Jooki is a versatile music player that effortlessly plays hours of music and other audio material, including e-books, all without the need for a screen. Its compact design allows little ones to carry it around on car rides and other adventures with ease.
But that's not all. The Jooki strikes the perfect balance between fun and functionality. It empowers kids to independently explore and control their music player through an intuitive interface and simple controls that even the youngest users can operate. Instead of relying on a regular screen, the Jooki utilizes tokens to store audio data. As a parent, you can safely curate a collection of your child's favorite songs on these tokens!
With its user-friendly interface, versatile capabilities, and sturdy build, the Jooki unquestionably stands out as the top music player for kids in the market.
See all of our Jooki products here and thank you to Kansas City Star for this incredible feature.]]>If you're a Spotify user in search of a kid's music player, look no further than Jooki. Our product allow you to create custom playlists or choose offline mp3s and assign them to Jooki tokens. Not only was it awarded Product of the Year in 2022 by Creative Child Magazine, but Jooki is also suitable for ages 3+ and provides a safe audio experience. With its compact and lightweight design (5.5"x 8"), your child can easily carry it around.
Jooki is intentionally designed to minimize distractions and overstimulation, featuring a simple vibrant blue and orange design. With an impressive battery life of 8 hours and 5GB of memory that can be monitored, this device is perfect for road trips or winding down at bedtime.
Jooki offers the freedom to customize and control what your child listens to, making it an excellent choice for discerning parents.
See all of our Jooki products here and thank you to Mother & Baby for this incredible feature.
]]>Music is like a brain workout for kids. It enhances their cognitive abilities, sharpening memory, pattern recognition, and mathematical skills. The rhythmic nature of music helps children develop their sense of timing and sequence, which are vital skills applicable beyond the realm of music.
Young children often struggle with expressing their emotions verbally. Music provides a channel for them to convey feelings ranging from joy to sadness. It's a safe space where they can explore and understand their emotions, fostering emotional intelligence and regulation.
Music stimulates creativity and fuels imagination. It encourages children to think creatively, come up with their melodies, and invent stories. This creative process not only boosts their confidence but also nurtures problem-solving skills and fosters a love for artistic expression.
Music often involves collaboration and teamwork. Whether singing in a choir or playing instruments together, children learn to listen to others, follow instructions, and communicate effectively. These skills are invaluable for building strong social bonds.
Surprisingly, exposure to music can lead to better academic performance. Research suggests a link between musical education and improved math and reading abilities in children. The discipline and focus required for learning music can translate into success in other subjects.
Through music, kids can explore a world of cultural diversity. Exposure to different musical styles and traditions helps them develop an appreciation for the rich tapestry of global cultures. It promotes open-mindedness and inclusivity.
Lastly, introducing music to kids sets the stage for a lifelong love of music. It becomes a source of joy, relaxation, and expression that they can turn to throughout their lives, enhancing their overall quality of life.
The gift of music to young children is a priceless investment in their cognitive, emotional, and social development. It enhances their creativity, fosters crucial life skills, and lays the foundation for a lifelong passion. So, whether it's a personal audio player like Jooki, a musical instrument, lessons, or simply sharing your favorite tunes, remember that gifting music is a gesture that can shape a child's future in beautiful and lasting ways.
Remember, Jooki is an ideal way to introduce music to young children!
What is Jooki?
Jooki is the award-winning and kid-friendly music player designed to provide a safe and fun musical experience for children. Jooki is a unique and long-lasting gift for children and families! Find Jooki HERE.
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]]>The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents set consistent limits on media use for kids of 3 to 12 years old to no more than one hour a day.
It is important to discuss with your child the difference between media use for entertainment and school. Time spent on homework and educational activities should be restricted differently from playing video games, watching TV, or browsing social media. Agree on the limits together – it is a good idea to write down a list of websites and apps that fall under the “entertainment” category and the “education” category.
1. Consider using an app to limit screen time
Apps provide a simple and efficient way to implement parental controls. Here are a few of the best apps for parents to limit screen time:
Zift
In addition to helping parents monitor their child’s screen time, this app also provides instant reporting of online searches, updates on newly installed apps, and alerts if your child views inappropriate content. The app’s award-winning Net Nanny Smart Filter technology can scan specific web pages to determine if the content is safe for your child.
Screen Time
Screen Time is easily customized — you can reward your child by giving them more screen time after they do their homework or complete chores. Parents can also block screen-free periods like bedtime, homework time, or school hours.
unGlue
This app aims to develop better habits in kids by teaching them healthy screen time etiquette. Parents can set boundaries on entertainment by putting a time limit on entertainment apps, sites, and games so your kids can browse the internet without getting distracted. Kids are also encouraged to manage their habits by tracking their own screen time.
Qustodio
This app shows you everything you need to know about your kid's screen time on its online dashboard. Features include Smart Web Filters that block inappropriate content, game limitations, and a device time schedule, so your kids are unplugged during pre-set times. Parents will also get Smart Activity Reports to see their child’s activity.
Norton Family
This app from Norton enables parents to supervise their kids’ activities. Parents can know who their kids are in contact with, what social media image they are posting online, and how long they are gaming for. Norton Family also has personal information protection for Windows devices, so your child doesn’t reveal sensitive information.
2. Explain why you are limiting screen time
Remember that parental control apps are technological tools to help your child learn healthy media habits. Have frequent discussions with your child about why you are using a screen limiting app, the dangers of too much screen time, and how they will benefit from the limits. Based on what's appropriate for your child's age, talk about why too many violent video games, social media, and TV can be harmful.
You can frame these limits positively as a challenge to spend more time outside, playing in nature, and connecting with their friends – in person! Many parents know that children can be very crafty in finding their way around these limits. Older children and teens will be more accepting when they understand the purpose and benefits of less screen time.
Make sure that every member of your family is included in these discussions, so everybody works together to set and follow the boundaries.
3. Model responsible screen usage
As parents, you will know that children are impressionable and readily adopt the values, behaviors, and actions that they see in their parents.
When it comes to screen usage, parents need to act as a role model. Set a good example for your kids by being very intentional with the way you use screens. This means thinking twice before you mindlessly scroll on your phone or binge-watch on your favorite Netflix series after a long day. Set a good example by unwinding without a screen! Instead, you can tuck in with a good book or listen to relaxing music.
4. Keep devices in a common area
Rather than keeping your child’s computer, tablets, and TV in their bedroom, put their devices in a common area. This way, you can watch what is going on and teach your child about safe internet and social media use.
5. Make your child’s bedroom a screen-free zone
Make it a rule that TVs, video gaming consoles, and computers are not allowed in your child's bedroom. This also includes phones and tablets that your child might be tempted to use late at night, which could impact their sleep.
With the Jooki music player, your child can listen to a library of music and stories from Spotify associated with tokens and figurines – all without a screen! This way, your child can stay entertained and inspired in their bedroom while keeping the space screen-free.
6. Turn off devices when not in use
While it is tempting to keep the TV on as background noise while cooking, cleaning, or eating, make your whole home a screen-free zone by leaving the TV off. It is good practice to turn off or mute your phone when you’re not using it or during family mealtimes.
With these tips, you will help your children develop healthy media habits both at school and at home.
]]>To help your child continue to receive a top-notch Montessori-style education during this time, here are some ways to promote effective learning at home.
The Montessori philosophy places a high value on children’s independence and autonomy towards their learning and environment. At school, your children are encouraged to express their opinions about what they are currently learning. Playing the role of Montessori educators at home, parents can support this by stepping back and observing with a “less is more” approach.
Instead of motivating your children to study with extrinsic rewards, help them draw on their internal motivations. Through their learning, give your children room to try, fail, and try again without interruption as they persevere through difficulties. This will set them on the path for successful self-directed learning. As children develop within the Montessori approach at school and home, they will build confidence, resilience, and a belief that they are capable.
Children really do better with routines. Creating predictable schedules will help your child manage isolated learning. Once you know your child’s remote class schedule, you can fix the times for snack time, lunchtime, recess, and homework. You can post the schedule on the fridge, so your child knows what to expect throughout the day.
At the same time, keep the schedule flexible. Children are motivated when they feel like they have a say. A flexible schedule will allow for changes and also leaves unscheduled free time for what your child wants to do.
Montessori practices are designed to be adaptable to different conditions, cultures, and needs. While remote learning is a big change to classroom lessons, you can adjust your home to make Montessori work for you and your child. Since your home is the new classroom, there should be a dedicated space to meet your children academic needs.
Children in preschool or kindergarten (aged 3 to 5) need a place for art and hands-on learning. A flat surface and a child-sized chair will do, as young children tend not to sit still for too long.
For older children in elementary school, a desk and space for books, learning materials, and supplies are recommended. If this is not possible, a dedicated spot at the dining table will also work. This will support your children in getting into a school mindset at home so they can learn without distractions.
This year during the pandemic, handwashing and maintaining cleanliness are important skills that children need to cultivate as a habit. In the Montessori method, the teacher is an enabler that models good behavior – and this includes good hygiene. Wash your hands together with your child and discuss what cleanliness means at home. Handwashing as well as dusting, sweeping, and scrubbing are effective practical life activities endorsed by the Montessori method. You can encourage cleaning habits by bringing your child dustpans and wipes for cleaning up after art projects, flower arranging, and gardening. This will instill good habits in their daily routine, which they can continue practicing when they return to school.
Learning from home means that children spend a lot of time indoors! Make sure your child is getting enough sunlight and exposure to the outdoors by spending time together in the backyard. You can start a vegetable garden, which is a great way to get your hands dirty and be more active during the day.
If you don’t have the materials to start your own garden, you can encourage your child to do other backyard activities. For a fun classification activity, your child can collect rocks, leaves, and flowers and sort them by color, size, or shape. Any activity that can draw their attention away from screens for some time will be beneficial to their overall well-being and productivity.
Reading is a wonderful way to spend time together at home. You should choose stories that your children are interested in. If they like nature, you can read books about birds, stars, gardens, dinosaurs, and caterpillars. If they are fascinated by the human world around them, you could read books on families, home life, and school.
As an alternative to reading aloud, you can also listen to audiobooks to boost their listening comprehension skills. Jooki makes it easy for your child to learn with audiobooks. You can associate MP3 files or audiobooks Spotify playlists with Jooki figurines or tokens. This way, your children can choose the story they want to listen to and use the figurines and tokens to play them independently.
Despite its challenges, remote learning offers a unique chance for you to connect with your children and witness Montessori in action. You will see their learning style and can observe which subjects and topics inspire and motivate them. With the Montessori approach, your child is well-prepared to learn at home successfully this year.
]]>Read on to discover 8 audio stories that get kids excited to return to the classroom.
“The Dot” will make your child feel inspired to go out and try new things!
This endearing story is about a young girl named Vashti who does not believe that she can draw. One day in art class, the teacher tells the class to simply make a mark and see where it goes. Vashti makes a dot and signs it. The next day she noticed that her teacher had framed her dot. Seeing her showcased drawing made her want to do better. Vashti continued to paint different versions until she had made dozens of dots in different colors and sizes. In the end, Vashti encourages another student to believe that she too can achieve anything she puts her mind to.
Perfect for kindergarteners – this story can help ease first-day jitters!
“S is for School!” tells the story of Elmo's first day of school with his friends, including Abby, Big Bird, and other Sesame Street friends. The students are very diverse, and he meets people of Green, Fat Blue, and Large Lavender Live Hand descent, as well as monsters, birds, bears and superheros. Elmo meets a monster named Lola, who is looking lost and lonely. Elmo becomes her friend by offering her half of a cookie.
This story is about the value of helping others and can inspire your child with community service ideas for the school year.
Clifford has a big heart, but when he helps Emily and Tim do good deeds, things keep going awry. They begin by assisting a man to rake leaves and put them in his truck, but the leaves make Clifford sneeze. The leaves are blown away. Nothing seems to be working until Clifford sees a building on fire. He rescues two little kids and extinguishes the fire. In the end, the mayor rewards him with a big gold medal. This classic Clifford book invites everyone to do good deeds that make the world a better place.
“A Bad Case of the Stripes” is an important reminder not to give in to peer pressure.
Camilla Cream loves lima beans, but she never eats them because the other kids at her school don't like them. Camilla Cream is always worried about what other students think about her. On her first day of school, Camilla wakes up and finds herself covered in rainbow stripes. Nothing seems to fix it, as she breaks out in checkerboards pattern and bacteria tails. The doctors, specialists, and experts cannot figure out the cause of the stripes. Finally, an old lady forces her to eat some lima beans, which cures her condition. Even though her friends think she is strange, Camilla continues to eat lima beans and never has stripes again.
“We Don't Eat Our Classmates” encourages children to put themselves in others’ shoes.
The audiobook tells the story of Penelope – a young T-Rex who gets in trouble on her first day of school when she can’t resist the urge to eat the other students. After getting scolded for eating them, the teacher makes her spit out the children. Penelope doesn’t understand why she shouldn’t eat the other students until the class goldfish bites her finger.
After hearing this story, kids will feel eager to help others as they start the new school year – and make sure they are not making the situation worse!
