Best music gifts for all ages

Music for children and their families is alive and well. Indie artists shone brightly in the NAPPA’s 20th annual awards, as they blended with established performers who continue to deliver. What a tremendous mix of new takes on traditional songs, terrific original songs, and outstanding musicianship.

Music Together Lullabies, various artists, Music Together, LLC, 2009; $14.95; age birth-6.

Music Together Lullabies

Party Like a Twinkle Star, Charity and the JAMband, 2010; $17.98 Double CD; age birth-9.

Party Like a Twinkle Star

Sing Me Goodnight, Lisa Redfern, Hurricane Music, 2010; $15; age birth and up.

Sing Me Goodnight

Sing Me to Sleep—Indie Lullabies, Various Artists, American Laundromat Records, 2010; $13.95; age birth and up.

Sing Me to Sleep—Indie Lullabies

A Mighty Good Day, Hullabaloo, Hullabaloo Music, 2010; $12; age birth-6.

A Mighty Good Day

Rock and Roll Garden, Bari Koral Family Rock Band, Loopytunes, 2010; $10.99; age 1-5.

Rock and Roll Garden

The Wild World of Wildlife, Birdie Mendoza, Birdie’s Playhouse, 2010; $10.99;age birth-5.

The Wild World of Wildlife

A Cow Says Moock, Alastair Moock, Moockshake Music, 2010; $15; age 2-10.

A Cow Says Moock

Eat a Bowl of Cherries, Rhythm Child, The Rhythm Child Network, 2009; $15; age birth-6.

Eat a Bowl of Cherries

Funky Fresh and Sugar Free, Sugar Free Allstars, Wiser Music, 2010; $12.97; age 3-10.

Funky Fresh and Sugar Free

Jungle Gym, Justin Roberts, Carpet Square Records, 2010; $16; age 3-9.

Jungle Gym

The Kids Are All Id, Randy Kaplan, Randy Kaplan Music, 2010; $12.99-$17.99; age 4 and up.

The Kids Are All Id

Swimming in Noodles, Jim Cosgrove, Hiccup Productions, Inc., 2010; $13; age 3-8.

Swimming in Noodles

Ranky Tanky, Rani Arbo, Mayhem Music, 2010; $15; age 3 and up.

Ranky Tanky

Take It Outside, The Okee Dokee Brothers, Okee Dokee Music, 2010; $15; age 3-9.

Take It Outside

Sunny Day, Elizabeth Mitchell, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2010; $11.98; age 9 and up.

Sunny Day

We’re Not Kidding! A Tribute to Barry Louis Polisar, various artists, Rainbow Morning Music, 2010; $14.95; age 9 and up.

We’re Not Kidding! A Tribute to Barry Louis Polisar

For more on the season’s must-haves, return to our 2010 Toy Guide or check out the following “best-of” lists:

• Best DVDs
• Best music
• Best video games and software
• Best books and magazines
• Best toys for infants and toddlers
• Best toys for preschoolers
• Best toys for ages 5+
• Best toys for ages 8+

More top toys of 2010