fischy music are just good moral teaching, not actually Christian. Some quieter classical music for calmer times.

WhatIsTheCharge · 17/11/2025 18:50
  • ABBA Gold
  • Beatles - White Album
  • Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
  • Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the moon (this was a great success when my DCs were little. I made it a whole sensory experience with coloured lights etc!)
OhDear111 · 17/11/2025 18:47

Yes, we had ABBA gold and early Beatles. Carols were a favourite at 2 onwards. Fleetwood Mac Rumours. Beach Boys - early era. Best loved classics (must have a tune) but we didn’t do jazz. DDs also liked the 60s girl group compilations (Carol King, Little Eva, Ronettes etc) plus quite a bit of Motown.

Borka · 17/11/2025 18:45

DS's toddler favourites were The Ramones and The Who - especially Boris the Spider!

ladyofshertonabbas · 17/11/2025 18:41

ABBA, Cats the Musical, Paul Simon Graceland, Dire Straights Brothers in Arms, Whitney Houston I wanna Dance with Somebody.

complete hitch potch of stuff we were into from toddlers upwards.

AliTheMinx · 17/11/2025 18:37

My DS loved Queen and Michael Jackson as a toddler.

PiccadillyPurple · 17/11/2025 18:36

I would just play her the music I like myself - I enjoy a range of things from pretty much every genre, from folk and classical through jazz, pop and grunge to death metal! If she shows a particular liking for something, you could then buy her her own CD from the same artist/composer. I would encourage (so far as you can) eclectic tastes so that when she's older, she'll find she has musical tastes in common with lots of people which is a great way to make friends.

Original poster
SoloMumJustMuddlingThrough · 17/11/2025 18:24

FeliciaFancybottom · 17/11/2025 16:49

Don't most children grow up listening to whatever their parents are playing?

I used to live with my headphones on but since having DD I barely ever listen to music (which I want to change!) I bought our cd player a couple of months ago and it's nice to have some background music. I don't have any CDs of my own anymore, so I'm looking for inspiration to start our collection, with DD in mind.

OP posts:
Jc2001 · 17/11/2025 17:58

Cradle of Filth

menopausalmare · 17/11/2025 17:37

Peter and the Wolf.
The carnival of the animals - Saint Saens.

realsavagelike · 17/11/2025 17:36

Rumours of course! Or any Fleetwood Mac (my kids were fans of Say You Will), The Monkees, The Sundays. Also any REM. Canadian here - Raffi, Fred Penner and Bobs and Lolo are must-haves for kids. I will still happily listen to Bobs and Lolo without children present...

Bubblefun70 · 17/11/2025 17:34

MC5 - Back in the USA. Fantastic album from start to finish.

Ohwhatfuckeryitistoride · 17/11/2025 17:31

FeliciaFancybottom · 17/11/2025 16:49

Don't most children grow up listening to whatever their parents are playing?

Ours did. I remember ds1 bouncing around pre birth to heavy dub reggae when I was in the bath. I got some early learning tapes and books of children's songs. I popped it in the car stereo and dh ejected it and stuck the Clash on. They all have pretty eclectic tastes now.

EnglishGirlApproximately · 17/11/2025 17:31

DS loved the John Legend and Roots album asxa toddler. He's 13 now and despite my best efforts has absolutely no interest in music.

SorcererGaheris · 17/11/2025 17:20

I'm a big fan of the Bee Gees, so I'd be trying to get kids into them as early as possible.

I'd probably play them most stuff from the 60s/70s/80s, to be honest. I have fond early memories of my mother playing a Carpenters album.

Albums of Disney songs, nursery rhymes, might also be a good shout.

CrowsInMyGarden · 17/11/2025 17:20

Timmy Mallet’s Bombularina. The sound of my kid’s childhood.

Ladybird69 · 17/11/2025 17:05

I know it’s not a CD but my children loved Disneys Fantasia on DVD

GlasgowGal2014 · 17/11/2025 16:57

For a toddler I'd buy kids music. My two loved Nick Cope (in the days before he was a CBeebies star!) and we found him very listenable too. His songs are good for teaching kids about everything from colours and animals to empathy and environmentalism. I might still have one of his CDs in the car that I occasionally listen to when I'm on my own too!

24Dogcuddler · 17/11/2025 16:53

This is a good Classical collection

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Classical-Baby-Various-Artists/dp/B000GFRIR2

Agree with PP about compilations too from various decades or genres.
The Junior Choice CDs have children’s classics like Nellie the Elephant and Teddy Bears’ Picnic.

FeliciaFancybottom · 17/11/2025 16:49

Don't most children grow up listening to whatever their parents are playing?

squashyhat · 17/11/2025 16:49

A bit of Slipknot wouldn't go amiss. Interspersed with Black Sabbath and Motorhead.

RecordBreakers · 17/11/2025 16:48

Just head into your local charity shop and see what's there that you won't mind hearing on repeat until your toddler breaks it.

Charity shops are inundated with CDs and are practically giving them away. You'll be bound to pick up some bargains you can drip feed to her over the coming months.

RedPony1 · 17/11/2025 16:45

I grew up on heavy rock music, i love it still!

MMAMPWGHAP · 17/11/2025 16:40

Whatever is in the local Charity Shop

ButWhysTheRumGone · 17/11/2025 16:37

Dd1’s favourite was AC/DC from birth onwards.