In the book, Little Miss Helpful loves to help out, but sometimes she can be a little clumsy. When Mr. Tall’s shoelace gets untied, instead of tying up his laces, she ties his shoes together, causing him to fall and hurt himself. And when Mr. Happy gets sick, Little Miss Helpful tries to help him but ends up making him feel worse. This story from the iconic Mr. Men and Little Miss Series is bound to get you chuckling.
“The Magic School Bus: Inside the Earth” will get kids eager to board the school bus for their first day and make them excited to learn about science.
The story is about Ms. Frizzle's class adventure to collect rocks inside the Earth. The class goes out to a field and starts digging, where they learn about all the different layers: soil, sandstorm, shale, limestone, marble, and granite. As they travel to the Earth's core, the students learn about fossils, stalagmites and stalactites, crust, melted rock, mantle, outer core, inner core, and volcanoes.
With this story, coloring will never be the same again!
“The Day the Crayons Quit” tells the tale of how Duncan takes out his crayons and finds a stack of letters inside. The reads about how the red crayon is used too much, complaining that too many things such as fire engines and strawberries are red. On the other hand, the purple crayon is a neat-minded soul and hates how Duncan’s colors go outside the lines. The black crayon complains that he only gets used for outlines. Saddest of all is the peach crayon – he has lost his wrapping and doesn’t want to be naked. Duncan draws a final drawing to please all the crayons.
]]>At Jooki, we are celebrating this month screen-free of course! Here are 6 exciting activities for screen-free family fun.
There is nothing like a family picnic nestled in nature. Find a peaceful spot in your local area with fresh air and open space to enjoy the environment as the weather turns to Autumn.
If it is still too hot, try a breakfast picnic to get out in the early morning and avoid the crowds. You can fill your basket with easy breakfast foods such as toast, jam, boiled eggs, muffins, yogurt, and applesauce.
Don’t forget to bring Jooki with you to soundtrack your picnic with happy tunes! You can associate the tokens and figurines to your own mp3 files and play your songs without internet connection. Show us your family time with Jooki in the park by tagging us on Instagram with @us.jooki.rocks and #jookirocks!
If your family doesn’t have a recipe book yet, now is a great time to start this wonderful tradition.
You can include your easiest and most commonly used recipes as well as your special occasion dishes. When your children grow up, they will have fond memories of these meals. With each recipe, you can write a few lines about how the dish connects you together. For example, an apple crumble recipe could say that the crumble is a sweet accompaniment to grandpa’s after-dinner jokes!
The kids can add their doodles and drawings to the recipes, and you can also include pictures of your kitchen creations. This recipe book will be a heartwarming keepsake that your children can pass down to the next generations.
End the summer in a relaxing way by going to the beach – a day of building sandcastles and frolicking in the water. You can pack a ball and play beach soccer for added family fun. You could also draw hopscotch in the sand, using a seashell as a marker, or start a collection of any unique seashells that you find.
Remember to bring Jooki! Show how your family enjoys Jooki at the beach by tagging us on Instagram with @us.jooki.rocks and #jookirocks!
Help your kids start the new school year fresh by spreading kindness. Gather your gently used clothes and toys and donate them to a local shelter. When you drop off the donations as a family, you will show your kids how they can bring happiness to others when sharing their belongings. Alternatively, you can make care packages to donate. Check with each individual shelter to see what they are most in need of.
This act of service will inspire your kids to continue giving back to the community. Helping others releases serotonin, which can improve any back-to-school woes.
A great way to encourage your kids’ artistic abilities is to host a talent show. Whether they like singing, dancing, acting, or magic, encourage your kids to show case their skills and create a fun environment for exploring talent. You could set up a stage in your living room or take it to the backyard. The adults can join too to share their special talents with the family. Performing in front of the ones they love the most will be a peak experience that will create happy memories for your children.
There is no better way to take a break from technology and screens than by venturing into the great outdoors for a camping trip. After a day of hiking and exploring, you can gather everyone around a campfire to tell stories, sing songs, and roast marshmallows. The isolation of camping can really bring your family together and help you bond in new ways. If going to a campsite is too far, you can even set up tents in your own backyard!
For this month, use your imagination, spend quality time with your family, and have fun together!
]]>To counter this ever-increasing screen time, why not consider screen-free Saturdays? Going screen-free is not as hard as you think.
Screen-free Saturdays are an invitation to play, connect, and rediscover the joy of life beyond screens for one day a week. Saturdays are an ideal time to turn off technology devices and reconnect with loved ones over the weekend when devices are not needed for school or work. This is a chance to experience screen-free time and spaces and integrate it as part of your family life.
Screen-free Saturdays are a great way to reduce screen time so that your child can explore other interests, build face-to-face relationships, and counter potentially addictive technology habits.
Screen-free days can bring you closer to your family and make you more intentional with your time. By unplugging, your child can increase their social skills. An hour spent watching TV can instead be spent outdoors, doodling, reading, doing sports, or playing pretend.
Anticipate your Saturday a few days before
For the first few weeks, set expectations for the event on Thursday and Friday by reminding your child that screen-free Saturday is coming soon! For children that spend a lot of time with screens, this day may be a big change to their usual habits. Remember to keep the tone positive to build excitement.
Plan together
Have a family brainstorming session where you talk about activity ideas. You can also build in a backup plan in case of rainy weather. Ideas can include hiking, camping, playing board games, arts and crafts, trying a new cooking recipe, doing a puzzle, or reading aloud. Reading is a great all-weather activity, making it ideal for this special day of the week.
Print recipes and directions beforehand
Prepare for your Saturday by printing recipes, maps, and any other activity guides you may use beforehand. This way, you won’t be tempted to reach for your phone for logistics or planning purposes.
Schedule activities with different groups of people
Not everything has to be done altogether as a family. You can plan father-son or mother-daughter bonding activities and schedule playdates for your child with their peers.
Schedule alone time
You can give your child the chance to do an independent project, such as arts and crafts or reading. Help them prepare for this separate session by providing them with supplies and toys.
Schedule free time
Don’t let screen-free Saturdays feel like a chore – remember to keep it fun for the whole family and schedule free time for rest. This will make your Saturday a welcomed break from the busy, screen-heavy weekdays.
Turn off your devices
Research from psychologist Sherry Turkle shows that even the presence of our phones is distracting. When it comes to our phones, out of sight is out of mind.
On this day, turn off your phone and put it away completely. If there are people who might worry if they can’t contact you, let them know beforehand that you will be out of reach on Saturday.
Participate as a family
Screen-free Saturdays should be for the whole family – parents included! Model screen-free living on this day. While quickly looking at your email or checking the weather forecast might seem harmless, you can easily get distracted by a flood of notifications. When the adults are committed and take it seriously, children will feel that it is fair and that everyone participates together.
Spend family meals connecting and sharing stories
Prepare the ingredients for your meals ahead of time and get your child involved in preparing and presenting the meal. You can think of different ways to make the meals feel special, with unique meal settings or story-sharing sessions.
Reflect on your experiences at the end of the day
Talk about how you feel, what you accomplished, and what you are looking forward to the following week. This is a great way to see what activities are working and which ones need to be changed or improved. There will be challenges throughout the day, and this is a great time to talk about them and find solutions. These learnings can help your family reduce your dependence on screens for the rest of the week.
By unplugging for one day each week, we promise you will feel recharged and more connected to the world around you!
How do you enjoy your screen-free Saturdays? Let us know by tagging #jookirocks on social media.
Music impacts our limbic system, the brain part that processes emotions and memory. Newborns’ hearing is particularly sensitive to sound: music and sounds can evoke powerful emotions in children and create strong associations with people, places, and feelings.
While upbeat music can quicken children’s heartbeat and incite the urge to dance, mellow sounds can soothe nerves and prepare kids for bedtime. Here are eight songs and stories for children to fit every mood:
Get up, get silly, and get jiggy! Morning is the time to rise and shine with upbeat songs. Music with drums and percussion instruments provides an instant emotional release for children. While children's two brain hemispheres often operate on different wave frequencies, listening to rhythmic drumming can help to bring kids’ brains into sync, creating feelings of euphoria and boundless creativity.
1. Happy by Pharrell Williams
This irresistible song from Despicable Me 2 has had the whole world dancing together since its release. The cheerful tune of Happy is bound to get your family up on their feet, excited for the day ahead!
2. I Just Can't Wait to Be King by JD McCrary
This song is charged with energy and excitement. The 2019 version of this iconic Lion King track tells the story of the Simba – the young lion cub who is to one day be the king of The Pride Lands. The song shows Simba's excitement – he can't wait to frolic around, have fun with his friends, and help the animals of The Pride Lands as king.
To create a sense of magic and adventure, try these songs and stories that tell tales of lands far away. These magical stories give children the chance to use their imagination and picture new worlds.
3. A Whole New World by ZAYNE, Zhavia Ward
In this modern rendition of the classic Aladdin song, ZAYNE and Zhavia Ward sing about their whole new world that they discover together. Aladdin shows princess Jasmine a new life of freedom and love while riding together on a magic carpet.
4. The Story of Alice and The While Rabbit
Alice sees a white rabbit pull a watch out of his waistcoat and goes on to disappear into a rabbit hole. She decides to follow him down the hole and ends up at Wonderland, where she embarks on a magical journey that is filled with challenges and adventures. Her world becomes curiouser and curiouser! This popular story is a riveting tale of magic.
On a lazy afternoon or rainy day, these stories are perfect for creating a cozy setting. Snuggling up on the couch listening to a good story can help children feel a lasting mood of wellness and contentment. This can form warm memories that your child will cherish for the years to come.
5. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
This well-known story is about Sam-I-Am's attempt to convince the narrator to try green eggs and ham. Throughout the book, he offers the unnamed narrator different locations and dining partners to try the delicacy. In the end, the narrator relents and eats the green eggs and ham and ends up loving the food. Narrated over soothing xylophone background music, this rhythmic and rhyming story reads like a song and is a great one to listen to curled up with a blanket.
6. Don't Worry, Be Happy by Juice Music
This remake of Bob Marley's famous feel-good tune is made to soothe worries and create a warm and glowing atmosphere. Hearing the singer say, "Look at me, I'm happy," is bound to leave a smile on your child's face.
Play these stories as part of a relaxing bedtime ritual or before nap time to ease your child gently into a peaceful sleep.
This fun bedtime story tells the tale of a very small bug and a very big yawn that spreads and spreads. The Who's-Asleep-Count keeps growing as all the creatures join in. The soporific narration read over soothing background music is bound to get your child yawning and slipping into sweet dreams.
In this well-loved fable, three pigs build houses of different materials. When a Big Bad Wolf comes to the pigs' houses looking for a meal, he blows down the first two pigs' houses made of straw and sticks. The wolf cannot blow down the third pig's house, which is made of bricks. This story is bound to wind down your little ones so they can sleep safe and sound.
With these songs and stories, you are ready to soundtrack every mood for a screen-free childhood with Jooki.
]]>Creating your own Montessori environment at home doesn’t have to require a huge investment or a home revamp – with these five simple tips, you can create a Montessori play space at home.
As many parents know, toys and books can accumulate over time, leading to a cluttered and disorganized play space – we’ve all been there! This overwhelming disarray can fracture your child’s attention and is not conducive to focused learning. Simply put, you don’t need to throw away a bunch of toys. Instead, you can put extra toys that you see your child growing bored of in storage and leave out only the new and familiar favorites.
Simplification also applies to the color scheme. Montessori spaces use more neutral colors than commonly found children’s play areas. An array of clashing, bright colors can be distracting and overstimulating. Instead, a more neutral color tone sets a soothing atmosphere that promotes concentration.
Simplifying ensures that the area is not only clean and tidy, but also that the space is highly valued. By seeing how everything serves a purpose, children learn how to respect their environment.
In the Montessori method, toy options are limited to create a focused environment for natural learning. Instead of dumping everything into a toy box, the process recommends placing just a few toys on open shelves and rotating them regularly. This way, you can pique your child’s interest without having to keep buying new toys (score!)
By offering fewer options, you can see which toys capture your child’s interest. If a toy on the shelf remains untouched for too long, then you can replace it with a new one.
The Montessori philosophy responds to children’s “sensitive periods,” in which they are especially interested and able to learn new things. During this period, young children can grow attached to routine and repetition and can even show strong negative reactions when something is done the “wrong” way.
You can support your child’s desire for order by giving each thing a designated place. To do this, return toys to the same place on the shelf. Toys with multiple parts, such as puzzles or building blocks, can be put together in small baskets on the shelf. This layout is predictable and makes children feel calm when they always find things in the same spot. With your positive reinforcement and consistent, gentle reminders, even toddlers can return items to their rightful places.
Furniture in Montessori play spaces should be child sized. The toys should be kept on low shelves so that children can access them independently. Too many children’s rooms have artwork or photos at a height where children can’t see them. Make your environment child-centric by hanging artwork at your child’s eye level so they can enjoy it too!
For toddlers or older children, you can also include a child-sized table and chair so that they have the choice to play on the floor or at the table where they can draw or do puzzles.
Making the space attractive for your child is a core aspect of the Montessori environment. Many recent studies have shown that children learn best in uncluttered and more neutral spaces. Playrooms that are overly cartoonish filled with clashing colors can be distracting and disorienting.
For babies, you can include simple black and white pictures. For older children, you can hang images of nature, family photos, maps, or even their own artwork. You can also add plants into your space, which is a great way to get your child to care for nature while also improving the air quality.
