African Dreamland

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Your Price: $14.98

3 Year-olds

Part Number: 790248027722

Feature: Various Artists

Feature: Putumayo

Feature: Why we chose this music

Feature: About the music

Feature 5 Song list

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African Dreamland features lullabies from countries across Africa. The African singers present the song in the native language of the village, city, or country in which they grew up. Singers featured on the album include one of the most famous South African groups, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, as well as one of the most popular musicians from Mali, Habib Koite. Some songs are presented acapella while others include African instruments that will sound totally new to your little one. These enchanting lullabies are great for bedtime, naptime, and quiet playtime.

The African lullabies on this album feature many new and uniquely beautiful sounds that originated in the villages, cities, tribes, and families of Africa. Douyore, a traditional song of the Mandingo people, uses a balafon (an African xylophone with wooden keys), bolon (a three-stringed African bass), and a karignan (a metal scraper instrument), to tell the story of a parent trying to figure out why their child is crying. A traditional Zimbabwean thumb piano, called a mbira, is featured in Usa Cheme (Don't cry). Salaman features the kora, an African harp with 21 strings made form a large dried squash shell covered in cowhide. The soothing sound of this unique instrument will help your little one drift peacefully off to dreamland. Ikope Ye Tollo (The Birds Are Sleeping) is sung in the Bubi language from Equatorial Guinea, and includes sounds of the forest breeze and birds chirping in the background. Sao Horas de Dormir (It's Time to Go to Sleep) is a beautiful lullaby in the Cape Verdean language of Crioulu, a linguistic blend of Portuguese and West Africa. The chorus repeats, "Even the sun has gone to bed. Those who go to bed early will wake up smiling tomorrow." Children join in the final chorus.

These lullabies lend themselves perfectly to some cuddle time with your little one as they drift asleep. Although you won't likely know the languages of the songs, a connection to music goes far beyond understanding the lyrics, so you can rock with your little one and hum gently. The universal lullaby language of 'la la la's is even included in Mimi, although the rest of the song is sung in Swahili. If your little one is awake while listening to this album, you can try and name different types of birds, as the song Lonon asks listeners to do, practice 'walking softly' which is what the title Nomathemba means, or read the cover booklet for interesting background information on the singers and songs that you can share with your little one.

My three-year-old friend Sam likes to listen to this album during his afternoon nap. The beats and new instruments must provide him with pleasant dreams because he hand picks this album many afternoons. His favorite song is Mali Sadio because I told him the title means "Sadio's Hippopotamus". Sam wants to be a zookeeper when he grows up, and hippos happen to be his favorite zoo animal.

--Audra

Little One Books

Children's books - music - videos

African Dreamland