With these five simple tips, you can create your own Montessori play space at home to enhance your child’s learning and development. Let us know if you try any of these recommendations by sharing your set-ups on social media and tagging us on Instagram using @us.jooki.rocks and hashtagging #jooki #jookirocks – we would love to see what you create!
]]>Children love to dance. When they hear music, many children naturally clap, jump, and jive. Who doesn’t have a video of their little one bopping to a beat?! Responding to music and dancing begin before words can be formed; it is one of the most basic expressions that is innate to us.
Dancing with family form joyous memories for children. While adults often feel self-conscious dancing in front of others, seeing children dance is a wonderful reminder that it doesn’t have to involve complicated footwork or choreography. Dancing can be as easy as a twist and a shake!
Children learn important skills from dancing to music. Read on to learn about the five benefits of dance for early childhood development.
Dance supports a child’s physical development and strengthens their mind-body connection. Through dance, kids can improve their overall health and fitness, boosting endurance, coordination, range of motion, balance, and flexibility. Dancing makes exercise fun so kids will grow up to continue enjoying movement and sport. The physical confidence gained through using our own body lays the foundation for a healthy self-image.
In this (adorable) video, watch Tori from @halfway_montessori dancing and jiving with Jooki!
Through dance, children develop emotional maturity and healthy coping mechanisms. A dance session is an excellent stress-reliever. Jumping and moving to an upbeat song is a guaranteed mood-booster. Cheerful songs like Happy by Pharrell Williams and I Like to Move It by will.i.am are bound to get kids on their feet!
For children who struggle with sitting quietly for long stretches of time, a spontaneous jive session will help release pent-up energy!
To find great dance songs, check out the ultimate Spotify dance party playlist for kids.
Dancing fosters social awareness and interactions. It can be a fun and exhilarating group activity across generations with family and friends.
According to research published in The Arts in Psychotherapy journal, we fire mirror neurons when we copy actions performed by others. These neurons let us replicate dance steps we see others doing and are part of the biology of how dances go viral. Further research is starting to reveal how activating these mirror neurons can enhance empathy, attachment, and social bonding in children.
By dancing with others, children practice critical social skills and spread positive feelings to each other.
Through dance, children develop a range of cognitive skills. They can convey their thoughts and feelings and learn how to use their body language for self-expression. By improvising movements, children also use their creativity and imagination.
Many parents will know that when children are fascinated by a song, story, or movie they like, they will play it over and over. With Jooki, children can discover their favorite dance song and practice it again and again. Repeating these dance steps helps them develop their kinaesthetic memory for enhanced cognitive abilities.
This Dance Party! Spotify playlist includes upbeat songs for kids to hop and bop non-stop!
Lastly, dance helps children develop their senses. In the screen-filled world of children’s media, animated cartoons in brilliant colors appeal to kids’ sense of sight. However, this sense is often over-developed at the expense of others. Dancing to songs played from Jooki re-centers playtime on sound, touch, and movement. Children learn to coordinate actions with music and develop a sense of rhythm. They also cultivate spatial awareness, learning how to spread and contain their movements to the space around them. Jooki helps children focus their sight on their physical world instead of colors on a screen.
Dance is the unspoken voice of our bodies that helps kids nurture key life skills. With Jooki, children can develop a love of dance and music during their formative years.
So, what are you waiting for? Get your whole family dancing with Jooki today!
]]>Creative stories make reading fun for children, setting them up to be lifelong learners. Listening to stories are just as important and Audiobooks are a great way to bring more stories into their daily lives. The audio format helps kids access texts above their reading level, challenging their comprehension, enhancing their listening skills, and growing their vocabulary. By listening to fluent reading, children can practice and improve their pronunciation. Audiobooks also encourage visualization and imagination, reinforcing reading as a fun activity!
To captivate and inspire young minds, here are eight unique children's stories available on our own Jooki Spotify playlist:
From this story, children learn that if they make a promise, they need to follow through on their word or face the consequences. After the mayor of Hamelin fails to pay the Pied Piper his promised reward of 1,000 silver coins for solving the town's rat problem, he traps the town's children in a nearby mountain and refuses to free the children. The mayor, ashamed by his greed, spends his years roaming the mountains looking for the missing kids of Hamelin.
The more curious you are, the more you will discover. In the story of Alice and The White Rabbit, Alice sees a white rabbit who pulls a watch out of his waistcoat pocket and disappears down a rabbit hole. Alice follows him down the hole and finds herself at Wonderland, where she has a series of marvelous adventures. Her curiosity sets her on a magical journey that is filled with obstacles but ultimately leads to her growing up.
Aladdin and His Magic Lamp is the classic "rags to riches" story. Aladdin, the poor son of a tailor, outwits a magician and gains possession of a magical genie. The genie grants Aladdin food, money, and gifts which helps him win the Kingdom's princess. From this classic story, children learn that no matter if you are poor or rich, you are a "diamond in the rough."
This cautionary tale is about how we reap what we sow. When the little red hen asks a duck, cat, and dog for help planting some wheat, no one offers to help her. She then asks for help to grind the wheat, to which no one replies. Again, she seeks help to bake the wheat into a loaf of bread. "Who will eat this bread?" she asks—finally, the duck, cat, and dog all volunteer, to which she says “No!” The animals learn that they must work hard to earn what they want.
Slow and steady wins the race. This famous tale tells the story of a hare who makes fun of a slow-moving tortoise. Annoyed by the hare's arrogance, the tortoise challenges him to a race. The hare quickly gets ahead and is so confident of winning that he takes a nap midway. Meanwhile, the tortoise keeps moving slowly but steadily and eventually wins the race.
This story illustrates that parents need to give their children room to grow as they get older. A king, the father of six beautiful princesses, locks them in the palace every night for their protection but is baffled to see that their dancing shoes are worn out. He enlists the help of potential suitors to solve the mystery. An old, wounded soldier finds out that the daughters have been sneaking out of their bedrooms every night to go dancing. As a reward, he marries one of the daughters. The king would have been better off building relationships with his daughters rather than locking them in the palace.
Be careful who you trust. In the story, the Gingerbread Man flees his parents and runs into the forest. First, he passes a cow who wants to eat him. "Run, run, as fast as you can. You can't catch me—I'm the gingerbread man!" he sings. Next, he meets a hungry owl. Again, the gingerbread man runs away while singing his song. Finally, he meets a cunning fox who says he is not tempted to eat The Gingerbread Man. He believes the fox, and this misguided trust leads to him being eaten.
This story teaches that we should not be too greedy. In the tale, three hungry billy goats must cross a bridge and pass a hideous troll to find food. The smallest billy goat crosses first and avoids being eaten by telling the troll that a bigger goat is coming soon. The next medium-sized Billy Goat Gruff also evades the troll by making the same promise. Finally, the largest Billy Goat Gruff reaches the troll and is so large and strong that he easily defeats him. The wicked troll could have beaten the two smaller goats, but he chose to wait for the biggest billy goat out of greed, causing his downfall.
These classic tales are packed with interesting twists to inspire and fascinate young minds. Subscribe to our Spotify playlist and try listening to these eight audiobooks with your children on Jooki today!
]]>It’s great to feel needed as a parent, and it’s lovely when our kids look at us like we’re superheroes. We’re the only ones who can reach the top shelf, we make the best peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and we make the tastiest hot chocolate. Our kids love it when we do these things for them, and we love it too because it makes us feel special. And there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as we remember that our goal is to create independent little creatures who will grow up to be confident, resilient adults.
Teaching kids independence is no easy feat. It takes dedication, encouragement, and effort. It also requires us to take a step back every now and then, which could be the hardest part of all. For our kids to be truly independent, we need to give them the space to develop, to test boundaries, and to grow. They can’t do this with us micromanaging their every move.
Let’s explore why teaching kids independence is so important in the first place, along with the practical ways we can help our kids to develop their independence and confidence.
Related: 5 Methods to Reduce Anxiety in Children
Kids have their entire adulthoods to be independent and self-reliant — what’s the rush?
This way of thinking is completely understandable, but the reality is that independence is just like any other skill. It needs to be learned early on, and it needs to be exercised so that, when they turn eighteen and venture out into the world, our offspring are not thrown in at the deep end. It’s the kids who don’t learn independence that come back from college every weekend with a hamper full of dirty clothes and hungry stomachs because they haven’t fed themselves properly in a week!
It’s also these kids that grow up to be uncertain about their potential, continually worrying that they will fail at anything they attempt or worrying they’ll disappoint someone. None of us want that for our children — above all, we want them to live life to the fullest, to be happy, and to thrive.
Below are our top-10 tips for teaching kids independence.
One highly effective way to promote independence in kids is to give them the power of autonomy. Early on, ask them questions and give them choices. They should have a say in what they do and how they do it.
This isn’t to say that they’re the boss — you’re still the parent. But, as the parent, you can give them small decisions to make. This will not only promote independence, but it’ll also make them feel like they have an element of control and power over their lives, which will stop them from acting out.
Start with simple things — what would they like for breakfast? Oatmeal or toast? What do they want on their toast? What fruit do they want in their lunchbox? What pair of pajamas do they want to wear to bed? What do they want to listen to on their Jooki music player?
You can then extend this to chores — would they rather load the dishwasher or collect the laundry? You’ll be surprised at the difference such choices can make to their independence.
Independence will be hard for your kids to learn if you don’t give them responsibilities. The level of these responsibilities will vary depending on their age and ability, but it’s good to get them used to doing their part early on. The more they learn in these early years, the better they’ll be able to cope as adults.
You can start out easy — ask your kid to set the table for dinner or to load the dishwasher, and make sure they clean up all their toys after they’ve finished playing. As they get older, you can ask them to help you cook so they build those important skills, or you can ask them to do the laundry once in a while.
Kids still need time to be young and carefree, but they’ll be happy to acquire new skills and abilities, and the more they are able to do, the more they think they’ll be able to do. It’s a lovely cycle.
It’s almost a reflex for us, as parents, to congratulate our children on their achievements or intelligence — and why wouldn’t it be? Do the following phrases sound familiar?
“Well done getting all As on your report card, you’re so smart!”
“You did a great job in the basketball game today, you were easily the best on the team.”
Your kids will love hearing these things, but did you know it’s just as important to praise efforts as it is to praise achievements? Carol Dweck's research into the “growth mindset” revealed that kids who were praised for how hard they tried and how much they persisted tended to be more confident and successful. When they came up against a problem or they failed a task, they didn’t break. They reassessed and they tried again — while those who were only ever praised on their achievements tended to shy away from trying again. In their minds, they had failed and they felt terrible about it, so there was no point in trying again, as they were afraid of failing again.
Try praising your kids on their efforts, regardless of whether or not they’re doing the task at hand perfectly. This will show them that there is real value in trying, which will encourage them to try even more things and to become more independent.
Related: What Does Montessori Mean?
Part of becoming independent is learning from your mistakes. Kids need to learn how to overcome obstacles and succeed, and how to persevere through struggles and perceived failures.
It’s so easy to want to jump in and help our kids when we see them struggling, but in the long run, this won’t help their confidence levels or their independence.
Let’s say you’re watching your kid struggle with a puzzle. They’re getting frustrated or confused. It’s natural to want to help them, but take a step back and give your child the opportunity to solve the problem themselves. Let them come up with their own solutions. When they succeed, they’ll feel a real sense of accomplishment and achievement knowing they did it on their own — and they’ll carry that attitude with them throughout their lives.
Let’s be honest, it’s usually easier — not to mention quicker and cleaner — to do certain things ourselves rather than teaching our children how to do them. But if you’re wanting to encourage independent thinking and independent behavior, you need to take the time to teach.
Rather than spoon-feeding your toddler, teach them how to feed themselves. It’ll be messy, but they’ll love it, and it’ll help them develop their hand-eye coordination among other skills. When your child gets older, rather than filling their cereal bowl for them, show them how to do it, and then leave them to it. You might also encourage them to do the laundry or clean the living room — investing the time into teaching now will benefit them, and it’ll also save you time in the long run!
Parental praise and recognition can mean the world to a child. They’re parent-pleasers at heart, and if they see that their independent behavior is getting praise, they’ll be encouraged to do the same in the future.
Reinforce independent behavior when you notice it — if you see them getting a start on their homework without being prompted, let them know you’re proud. If they unexpectedly clean up their room at the end of the day, give them a bit of praise. It’ll make all the difference.
Some kids might seem reluctant to try new things — this may well be because they don’t want to try anything until they’re certain they can do it right. There are two things parents can do to turn this behavior around:
Related: What Are the Best Montessori Learning Toys?
Children are nothing if they’re not inquisitive! Be sure to always feed this thirst for knowledge. Consider all their questions carefully, and give them real answers. You represent safety to them, but you also represent knowledge, which is why they naturally come to you. By asking questions, kids begin to explore, which means they’ll be more inclined to try new things, learn new things, and to experiment.
As we mentioned earlier, kids are parent-pleasers. They want you to be proud of them. If they try something and they get criticism in return, they’ll feel bad about themselves, and they’ll learn that trying new things doesn’t pay off — and they won’t want to experience that again.
Constructive feedback is, of course, fine and helpful, but don’t tell your kid that they performed poorly or express disappointment or they’ll never try new things.
Related: Calm Music for Kids: A Playlist to Relax and Unwind
Life is so frustrating for kids — they know exactly what they want to do and how they want to do it, but they can’t always do it themselves. They may have a perfect vision in their head, but they can’t make it materialize. Most of all, they want to make their parents proud.
As adults, we realize that perfection doesn’t exist, but this is something that needs to be learned. Kids need to be taught that, even with practice, perfection very likely won’t ever exist. What matters is that they keep trying, it’s the effort that counts. Armed with this knowledge, kids will feel supported and as though they’re able to go out and make mistakes — and learn from them.
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]]>Montessori is regarded across the world as a leading method of education for children. It is applied in preschools, daycares, and kindergartens — as well as in many homes by parents who are eager to support their child’s curiosity for learning and playing. Today, there are over 4,000 Montessori schools in the US, but what does this alternate method of education entail, and what does Montessori mean?
The essence of Montessori learning is enabling independence and child-led exploration when playing and learning. It centers on the idea that, because children have a huge, natural curiosity for the world around them, they need to be able to lead their learning. This is encouraged through Montessori learning environments, which enable children to experiment and foster a sense of independence.
While our children rely on us for a great many things, there are a lot of activities and tasks they don’t necessarily need our support with. As parents, it’s natural to want to help our children out, but it’s equally as important to foster their independence and allow them to lead their play and learning where it’s appropriate and safe to do so.
So how can we practice Montessori ideals in our own home? Let’s explore.
An example of this in a Montessori classroom or daycare setting would be a range of different activities laid out that each child is free to choose from, rather than being told what to play with. Variety is great for all of us, especially children, and Montessori enables young minds to select what they play with — discovering things themselves rather than following what an adult decides should happen.
Through different activities and Montessori learning toys, a child is placed at the center of his or her own learning journey.
The practice of Montessori originated in Italy. It was developed around the early 1900s by physician Maria Montessori, which is where the practice gets its name from.
As a teaching and learning method, Montessori is most popular with children aged three to six, however many of its principles can be applied to children of all ages — older and younger.
In her learning, Maria Montessori wanted to create a method of education that complemented children’s natural curiosity — rather than going against it or stifling creativity with adult-led methods and assessments unsuitable for young, active minds.
Montessori learning has many principles at its heart, but these are some of its core aims:
What Are the Main Benefits of Montessori Learning?
When considering what Montessori means, parents are naturally keen to understand the advantages this alternative method of education can bring to their children. The benefits of Montessori are far-reaching, offering children an alternate approach to how they learn in early childhood. The above principles encourage the development of skills that they can carry with them through to adulthood.
Here are some of the key benefits of using Montessori methods with children:
In addition to the 4,000 specialist Montessori schools in the US, many early-education settings incorporate elements of Montessori learning methods within their curriculum. You can speak to your childcare or school setting to ask about this, and if there are particular things you feel are important, ask if these can be included within the curriculum or as part of certain activities.
Regardless of whether or not the educational setting you chose incorporates Montessori into the curriculum, there are lots of ways you can do so at home.
Here are some simple ways to practice a Montessori education to help your child feel in control of their learning — discovering and experimenting as they go:
Understanding what Montessori means can help both teachers and parents support children to learn through playing, discovering, and experimenting — making it a method of education extremely worthy of exploring.
We’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences around following some of or all of the Montessori principles in your family life. Join us over on Facebook or Instagram to share your story and keep in touch with the Jooki team!
]]>With the Christmas holiday upon us, it truly is the season to be jolly! Here at Jooki, we love Christmas time and taking part in holiday traditions — old and new. Christmas traditions can be enjoyed year after year as a family, and taking part in your favorites is a sure way to feel festive! From rocking around the Christmas tree to festive baking, we’re fortunate to have a whole host of Christmas traditions to enjoy here in the US.
Some of our favorite Christmas traditions take place at home, and it’s great to listen and sing along to both classic carols and contemporary Christmas songs while we enjoy the festivities. Music is an integral part of Christmas, whether at home, traveling for the holidays, or as part of school or community activities in the Yuletide season.
Christmas traditions don’t have to be anything grand, either. Some of the most timeless family traditions include baking holiday cookies, writing to Santa Claus, and decorating the Christmas tree along with the rest of your home. And after another fun-filled Christmas themed day is done, there’s nothing nicer than curling up as a family with a story.
However, we’re not the only ones who can boast some wonderful yuletide traditions. Across the world, different places favor many other fun Christmas traditions that are enjoyed as a family, community, or whole country.
Finding out about Christmas traditions in other countries around the world is a great way to engage children in learning about different cultures. In fact, learning about different traditions this holiday season can be a fun yuletide activity in itself! And who knows, maybe you’ll even incorporate parts of another country’s tradition into those of your own family.
The Ligligan Parul, meaning Giant Lantern Festival, is held every December in the Philippines in the city of San Fernando. Each giant lantern or parol contains thousands of spinning lights, lighting up the sky and symbolizing the Star of David. You can read more about it here and check out some beautiful photos of the festival with your children.
We’ve all heard of the 12 Days of Christmas, but how about 13? In Iceland, families celebrate a wonderfully funny tradition each year involving a visit from a legendary Yuletide Lad every night for 13 days. The folklore states children should leave their shoes by the window, ready for a visit from one of the Yuletide Lads, who are each essentially troll-like and mischievous, wholly different from the Santa Claus we know and love.
If children have been good, they should find candy or a small gift in their shoes the next morning. If they’ve been naughty, they might instead wake to find them filled with rotten potatoes! That sounds like a good enough incentive to be nice over naughty if ever we heard one!
Families in Brazil and Portugal traditionally gather together on Christmas Eve for a late celebratory dinner. They then toast Christmas and exchange gifts at midnight. Many also attend midnight mass, Missa Do Galo, or Rooster Mass, where communities can gather together and exchange Christmas wishes.
Often, after the midnight mass service, people gather in a town square and enjoy fireworks.
In Switzerland, it’s traditional for families to make their own advent calendars together, to mark the beginning of the holiday season. Children and adults can get creative with their designs and choose to include a small treat or gift with each calendar day. Often, there is a bigger gift on Christmas eve, to finish the calendar.
Holiday celebrations in Mexico are marked in large part with a vibrant Christmas festival called Las Posadas. This festival runs from 16th to 24th December and is a religious tradition to commemorate the journey of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Children are the center of Las Posadas, dressing up and leading a nightly procession with candles. Carols are sung, and often musicians make up part of the procession too.
In Ukraine, Orthodox Christians — who equal just under half of the population — have their own Christmas traditions with both activities and special food. They hold a Christmas celebration on 7th January every year, which involves a parade through their town singing Christmas Carols. Residents dress in traditional Ukrainian costumes for this and often play instruments too.
The dish kutya, made from wheat, honey, and ground poppy seeds, is usually enjoyed on Christmas Eve. A tradition for many families is to throw some of it at the ceiling. The legend being, if it sticks, there will be a fruitful harvest the following year.
On Christmas morning, it is traditional for families in Finland to eat a festive porridge made from rice and milk, topped with cinnamon or butter. Traditionally, one bowl will have an almond nut hidden in it, with the one who finds it “winning.”
We imagine a few families place almonds in all of their children’s bowls, though, so as not to risk any of them feeling left out on Christmas morning!
The Danes used to celebrate Christmas as jól, meaning brighter days, as the winter solstice happened shortly after. Since Christianity came to Denmark, Christmas Day has been celebrated as such, but some traditional Danish customs remain.
One is placing decorations called nisse around the house. According to old folklore, these are mythical creatures, a little gnome-like in appearance, who are thought to ward off any danger or bad luck.
Then, on Christmas Eve, many families in Denmark place their Christmas tree in the middle of their room at home and dance around it while singing carols. This also sounds like a lovely way to keep warm in the winter season, as well as celebrate Christmas!
In Austria, the mythical creature Krampus brings a new meaning to the naughty or nice list. Part goat, part demon, The Krampus is believed to hunt for wicked children in December, so watch, out kids! For most Austrian families, we’re sure the legend of Krampus is more fun than feared — perhaps a little like our Elf on the Shelf, who keeps an eye on the children in the run up to the holidays!
Austria celebrates the Krampus legend in early December with a street procession the night before the traditional Feast of St Nicholas.
What are your favorite Christmas traditions? We’d love to hear them! Head on over to our Facebook or Instagram and share yours.
]]>It’s almost time to lay out the cookies and tuck our kids into bed, just in time for Santa to creep down our chimneys and leave presents under our trees.
By now, your whole family is probably buzzing with anticipation, getting into the Christmas spirit and looking forward to long nights by the fire. Here at Jooki — to ensure that festive feeling lasts — we’ve compiled a list of 20 incredible Christmas songs for kids. We just know everyone in your family — no matter how young — will love these songs.
You can also enjoy our accompanying Spotify playlist below!
For more festive fun, you should also check out our blog on Christmas audiobooks.
First released by Bobby Helms in 1957, Jingle Bell Rock has become a family favorite — we wouldn’t want to go a Christmas season without hearing this hit. The song is reminiscent of other popular songs from the time, including “Jingle Hop” and “Rock Around the Clock.” The song is just as engaging now as it ever was, and the tune is guaranteed to get your kids up and dancing.
This list wouldn’t be complete without a mention of your favorite shark — did you know they had a Christmas version of this modern-day classic? Baby Shark has had a yuletide makeover, and your kids will be over the moon to hear this rendition.
This song by The Beach Boys is light-hearted, upbeat, and the perfect song to play during the day to get your kids moving, shaking, and excited for the festive days to come. Fun Fact: Did you know the lyric "run, run, reindeer" was inspired by Chuck Berry's “Run, Rudolph, Run," where Berry sings "Run, Run, Rudolph"?
Parents today might wonder why the Elf on the Shelf is needed. After all, Santa Claus — as the song says — sees us when we’re sleeping and knows when we’re awake. He keeps his list, and he checks it twice — and manages this all by himself. This catchy song is guaranteed to keep your kids behaving well during the holidays.
This is a great song about a loveable character who dates back to 1939. Rudolph overcomes teasing and, although he is different and slightly strange, his special strength saves the day — earning him the leading place among Santa’s reindeer and ensuring millions of children get the presents they’re hoping for. What’s not to love about this tale?
If you’ve not yet decorated, this is a great song to play while “decking the halls.” Grab the baubles and tinsel, set this tune up on Jooki, and get your kids involved!
A word of caution to parents out there: while your children will love this song, it’s not one to play just before bed! It is, however, the perfect song to get them dancing and excited about the most wonderful night of the year, which is just around the corner...
Speaking of the most wonderful time of the year — this is a song that has been around for a long time and never fails to bring a nostalgic smile to our faces. Start now, and you’ll be creating these same heartwarming memories for your little ones.
Not only is this a great song for kids, but it’s also a song many parents love, as they enjoy an inside joke about who mommy is really kissing.
Christmas is all about bringing magic to life — the story of Frosty the Snowman is the perfect tale to teach kids about the miracles of Christmas.
We all know kids love repetition. This song won’t only entertain them, but it also represents a little game — who can remember the 12 different presents for each of the 12 days?
Much like Jingle Bell Rock, this is a great song for any kid who likes to get energized and dance around the living room!
Now, this is just the right song to play for your kids to get them relaxed and ready for bed. This calming song tells the tale of Jesus being born, and the melody is perfectly suited for them to slip off to sleep.
This is a British classic that dates back to the 1500s. The song’s lyrics, including “Good tidings we bring to you and your kin,” teach children about the real meaning of Christmas — festive joy rather than presents and luxuries.
While we can’t guarantee a white Christmas, we can guarantee this song will get your kids excited — after all, what child doesn’t love snow, especially at Christmas? Play this for your kids and watch their eyes light up as they think about sledding and snowball fights in the yard.
This is a fun song for the whole family — thanks perhaps to a few cookies too many, Santa gets stuck in a chimney when delivering presents, and he begins to shout for help. Younger children will absolutely love the silly nature of the song and the accompanying actions.
This is a cheeky song about a child trying to remember whether they have been good or naughty throughout the year. Will Santa remember them? Or have they complained too much about their boring chores and watched too much TV while doing homework?
Petit Papa Noël (Little Father Christmas) is a French classic, first recorded in 1946 by singer Tino Rossi. To date, it's the best-selling single of all time in France. And every single year kids in France look forward to hearing it and starting their festive activities.
This is perhaps one of the most well-known Christmas songs in the world. First written by James Lord Pierpont in the 19th century, it was originally titled "One Horse Open Sleigh". Nothing will put you in the Christmas mood like this classic!
This might seem like an old-fashioned song for a kids’ Christmas playlist, but crooning Bing Crosby is still popular around the world. There's something about this song that makes us all nostalgic and sentimental, reminding us of the very best Christmases we've ever had, and hope to have again!
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]]>There’s no shortage of heartwarming holiday tales out there — and thankfully, they’re all available on Spotify!
Below, we share our favorite Christmas audiobooks for the whole family. We’ve also given a little early Christmas present to you all — a special Christmas audiobook playlist on Spotify, so you can listen along on your Jooki, whether you’re at home or on the go.
This Christmas tale by Clement Clarke Moore (1799-1863) is a classic for a reason. So many of us remember our parents reading it to us on Christmas Eve. Help build anticipation for the big day by playing this story for your children — and watch them grow more and more excited the closer Christmas Day looms.
This famous literary fairy tale tells a love story between a tin soldier and a paper ballerina. Published in 1838 by Hans Christian Andersen, this story transformed into a full-length ballet in 1996, and it is still performed each year at Christmas as an alternative to The Nutcracker
This prose written by Dylan Thomas is a story of Christmas as told from the viewpoint of a little boy. The story looks back with nostalgia for a simpler time. This is a lovely story to share with your family to build happy memories and lasting family traditions.
Written by Margaret Wise Brown and adapted from Hans Christian Andersen's (very much sadder) version, this sweet Christmas audiobook explores the story of a fir tree that becomes a little boy's Christmas tree. This is the perfect story to enjoy with children.
This Russian story by Leo Tolstoy is about an old shoemaker who dreams of making shoes for Jesus Christ on Christmas morning. It's a heartwarming tale of charity and goodwill — everything Christmas should be about.
Discover these incredible Christmas songs for kids [With Spotify Playlist]
O. Henry wrote this short story in 1905. It tells the story of a young married couple who deal with the reality that they may not be able to afford to buy each other a Christmas present. This is the perfect story to explore the fact that Christmas should be about family, not gift-giving.
This short Christmas audiobook explores the old French legend of the Little Juggler and his search for the perfect Christmas gift for the statue of the Virgin Mary. This is a religious miracle story, based on an old medieval legend. Originally written by Anatole France, the story was later made into an opera by Jules Massenet in 1902.
This is a short story by Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows a little girl on a freezing New Year's Eve, who is afraid to go home because she hasn't sold any matches, and she knows her father will be angry. Deciding to keep herself warm by lighting the unsold matches, the little girl sees comforting visions of holiday feasts and happy families. This is a sad but sweet Christmas tale that is so well-loved, it has been adapted into many different forms over the years.
This story tells the tale of two farmers who sit in their farmhouse on Christmas Eve and relive fond childhood memories. They hear of a neighbor — another farmer— whose family is struggling. The two farmers, in a show of goodwill and friendship, decide to help the neighbor and his family so everyone can have a Merry Christmas.
This Christmas story by Elizabeth Harrison takes place in Germany. The story describes the lives of a grandmother and granddaughter. The little girl and her granny have no gifts to give, but they enjoy a beautiful Christmas together.
Everyone knows this Charles Dickens classic — the timeless tale of Scrooge, the cruel, ruthless man who is redeemed and saved by the spirit of Christmas. This audiobook follows Scrooge as he encounters the ghost of Christmas past, future, and present. You’ll also get to know Tiny Tim and remind yourself of the power of Christmas, and how it unites us all.
This book, written by American author L. Frank Baum, describes how Santa gets abducted by five demons who hate him for making kids happy. Don’t worry, though, the story ends on a happy note and has been called "one of Baum's most beautiful stories".
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]]>As a learning principle for the early years, Montessori remains unparalleled. Putting a child at the center of his or her own learning aims to foster independence, confidence, creativity, and exploration. When you choose Montessori learning toys for your children, you are encouraging hands-on learning and giving your little ones the precious gift of being able to make their own choices as they play, discover, experiment, and learn.
We know our children have a great learning capacity and that the tools we place at their disposal can help and encourage their development, independence, and sense of self. However, busy family life can sometimes feel overwhelming, and fighting against an increasingly screen-dominated world can be tough for parents when they’re short on time or resources.
Montessori learning toys center on creativity and stimulation that’s child-led without a screen in sight. They let children learn through play and reassure parents that they are encouraging positive activities for positive development.
As proud followers of Montessori principles here at Jooki, we understand the importance of giving toys and learning tools to our children that offer freedom within safe limits. We’re big fans of many wonderful Montessori learning toys, and we have rounded up some of the best on the market for parents looking to help their children grow and flourish. Here’s the lowdown on our favorites and what makes them so great.
Here’s the lowdown on our favorites and what makes them so great.
At its heart, our Jooki speaker is about nurturing a love for music and stories, with your child in the driving seat. Exploring and discovery are crucial for children’s holistic development, and the Jooki gives your child control in an interactive, safe, and screen-free way.
We all know that music and stories are a key development aid, right from babyhood. Songs and stories help an infant’s social, emotional, language, and literacy development, all while encouraging creativity and movement. With the Jooki speaker, you can choose playlists and audiobooks for your child to access, and then hand over the reins to your little one, giving them the freedom to dance, sing, move, and discover new favorite stories by themselves.
The way the Jooki speaker is designed also means it can grow with your child. It’s versatile enough to satisfy younger and older kids, with the ability to play everything from a Disney Spotify playlist through to children’s podcasts and new audiobooks of your choosing.
The added beauty of the Jooki audio player is that it’s fully portable, so it’s ideal for the home, long journeys, vacations, or for helping children entertain themselves when visiting family or running errands.
Its easy buttons and fun changeable operating figures make it simple and intuitive for children to use, with bright appealing colors and durable casing to protect against bumps. Developed with key Montessori principles in mind while complementing the modern way many of us access music and stories, the Jooki is perfect for ages three and up.
This colorful sorting clock from much loved wooden toy makers Melissa & Doug is a wonderfully entertaining and educational toy for young children. The 12 numbered, multi-shape pieces can be removed, moved about, sorted, and counted, and the clock face includes helpful guidance on learning analog time-telling. Helping with fine motor skills development, your little one can also use the clock as an aid for learning shapes, numbers, and colors — all packaged in a size ideal for curious little hands to explore and hold independently.
This super-cool indoor climbing ramp and foldable triangle is part of a range of climbing apparatus that brings the playground to your home. Whether you’re stuck inside on a rainy day or it’s a weekend or holiday season, kids will never be bored with this activity center. Positioned at a low height, it can easily be navigated by toddlers, although there is a range of products specific for babies and older children available too. It’s a great tool for enhancing gross motor skills and building confidence and a sense of achievement in little ones.
Although this kind of Montessori learning toy comes at a higher price tag, it may be a worthwhile investment as a tool for exercise, busting boredom, and keeping your child’s day free from screens.
Depending on the equipment you choose, indoor climbing equipment can be suitable from babyhood through childhood.
Delighting little ones from a young age, this drum has sound and touch experimenting at its core. Babies can learn all about how they can make noise while toddlers can begin to control volume. “What happens when I bang the stick hard? Or soft? Can I play along to my favorite music?” As children grow, they can make up different rhythms and even add their own words. And the good news is, the rubber head on the drumstick means the noise isn’t quite as overwhelming for parents as some drums can be! This lovely and fun wooden drum is suitable for ages 18 months to five years.
These funky crayon rocks encourage little ones to experiment with mark-making and drawing. Their appealing shape makes them a great alternative to traditional crayons, and they can support infants to master their tripod grip by themselves. Plus they look natural — because they are natural! Made from non-toxic ingredients, kids can have fun drawing, making patterns, and switching colors. As they grow, they’re suitable for writing too. With supervision, your little one will enjoy mark-making and early scribbles from around the age of two.
This beautifully designed water playset combines sensory and imaginative play, making it ideal for exploring, experimenting, and make-believe. It’s also unbelievably compact, so it won’t take up a fraction of the room a traditional water table does, and it can be used indoors so your little one can enjoy it whatever the weather outside. The included accessories can be moved around and taken in and out, keeping children in full control of their play. This set is made from repurposed rubberwood and is suitable for ages three and above.
This simple but versatile Montessori learning toy has a combination of play benefits. The wooden cubes are painted with safe water-based paint that’s odorless and non-toxic, ensuring they aren’t harmful to young children. They support fine motor skills development and hand-eye coordination, with kids free to arrange the blocks as they wish. Additionally, they encourage children to begin to explore different emotions and feelings as they make up various facial expressions with the different blocks. They can also support color identification and are completely versatile, with little ones able to combine the different bricks or match them up as they choose.
This is an all-around lovely Montessori learning toy for little children, and it is suitable for use by children from ages three and up.
Choosing toys like these for your little ones will encourage exploration and independence, and they will provide many hours of play, fun, and entertainment. Whether it’s inspiring a love of songs and stories or supporting gross and fine motor skills development, these toys will bring true delight to your children.
If there’s a great Montesorri learning toy you think we should add to this list, we’d love to hear from you! You can get in touch with us over on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
]]>Here at Jooki, we’re big fans of encouraging a love of music in children. Offering our kids variety helps them find music they love and appreciate, and it encourages the enjoyment of different genres of music. This is something that can only have a positive impact on their lives, whatever kinds of music they end up favoring.
When it comes to classical music for kids, there are a range of benefits to introducing it to young ears. Classical music can help calm and soothe children, and relaxing is important whatever our age. In today’s busy world, with school, screen-time, and extracurricular activities, taking time out to relax and feel calm is crucial for kids — and listening to classical music enables that to happen instantaneously.
Classical music can also improve your child’s listening skills and concentration. Studies have found that children who listen to classical-music composers can show increased levels of focus, and we all know having our kids listen to us and others is only ever a good thing!
We think one of the most important benefits of classical music for kids is that it can inspire creativity. Because listening to it can relax and re-energize young minds, this makes space for creative and imaginative play and learning. And all of this from an easy-to-access Spotify playlist!
This tune is powerful, striking, and wholly unforgettable — whether hearing it for the first time as a child or for the 100th time as an adult. As a piece of classical music, it will be familiar to many people. Even if you didn’t know the name, you will likely have heard and enjoyed it in the past.
Composed in the first half of the 18th century, this timeless melody was created for three trumpets, two oboes, two violins, a viola, and a basso continuo. It’s also known by the name “Celebrated Air” and “Air for G String.” As well as Bach’s original, there is also an arrangement by violinist Wilhelmj, composed in 1871, that is also loved and revered globally.
This gentle solo piano melody is smooth and soothing to the ears, instantly relaxing the senses. Its name was inspired by the Clair de Lune poem by Paul Verlaine, a French poet. Claude Debussy began writing it in 1890, though it would be 15 years before it was published.
It has been described as a piano masterpiece, and each note is filled with a feeling of love. You may recognize the tune from the Twilight films, which seems a fitting choice for the soundtrack as the title Clair de Lune is French for moonlight.
Carnival of the Animals is a wonderful classical piece to capture and hold the attention of kids of all ages. Its bold rhythm and changing pace can bring to mind a brilliant frenzy of assorted animals. It’s long but perfect, with 14 movements that include a swan, lion, donkey, and elephant. This is a beautiful and clever piece that you can talk to your children about, inspiring imaginative play and movement as they listen.
A wonderful classic story told in musical form, this captivating piece is a beautiful alternative to a traditionally told fairy tale. Using different instruments from an impressive full orchestra to represent the characters, it was written by Prokofiev in 1936, especially for children, for the Central Children’s Theatre in Moscow. Kids can experience excitement, wonder, tension, and delight as they listen. You can talk with them before, during, and after the symphony about their interpretation and the characters and action they imagine from the different instruments playing during this amazing musical story adventure.
A much-loved melody familiar to many of us, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from the Nutcracker is sure to capture tiny minds — as well as their feet! Its tinkling sounds are joined by striking, stirring, and enchanting notes that your children won’t want to tear their ears from. The score from the Nutcracker is a wonderful classical collection for children to enjoy, which is why it’s been delighting ballet audiences since its inception in 1892!
An infectious, uplifting, and delightful orchestral piece, Water Music instantly captures the attention of children and adults alike. It can’t be ignored, it can’t help but make you smile, and we see it as one of the most positive and life-affirming classical music pieces for kids to enjoy. The name Water Music comes from King George I’s wish for a River Thames concert in 1917. This catchy and jolly piece comprises a collection of orchestral movements, which kids can enjoy and embrace as the music washes over their ears, leaving them uplifted.
From the breathtaking ballet, Swan Lake, Swan Theme is arguably one of the most beautiful and haunting classical melodies in the world. Kids will be captivated by its themes of love, hope, and sadness, and it will cause grown-ups to pause, listen, and truly experience the music too. As with the Nutcracker, Tchaikovsky has created a beautiful suite of music in Swan Lake that can form an ideal introduction to theater and ballet for young children. And we firmly believe that letting your little ones be taken on a journey with this music is the perfect place to begin.
One of the most famous and loved concertos across the globe, Mozart has influenced the whole genre of classical music with his masterpiece. As beautiful as it is exciting, kids can enjoy the differing pace, feeling the build of each note and the excitement of each instrument. Mozart composed this piece in 1785, which premiered in Vienna with him performing as the soloist. There is a reason this concerto is a favorite for many, and it’s a perfect uplifting tune to feature in your children’s lives too.
Almost all children love action and adventure, and no piece of classical music captures these things better than The Great Escape. The theme tune of the Second World War film starring Steve McQueen, this piece is as loved now as it was when it was first heard back in 1963. As is often said, music is an experience, and this brilliantly jolly, catchy, and utterly memorable tune will take your kids on a fantastic, unforgettable journey. They may march, they may dance, they may play make-believe, and you will all, undoubtedly, smile and enjoy.
We can’t end our list without some Beethoven, and what’s better than a piece that’s ingrained in the rich history of classical music? While you will certainly be familiar with the bold and stirring notes, your children will quickly become connected with it too. It has the power to bring to mind dramatic and exciting imagery, and while kids may simply enjoy listening, they may well play and move as they do, creating their own story or theater in their mind.
We defy you not to hum or whistle along, and we’re sure you won’t be able to get it out of your head all day!
As well as all the benefits we’ve already talked about, when kids experience classical music, it can become an enriching part of their lives into adulthood. Encouraging a positive relationship with music from an early age means your little ones can access tools to relax, switch off, and be transformed to a new world whenever they want. And who knows, you could even be inspiring the next budding composer!
Do you and your little one have a favorite piece of classical music you enjoy? Let us know! You can find us over on Facebook, Instagram (US), Instagram (Europe) or Twitter.
]]>There’s nothing quite like fall. The weather turns, the temperature drops, and suddenly it’s time for pumpkin spiced lattes. We love this season — the fallen leaves, the cozy evening, and, of course, Halloween.
This year, everything is a little bit different. Halloween parties might not be going ahead, and Trick or Treat might be canceled, but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate at home! There are so many ways to enjoy October 31st at home — watch your favorite scary movie, snuggle up under a blanket, drink some spiced apple cider, and tell a spooky story or two. Or you could get a family dance party going!
We’re so excited about this holiday that we’ve done our research and put together the perfect Halloween party playlist for kids. Your family will love these songs, so crack out your skeleton costume and get dancing!
While you’re here, we have a range of playlists for you to enjoy! Have a look at this ultimate Spotify dance party playlist for kids.
This might be a quick one, but it’s lively, it’s fun, and it’s an ideal addition to a Halloween party playlist! We love Boo! For You Halloween, and it’s the perfect tune to dance to.
Check out these amazing benefits of audiobooks
This song would be really scary if it weren’t for the fact that it has such a simple, fun, almost wholesome tune! Your kids will love it, and they’ll love howling along, too.
Looking for some quality podcasts for your kids? We have a list of 27 of the best podcasts for kids.
This eerie song by Rockwell is a hit with so many people; we know you’ll love to hear this in the middle of your Halloween party!
Who loves Disney? We do! So we’ve compiled the ultimate, perfect, best Disney playlist on Spotify!
Your kids might just know this from Hocus Pocus. Who doesn’t love a song about magic, witches, and spells?
This song might not be about monsters, witches, or werewolves — but it is all about aliens, so we feel that it deserves its place in our Halloween party playlist!
Jooki has evolved! We’ve begun a brand new adventure with Jooki 2nd Generation, and we’re thrilled to take you along with us. Your kids will love the sleek new Jooki — Sign up to stay tuned, whether you live in the EU or North America.
]]>This year has been an unusual one. While we’re all social distancing, it can be difficult to connect with others. Your kids aren’t going to as many parties, and they’re not seeing their buddies as often as they would like. Times are hard, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have any fun. With the right music — specifically, with the right dance party playlist — you can have tons of fun at home with the family. We’ve scoured Spotify for the best party songs for kids and compiled them into one incredible playlist. We guarantee your kids will love these tunes, and we know you will too. Simply connect a Jooki character to this playlist and get dancing!
While you’re here, you might also want to check out our blog on how to entertain kids at home while self-isolating.
Happy is an upbeat song that your kids will love to dance to, particularly given that so many children will know this song through this popular YouTube video where the Minions dance along to the tune.
Start your dance party with this song, and your kids will soon be in the mood to party until they collapse.
When you think of Trolls you think of “Can't Stop the Feeling” by the wonderful Justin Timberlake. This song is pure happiness and energy — we guarantee your kids won’t be able to sit still.
Are you looking for a playlist of incredible Disney songs? Check out this ultimate Spotify Disney playlist!
Warning: this song is guaranteed to get stuck in your head for days on end. Kids love songs with repetition, and this song certainly has that. It's a simple, fun pop song, and one we think is going to remain popular for years to come.
Worried about getting your kids to chill out after all this dancing? We hear you, and we’ve got the solution — check out our Spotify sleep playlist for kids.
The Greatest Showman was a huge hit with kids around the world. Your little showmen won’t be able to control themselves when they hear this play on their Jooki!
Looking for more ways to get your kids exercising and moving their feet? Check out these fun exercises for kids to do at home.
Okay, so we know a lot of kids will protest that they are too old for this much-loved song, but we guarantee that by the end of this playlist, they will be feeling silly and happy enough that they will enthusiastically dance along — dance moves and all!
You can connect this incredible Spotify dance playlist for kids up to a Jooki character so your child can listen to it whenever they please! In fact, we are always creating new and exciting Spotify playlists — follow Jooki on Spotify to explore our lists.
]]>Who doesn’t love a bit of Disney magic? Since Walt Disney Studios' first fully animated feature film, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” hit the big screens in 1937, we've enjoyed hit after hit. Disney knows how to pull at our heartstrings, inspire us, and get us singing along. There’s a reason why so many of us adore Disney. Whether we’re kids — or kids at heart — these movies and their songs hold a special place in our hearts.
Because we could all use a little more Disney in our lives, we’ve decided to compile the best Disney playlist on Spotify. We’ve also compiled the playlist into a real Spotify playlist to make your lives easier — link it to a Jooki figurine and enjoy one hour of incredible Disney music.
“Brave” is a film featuring an independent woman who wants to live her life, making her own choices. She feels confined by the pressures of being a princess and being expected to marry at a young age. This song perfectly captures Merida’s spirit and nature. It’s liberating and inspiring, and your children will love to sing along.
Related: While you’re here, check out how to entertain your kids at home
The long-awaited “Frozen 2” didn’t disappoint on the music front. There was a high bar with the success of “Let it Go,” but the writers and creative minds on “Frozen 2” didn’t shy away. Like “How Far I’ll Go,” this song explores the idea of exploring the unknown. Though Elsa is initially reluctant to rush into the unknown and another adventure, she eventually follows her instincts and curiosity. This song is another powerful ballad, and it became an instant hit.
Related: Reasons to reduce screen time for kids
“Toy Story” has a habit of making us cry. But did you know this touching song even caused actors Tom Hanks and Tim Allen (who voiced Woody and Buzz) to have a bit of a sob. This is a really touching song that we couldn’t leave off this epic list.
Does your kid love the chilled, relaxed nature of this song? If you’re looking for relaxing sleep music, we have just the playlist for you.
This is a song recorded by pop sensation Shakira for the 2016 Disney film “Zootropolis” (also known as Zootopia). It's first heard when Judy Hopps pops on her MP3 player on her journey to the big city to begin her adventure. Its positive, upbeat melody sets the scene for the whole film. It's a great song, and it definitely deserves a spot on this Disney playlist.
Are you looking for some screen-free family entertainment? Jooki is the best music player for kids, with rave reviews from parents and kids all over the world. Help your kids develop a love for music by giving them control over their music in a safe way.
]]>Music is a part of everyday life — it can lift our moods, energize us — and calm us down. We designed Jooki with child development in mind, and nothing is more important to growing brains and bodies than sleep. We know our kids need to sleep … but we also know it isn’t always that straightforward.
As many as 50% of children will experience a sleep problem. Often, kids will eventually grow out of their sleep resistance, but at the time, it can feel overwhelming for parents. You want the best for them, but they seem determined to thwart their bedtime routines at every step. We understand the temptation to give up, but the sooner you intervene and create a soothing environment, the sooner your kids will learn to put themselves to bed.
Did you know music can make a significant difference at bedtime? There is research to suggest music has a direct impact on the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps our bodies relax and prepare for sleep. But the type of music you play certainly matters. You want something mellow, low-tempo, and calming. With this in mind, we at Jooki have researched the ultimate sleep music for kids.
To make your lives easier, we’ve compiled the music below into a Spotify playlist. Simply sync it up to your Jooki and settle down for a soothing night.
Before we go ahead and share our sleep music for kids, we thought we’d give our top tips for a calming bedtime.
This playlist is carefully laid out, including sing-along songs and instrumental music designed to calm and soothe your child.
Do you have any tracks you think should be on this sleep music for kids playlist? Let us know!
Jooki is the best music player for kids. Kids love the colorful characters and taking control over their listening. Grab yourself a Jooki and give your kids the gift of independence.
]]>The summer is finally here. This summer might not be a conventional one, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a whole lot of fun. Whether you’re looking for ways to entertain kids at home while self-isolating or need an incredible, family-friendly playlist for a long road trip, we have you covered. This is the ultimate Spotify summer playlist for 2020.
We’ve included some modern gems and also classics that never seem to get old, but always get you dancing. The songs below will be a hit with your kids, but parents will also warmly welcome them. So pump up your Jooki and make some memories with the Spotify playlist below!
This song was released in 2018 and features Jess Glynne, Macklemore, and Dan Caplen. It's a catchy song that's loved by all generations. There's just enough repetition to get younger kids interested, and there's a sense of nostalgia about the song that we believe makes it a modern-day classic. We guarantee you'll look back at this song one day with fond memories of summer 2020.
This song, released in 2003, definitely deserves a place on our Spotify summer playlist! It’s upbeat, catchy, while also being very family-friendly. There are no words you need to worry about, and your kids will love to get up and dance to this hit.
This recent chart-topper is a great addition to this year's summer playlist! This song is all about the special feeling of summer. Your kids will love it, and we think you’ll become quite addicted, too.
Who doesn’t love this song? This pop-rock classic is just what you need to get the adrenaline pumping. This motivational song is all about gaining independence and speaking up for yourself — values we advocate here at Jooki.
Check out these fun exercises for kids to do at home
This song is so feel-good and upbeat, we can’t imagine anyone not liking it. It’s a great song for kids to sing along to on a long car ride, and it’s one parents will love hearing, too.
Trolls World Tour was released this year, and kids are obsessed. We don’t blame them. There’s nothing like a troll cover to get you in a good mood. This song is sure to please your kids, and we bet that, secretly, even parents will be enthused to have this on their Spotify summer playlist.
This might sound like a strange addition to a summer playlist, but we couldn’t resist. As well as Trolls World Tour, Frozen 2 is a recently-released movie that has captured the hearts of kids all over the world. Any Spotify summer playlist without at least one Frozen 2 song will be sure to disappoint your kids, and we can’t have that!
This summer, take the time to educate and communicate with your kids on important matters. Check out our advice on how to talk about diversity with children.
We're on a roll with amazing movies. In this song, Dwayne Johnson sings as Maui, a demigod with a massive ego. The movie is full of songs that remind us of summer, fun, and excitement. This is one we believe will get the kids laughing — and entertain the adults in the room.
This is a silly, upbeat song your kids will love to dance around to in the garden. It’s a song that tells your kids what dance moves to make, so even the most reluctant will feel encouraged to dance away! Parents will love the music, and it’ll save you having to listen to your kid’s favorite Disney song for the thousandth time! Is your kid a fan of audiobooks?
Take a second to look through these audiobooks kids love
The incredible Sing movie features animals that are competing in a singing competition. There are a lot of classics in this movie, but for this summer, we think Shake it Off is a track you and your kids will love. It’s a little addictive, though, so you have been warned — your kids might want to listen to it repeatedly.
Like Trolls, the Lego Movie is a feel-good film that appeals to everyone, regardless of age or music preferences. Everything is AWESOME is, quite simply, awesome. It’ll unite your entire family and lift everyone’s mood. It’s the perfect addition to your Spotify summer playlist.
We mentioned long trips this summer. If this is on the cards for you, Life is a Highway is the perfect song for your playlist! The song is from the Disney movie Cars, but it’s so good it sounds like a hit in its own right, so we think adults and kids will love to sing along to this track.
Check out these podcasts for kids
I’m a Believer is a track that dates back to 1966 when the Monkees made it an instant hit. It was rereleased by Smash Mouth in 2001 to accompany Shrek, and it’s been a favorite ever since. People love this up-tempo, feel-good song, and it seems perfect to accompany the summer months.
Bobby Darin released this song in 1958, and who would have thought it would still be popular in 2020? There’s something undeniably catchy about this song that kids just latch on to, making it a great fit for any family summer soundtrack.
While we’re talking about classics, Jump Around is a great way to get your kids to work off that extra energy! We guarantee your family will love and bond over this song, which never seems to get old.
The Jooki is the perfect music player for kids. Buy one today and discover why so many families are falling in love with our smart touch technology, colorful characters, and powerful speakers.
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Diversity is a predominant feature in nature, where the variation between similars is immense. Among us human beings, we also find the most varied constitutions and physical characteristics - in relation to weight, height, face shape, type, and color of hair, eye, and even skin. Therefore, it is essential that children learn, from an early age, the importance of respecting others and understanding that we are all equal in rights and duties.
All of these variations make no one equal to anyone. Accepting yourself and respecting others leads to a decrease in physical and psychological violence (bullying). Diversity makes life surprising and reveals the beauty that exists in every human being.
Is there a right time to talk to children about tolerance and diversity?
There isn’t a time to start the discussion on diversity. If the child is inserted in a context of respect for diversity, he/she doesn’t need to be taught, this is part of the context itself. It turns out that the environment doesn’t always favor tolerance. Prejudice is something learned, that is, the child is not born thinking that the cool thing is to have straight hair or that pink is the color of a girl.
Here we’ve selected some ideas to help you address this topic with the kids:
Children learn by example, so act with respect and understanding with what is different from your daily life. Classifying people who have any characteristics that are not the same as yours, with aggressive or pejorative words, encourages the child to find it normal to judge others and to have offensive behavior towards those who are different.
A simple walk to a park to observe nature is enough to sharpen a children's perception of differences all around. You can point out the differences between the animals, such as the different colors in birds. When looking at the leaves, for example, we see different colors, sizes, textures, and thicknesses in the same species. Showing them why those differences are important to make the world as beautiful as it is, is very important for their understanding of diversity as a whole.
Whether you’re looking for stories with characters your child can easily relate to or ones that encourage your kids to empathize with those who are different, there’re great books out there, ready to be discovered. We’ve put together a few of them in this list that features characters of all different ethnicities and races to help trigger the subject.
Norma Simon uses both the neighborhood and the international stage to celebrate children. Each carefully chosen example and comparison will help to forge a connection to friends and neighbors, other cultures, and faraway lands.
This is a great book for opening up a discussion about what it means to be kind and identifying simple, practical ways we can show kindness to those around us. The little kid narrator of Be Kind not only offers examples of reaching out to others to make them feel good or feel better when they're down but also acknowledges that it's not always easy.
With the ease and simplicity of a nursery rhyme, this lively story delivers an important message of social acceptance to young readers. A great celebration of self, diversity, and body-positive messages. Themes associated with child development and social harmonies, such as friendship, acceptance, self-esteem, and diversity are promoted in simple and straightforward prose.
Same Difference is a charming book for young readers (4-8-year-olds) that addresses the sensitive and sometimes divisive issues of beauty and identity. It is the perfect message showing children that it is okay to be different no matter what you may look like. This is definitely one to keep on your bookshelf for any occasion.
At Jooki we believe children and music have a special connection. From the moment they’re born, we instinctively use songs to calm our children, to make them smile, and to express love and happiness. We’ve also talked about how the benefits of music go far beyond pure enjoyment and How Songs Help Toddlers Learn and Grow. Using songs to teach children about diversity is also a great start.
Listen to this playlist: Everyone Belongs
Educating our children about diversity is our social responsibility, and it should happen early, often, and honestly. Being different is absolutely natural. Recognizing and valuing differences enrich us as a society. Remember, the worst conversation is no conversation at all.
If you’re looking for an amazing, kids smart music player to play your Spotify playlists on, the Jooki is exactly right for you. The Jooki encourages independence and a love for music and stories from a young age. Learn more about Jooki.
]]>With so many of us still self-isolating through the Coronavirus pandemic, getting our kids to be active can be tricky. They’re used to being outside with their friends, running around the playground, playing tag, and exhausting themselves with make-believe games. With limited social interaction and with adults who — let’s be honest — aren’t as inclined to hours of imaginative games that require a lot of energy, kids might be turning to screens for entertainment.
The issue is, physical activity is essential to our kids. They need to get off the couch, away from screens, and exercise their growing bodies. It’s best for their health — physical and mental — and lack of exercise has some far-reaching consequences.
Related: How to Entertain Kids at Home During Self-Isolation
Thankfully, we have some fun exercises for your kids to do at home, along with handy Spotify playlists you can play through your Jooki. First, let’s explore a little more about why exercise is so important for kids, how much exercise kids need, and how to get your children enthusiastic about exercise at home.
According to the World Health Organization, for kids to grow up healthy and happy, they need to sit down less and get up and play more. The WHO found that lack of exercise has an impact on how well kids sleep, which, of course, has a knock-on effect on behavior. But the value of exercise doesn’t end there.
Some sources suggest exercise for kids is key to reducing long-term illnesses, including heart disease, diabetes, and strokes. Further to this, physical activity can impact kids' self-esteem and mood, making them less prone to stress and depression. Not to mention, exercise can help to improve a child's balance, flexibility, coordination, and strength.
According to the WHO, children aged between five-17 need at least one hour of moderate to vigorous activity each day. Most of this activity should be aerobic — and the more exercise they get, the better.
This amount of physical activity will help to strengthen their muscles and bones. It'll clear their heads, get their adrenaline pumping, and boost their mood — thereby making life easier for parents everywhere! We should note that the one hour of physical activity should not spread out over a day. Kids at this age should be getting continuous exercise, and it should be an activity that engages and excites them. So it’s worth checking in on your child to see if there is a particular sport, game, or activity that genuinely interests them.
One way to get your kids excited about exercising is to make it a family activity. Remember, you're a role model for your kids. They are looking to you to see what behavior and habits to mimic, good or bad. If they see you being physically active and having fun with exercise, they'll pick up on the fact that exercise is a good thing.
Your kids want your attention. They also want to make you proud and to share interests with you. By taking the time to exercise with your kid, you help to build up positive associations with exercise and activity. If your child has such fond memories of getting up and moving, they’re much more likely to keep it up into adulthood.
Related: The Best Podcasts for Kids
Fun Exercises for Kids at Home (With Spotify Playlists!) So we know exercise is good — but let’s be honest, at the moment, our options are limited. We can’t go out to the playground, we can’t take up a new team sport, and we can’t organize meet-ups with our friends. Some of us don’t even have gardens, which makes getting out and getting fresh air all the more difficult. Thankfully, there are some fun exercises for kids to do at home — and we have some Spotify playlists to make the experience even more engaging for your little ones.
Kids love instructional songs. They have grown up with them, and they’re a great way of loosening up your kids. Think of them as a warm-up. This playlist has some great songs that will get kids up and moving, being silly, getting their energy out, and having a great time. Some examples of songs from this playlist include “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” “Hokey Pokey,” and “Shake My Sillies Out.”
This playlist is great for younger children. It's designed to get little ones excited and moving, with classics like “Baby Shark,” “Dance Like a Monster” and “Clap Clap Clap.” If mom and dad are dancing along, kids will be particularly excited about “We're a Family.”
Kids have a real connection to music, which is why so many of their favorite movies are cram-packed full of upbeat songs. This playlist is a combination of songs straight from movie classics and modern hits. Your kids will love to dance to Moana's “You're Welcome” and “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid.
Here at Jooki, we absolutely love Trolls. Of course, we do — everyone does! The energy, the colors, and the songs are perfectly tailored to get us excited and energized. Your kids will love dancing around to this Trolls World Tour playlist.
This is another playlist for slightly younger kids. With songs like “Run Around Kid,” “Heads, Shoulders Knees, and Toes” and “Wag Your Tail,” this is a great playlist to get kids up, running around, laughing, and generally exhausting themselves.
… And breathe. Energetic, active exercise is great for kids, but if you want to get them to wind down and chill out, yoga and meditation are definitely the way to go. This playlist is the perfect combination of relaxing, soothing melodies that will help dial down the energy levels until your children are ready for bed. Parents should guide their kids through simple yoga poses, like the Sun Salutation, while talking them through deep breathing. Yoga is a great exercise for a kid who is generally fairly anxious or stressed. In fact, we have a calm playlist for kids that might help if you are finding this to be an issue during these worrying times.
Remember, exercise should be fun! If your child doesn’t seem inclined toward a particular exercise or song, don’t push them. Instead, work with them to find something they genuinely enjoy, and before long, they will be up and dancing along with you.
If you’re looking for an amazing, kids smart music player to play your Spotify playlists on, the Jooki is exactly right for you. The Jooki encourages independence and a love for music and stories from a young age. Learn more about Jooki.
]]>Parents have a difficult job these days. We have to find ways to keep our kids educated and engaged while also staving off boredom in our children. On top of that, many of us still have a full-time job to worry about — these certainly are interesting times we’re living in, and for a lot of us, it can get a little overwhelming.
Currently, a third of the global population is on coronavirus lockdown. That’s a lot of children climbing the walls, desperate for a bit of entertainment and excitement. During this new normal, where we can’t simply let them go over to a friend’s house and the movies isn’t an option, we have to come up with new and creative ways to keep our kids entertained at home — while also keeping them challenged and connected to the world around them.
This isn’t an easy task by any stretch. If you’re struggling, you’re not alone. We’re all muddling through as best we can. To help you out and give you a bit of a boost, Jooki has decided to partner up with Dr. Sarah Mundy, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and author of Parenting Through Stories, a parenting handbook and a series of interactive children's books to help parents and children make sense of the world together. Dr Sarah has given us her expert advice on how to entertain kids at home while self-isolating. Dr. Sarah has worked closely with children for the last 18 years and has a keen insight into how children’s brains work and keeping them engaged.
According to Dr. Sarah, the problem most families will run into is that they have “over-entertained” in the first few weeks of lockdown, and now their kids feel like caged animals. The secret, according to Dr. Sarah, is to have a balance of exciting and calm activities.
So where can you start? Dr. Sarah outlines her top tips below.
Entertainment isn’t always about constant excitement. Kids and adults alike need periods of calm to recoup and truly appreciate the fun times to come. We all need space to breathe, reflect, and rest. From time to time, get kids to sit down and relax — maybe you can do a calm, mindful craft activity, like coloring or painting. Maybe you can listen to zen music or watch a movie as a family. This will help to not only chill out your children, but it’ll also help them with any feelings of anxiety they might be feeling in these uncertain times.
Remember to acknowledge your child’s feelings — it’s okay for them to be worried and we shouldn’t be quick to dismiss their concerns. Avoidance is never a cure and can actually make anxiety worse.
As Dr. Sarah says:
“I think the key to making things work at home, particularly with all the uncertainty and anxiety around us (for both children and parents) is to stay connected and help our bodies feel calm. We need to ensure that we are all feeling more grounded before blitzing on the entertainment and to focus on doing things together, not apart ("we" not "me and you").”
Related: How to reduce anxiety in children
Competition might sound like a fun way to get the adrenaline pumping and really engage your children, but too much competition can be detrimental. You want to keep most of the focus on doing things as a family unit to make your child feel secure, accepted, and supported. Rather than pitting your kids against one another (no matter how playfully), try to get them to work as a team. Try collaborative games or give your children a project to work on together.
Dr. Sarah recommends the following:
“Keep things playful and fun. Try to avoid competition or too much pressure where possible. If you have more than one child, set them a task which is achievable and that they need to do together (our clay fish treasure hunt was fantastic).”
Our worlds have shrunk recently, but we’re still allowed to enjoy nature. Those of us lucky enough to have gardens can make use of them all day.
The outdoors can represent such a change of pace. There are so many reasons to go outside and get some fresh air. The outdoors can even give us energy and boost our immune systems! What’s more, there are so many fun activities you can do with your kids outside. You can play ball games or tag, or get out the paint and not worry about the cleanup afterward.
Dr. Sarah has a great suggestion when it comes to using the power of nature.
“Nature naturally helps your body calm. You can keep children of all ages entertained through scavenger hunts, for example.”
Even if your kids seem reluctant to get off the couch and move around, exercise and activity are a huge part of keeping kids entertained. They might love the idea of vegging out for a day or so, but at some point, they will undoubtedly become grumpy, bored, and frustrated. Rather than dealing with these issues when they arise, try to be proactive. Dr. Sarah recommends engaging in physical activity together. Try going for a cycle ride or having a dance together. You could play soccer outside or even do some family yoga.
Your kids are little creativity machines! At this young age, they have wild ideas running through their minds all the time. Give them an opportunity to exercise their imaginations as well as their bodies. Throwing themselves into a creative outlet, whether it’s writing, painting, or acting, can be both entertaining and educational. What’s more, once your kid gets engaged in a creative project, they can while away the hours without even realizing it.
Dr. Sarah agrees:
“Make a family film together — scripts, prompts, different roles — ours is about dad fishing, being scared by his toddler dinosaur, falling into the paddling pool, being eaten by a shark, and being rescued by nurse mummy!”
Your kids might groan at this one, but much like getting them to exercise, getting your kids to switch off and disconnect periodically is vital for them. It’ll also help them to enjoy their screens when you allow them their allotted time. There are a lot of reasons to go screen-free — don’t fall into the trap of thinking your kid is entertained if they’re in front of the TV. There’s every chance they’re understimulated and bored.
Dr. Sarah says:
“Have time away from screens and help your children learn through other means (we have asked our older children to write us a quiz based on their knowledge or books rather than Google, which helps them learn to think about what they know and how to phrase questions in their own way. It also helped us learn more about them — I didn't get the question about famous Minecraft YouTubers!).”
Great screen-free ideas to try
If you really want to entertain your kids at home, try to think of activities that appeal to all of their senses in a different way. This is a great way of shaking things up and engaging them in different activities. You can even try dividing up your day into five sections and challenging yourself to come up with different activities for each sense.
Dr. Sarah says:
“Do activities which stimulate different senses — touch (playdough), sound (music, singing), smell (cooking together, smelling flowers), taste (eat what you have cooked or make a sculpture of marshmallows and skewers and cook them on a fire), and sight (look at pictures together and draw them).”
There are so few things all human beings can agree on, but a love of stories is something we can all enjoy. Stories are a great way of bonding, sharing information, and going on a journey. Now is a perfect time for families to tell stories, read, and listen to audiobooks together.
Dr. Sarah says:
“Read together and make up stories together — imagine the outside world even if you can't see it.”
Related: 5 exciting audiobooks your children will love
Entertainment isn’t all about excitement. Your kids also need (and crave) structure and routine. Now is a difficult time for them — they need a sense of normalcy and predictability. It can’t all be fun.
Dr. Sarah agrees:
“Try to keep a structure and predictability to the day, whatever the age of your child.”
Finally, when it comes to you, as a parent, you need to learn to give yourself a break. You have a hard job under normal circumstances, but added to that is the complication of lockdown. You want to make your child feel safe and secure while also keeping them entertained. You’re not going to achieve this perfectly — and that’s okay. You’re human. You might have days where all you want to do is eat junk food and watch TV. That doesn’t make you any less of a parent. And we’re sure your children won’t object, either.
This is a point Dr. Sarah strongly emphasizes:
“[Parents] need to minimize the shoulds and not put too much pressure on themselves for the children to be involved in adult-led entertainment every hour of the day. Family mindfulness and yoga (yoga pretzels are great) are also helpful.”
To sum up, Consultant Clinical Psychologist Dr. Sarah Mundy has the following tips for keeping children entertained:
The Jooki is the best kids speaker and music player out there today — load it up with your kids’ favorite music, assign playlists to the figurines, and get going. Your kids will love to incorporate the Jooki into their daily entertainment.
]]>If you’re a parent and you’re concerned about the amount of time your kids spend in front of a screen, you’re not alone. So many of us worry our children will spend their lives in the glow of their tablet or smartphone. We are concerned about them getting the level of social interaction they need and about them learning how to have fun away from technology.
Thankfully, there are several ways to entertain your kids away from screens. One way is to listen to podcasts. Podcasts offer fun, education, empowerment, and excitement while stimulating our creativity and thirst for knowledge. And what’s great is, no matter your kid’s tastes or preferences, there will be a podcast out there that’s perfect for them. Below, we explore 27 outstanding podcasts, showing you where you can find them and why they’re so great.
2. Little Stories for Tiny People
3. Preschool Music & Story Time
Mystery and Adventure Podcasts
1. The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel
2. The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian
4. The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd
1. Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl
2. Spare the Rock: Spoil the Child
4. David Walliams’ Marvellous Musical Podcast
It’s never too early to give your kids a love for podcasts! These podcasts are perfect for tiny little humans and growing brains.
This funny and informative podcast covers a range of topics, including questions posed by kids and answered by experts, providing fun and education for little kids.
This podcast is essentially a calming, soothing bedtime story in audio form. Get your kid to grab their favorite teddy and settle down for a nighttime tale told in a calming tone.
This podcast is regularly updated and will quickly become a favorite for your preschool kids, covering issues such as nutrition and movement, fitness and exercise.
If you’re having trouble getting your kid to sail away to the land of nod, this podcast is just what you’re looking for. The hosts begin with a pre-story meditation (including mindfulness practices like “deep dragon breaths”), which might just get your kids to sleep before the story begins! The narrator’s soothing voices describe adventures on Ahway Island are great for kids of all ages and are particularly popular with preschool children.
Related: Calm music for kids
This podcast really does have it all — whether you’re looking for fairytales, classic myths, poetry, or music, Storynory is a great choice to keep your kid’s mind entranced and entertained.
Feed your kids’ minds with these trivia podcasts. Children are so curious and thirsty to learn more and more — they just need the right tools.
Kids ask about certain things adults wouldn’t even question. When did people start speaking? Why is grass green? Why don’t we keep growing forever? This podcast is biweekly and tackles questions like this in a kid-friendly, clear way.
This educational podcast addresses questions sent in by kids — experts answer questions relating to nature, anatomy, geography, linguistics, and more. Listening to this podcast each week will keep your kids learning in such an entertaining way, they won’t even realize it.
The best way to understand this podcast is for us to outline some of the episode titles:
Ridiculous though these questions might sound, this podcast captures the attention of countless children, while the host brings the stories to life, answers random questions, and captures the imaginations of your children.
This is a great way of getting kids interested in history. The hosts explore little-known events in history in a funny, interesting way. The podcast even has a quiz segment to make sure your kids are learning while having fun.
Come bedtime, if you’ve read the same books a thousand times and you’re looking for some new material, look no further than these amazing podcasts.
This podcast offers a mix of classic stories and less well-known yarns. Aiming for a delicate mix of entertainment and education, this is a great podcast to play while your kid winds down for the night.
In this adventure podcast, two young princes strive to save their kingdoms, defeat villains and slay dragons. With dashes of magic, romance, and danger, this audio drama is the perfect introduction to the fantasy genre.
This podcast is about a magical book that transports readers to a world where they can find the confidence, drive, and strength to overcome any obstacle. The podcast occasionally tackles serious (but important) issues like homelessness and bullying, making the stories powerful and meaningful for kids.
This podcast tells classic stories in a modern way, challenging kids to develop their vocabulary and imagine worlds far different from their own.
This podcast showcases stories created by real kids, submitted to the show and brought to life by the hosts. The podcast even features special guest stars, including Claire Danes and John Oliver. If the podcast inspires them, kids can head to the website and submit their very own story to be explored and read out on this amazing podcast.
Related: Benefits of audiobooks for kids
As parents, we have to answer the question “why” approximately a thousand times a day. With these podcasts, your kids will learn all they need to know about the world around them.
Talking to kids about the news can be difficult — but they want (and need) to be informed about the world around them. This podcast is created by mothers who are also broadcast journalists so that they can relay news stories to young listeners in an easily digestible way.
This podcast is inspired by a love for biology and allows kids to learn all about animals, ecosystems, and the countries of our world. Episodes are usually about fifteen minutes and will be popular for kids who want to learn all they can about the world around them.
This is a Podcast game show where one kid goes up against two adults. The catch is, only one of these adults is an expert in a given topic. The kid asks questions and analyzes information to determine who is telling the truth. As well as being a lot of fun to play along to, kids can learn an awful lot about imporant topics.
In this incredible podcast, kids can listen to interviews with scientists about their processes and discoveries. The podcast addresses fascinating topics in an approachable way. Even if your kid has never shown a love for science, we can almost guarantee this podcast will spark an interest.
Does your kid have a thirst for adventure? These podcasts will keep them on their toes and eager to hear more.
This Peabody Award-winning scripted mystery series is voice acted by actual middle schoolers and is about an 11-year-old boy who is searching for his missing friends. The gripping, suspenseful mystery will keep your kids hooked for hours.
This podcast tells the story of an eight-year-old who lives on an interplanetary space station. The central character explores the galaxy and solves mysteries alongside his friends. With over 13 hours of content out there, this sci-fi adventure is violence-free and will keep your kids entertained for days on end.
This podcast is inspired by old-timey radio shows and follows a journalist who is constantly going off on an adventure, in pursuit of her next big scoop. The journalist, Eleanor, is witty and daring and the series is perfectly suited for tweens in need of a mystery.
This is another podcast inspired by old-timey radio shows. It follows Dr. Floyd and Dr. Steve, one kind and one wicked, as they battle one another and go on adventures that cover science, history, and geography, ensuring your kids are entertained and educated.
What kid doesn’t love a scary tale or two? This podcast is great for kids (over the age of eight) looking for a myth or adventure to sink their teeth into — whether it’s about vampires, clowns, or anything else that might be lurking in the dark.
Related: Spotify Audiobooks your kids will love
Kids have a special relationship with music. Whether your kid is destined to be a musician or an avid fan, these podcasts are exactly what they’re looking for.
This podcast is all about “kindie rock” — indie rock for kids. This two-hour podcast is styled like a radio show and covers songs new and old your kids will love.
Are you a rock-and-roll loving parent who wants to share their passion with their kids — but perhaps without all the explicit content? This podcast is for you. Each week, there’s a new playlist with kid-appropriate songs that adults will love, with songs from They Might Be Giants, Elvis Costello, and John Legend.
This podcast is hosted by a music education specialist and his daughter and will get kids playing musical games, singing, rhyming, and moving. Popular with kids of all ages, the songs featured are so fun, silly, and upbeat that the whole family will love them.
This podcast is perfect for music lovers with a silly side. Help nurture your kids’ love for classical music with this incredible, ten-part podcast, presented by David Walliams. After listening to this podcast, your kid will be regaling you with facts and questions, including “Did you know Beethoven was arrested for being a tramp?” and “Did you know Mozard loved fart jokes?”
Now you know the best podcasts to listen to, check out Jooki — the best way for families to listen to podcasts together, to learn and to play.
]]>Have you heard of Screen-Free Week? It’s the one week a year where thousands of people around the world decide to unplug and disconnect from screens. There are many reasons you might choose to go screen-free — there are a huge number of benefits for your kids, but downtime from your screen-based entertainment can do the world of good for adults, too. After all, as convenient and as fun as screens can be, let’s face it — we weren’t designed for staring at them for hours each day. We have evolved to engage, interact, and entertain one another — it’s what makes us human.
Screen-Free Week runs from May 4-10, 2020. If you’re determined to give it a go, but you’re a bit daunted at the prospect of one whole week with no screens (not even TV!), we understand. Screens are woven into almost every area of our day-to-day lives — you might not even realize how much you depend on them until they’re gone.
If you’re looking for ways to keep your whole family entertained during Screen-Free Week, we have eight great suggestions to share with you.
Just because you are going screen-free doesn’t mean you have to turn your back on all technology. You’re not expected to suddenly hand-wash all your clothes or put the vacuum cleaner into retirement for seven days. You can still use a music and story player like Jooki to listen to your favorite audiobooks. This is a great way of uniting the family and enjoying a story together — and there are benefits to listening to audiobooks all adults should know about.
Not all games are loaded up on a console! Try some interactive fun with your family in the form of a board game or a card game. Try something like Uno, Snap, or Cluedo. Or, if you’re looking for something a little more animated and creative, why not try Charades or Pictionary? Games can be a huge bonding exercise and something you could even integrate into your weekly routine.
Fun is all very well and good, but it can’t all be games! Take this time to declutter with your family. Perhaps you can go through your kids’ old forgotten toys and decide which ones to donate to charity. The toys will go on to make another child very happy and you’ll benefit from much more room.
Have a sing or a dance with your family this Screen-Free Week. Music can do so much for us — it can energize us and inspire us, or it can calm us down when we’re anxious or frustrated. It can also be a great way to bond over common ground.
Related: Calm Music for Kids: A Playlist to Relax and Unwind
Cooking is not only a great skill to teach your children — it can also help to broaden their tastes and spark their curiosity about food. If you have a picky eater or two on your hands, cooking together might just be the key. According to Huffington Post, "Learning to cook opens children's eyes to food: how it tastes, feels, smells, and looks.”
Arty pursuits often get forgotten when we’re so tied up in technology, but arts and crafts are important for growing minds. They give children a sense of achievement and pride while helping to boost their confidence. It might get messy, it might not turn out the way you expected — but it’s never wasted time.
Jooki is the best music and story player for a screen-free childhood. Find out more about the Jooki and discover a new way of listening to music and stories.
]]>Working from home and homeschooling can be overwhelming for parents, but it is an adjustment for kids, too. They miss their friends, routines, teachers, and classes. To help your family make this time of crisis feel a little more normal, our number one recommendation is to do what works best for your family. Our second recommendation is to preserve your family time because whether you choose to keep a schedule or not, there is always time to have fun!
We’ve already talked about reasons to reduce screen time here, now we’ll give you 10 extra fun activities to enjoy indoors with its own special playlist.
Studies have found that dancing can reduce stress, depression, and anxiety, and can boost self-esteem. It's a great exercise for kids' hearts and bones! And don’t worry about the songs, we’ve put together the perfect playlist for your party: Let's dance!
Treasure hunts are super easy to set up. Hiding something between 10 and 20 items around the house or in the backyard can keep your kids occupied for a few hours. Doesn’t it sound like a Happy Day?!
As your kids accomplish each reading task, they should cross off each bingo square. To inspire their imagination and get them ready to a magic world of play pretend, start with some audio stories. Listen to The Coolest Children’s Stories.
Grab a sheet, some fruits, and snacks you already have in the pantry, and enjoy a living room picnic. You can even play board games and have a Disney soundtrack to complete the experience.
Homeschooling doesn’t have to be boring. Get some cool printables and have fun together while listening to the Fantastic Mr. Fox playlist.
Get those puzzles that have been sitting in the cabinet forever out of retirement. Puzzles not only exercise our minds but also challenge our way of thinking. Let’s play!
There’s no talking in this activity, but you can always have a great playlist playing. Do you dare to Sing-Along? In this game, there're just you and your family acting something out. It’s a classic boredom-saver. If you don’t know how it works don't worry, Family Education explains it all.
Time to be creative and try new flavors! Get whatever you have laying around the house, and that’s what’s going on your homemade pizza. Who knows, you might have a new favorite. Listen to Pizza Dough on Spotify to set the mood!
Find a clean sock (preferably), that's long enough to cover your arm. You can be as creative as you wish with your kids when decoration it. Slip the sock on so your fingers are in the toe area and enjoy this theatrical afternoon. Listen to this great Sesame Street playlist for inspiration.
Easter is coming, after all. From egg carton chicks to cotton ball bunnies, there are tons of Easter craft options you can explore. Let this Easter playlist set the mood!
Learn more about Jooki and give your children more control over their music and audiobooks.
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