KIDS

 By Iggi, Republic Branch Library

A common myth about kids and music is that classical is best. The reality is that lots of options exist, and what is best for a child might depend on the task and the child. For parents bored with Bach but looking for quality, wordless background music that promotes focus or a certain mood, music from video games can do the trick!

Designed to help listeners focus on tasks and not wear them down with repetition, video game music ranges from bouncy and upbeat tunes to those with sweeping and orchestral melodies. It all depends on whether you’re listening to the soundtrack to Mario or Skyrim!
As an added bonus, you can make up silly words to the simpler retro tunes of kid-friendly games much more easily than you might for a Mozart symphony.

The Greatest Video Game Music performed by Orphei Drangar and the London Philharmonic Orchestra

A great choice if you’re looking for epic, orchestral scores on disc. The London Philharmonic Orchestra and Swedish choral group Orphei Drängar perform selections from modern classics like Final Fantasy, Skyrim, and Minecraft.

DuckTales: Remastered by Jake Kaufman

Hoopla’s digital selection includes the great Disney DuckTales remastered soundtrack. A jolly jaunt with some familiar tunes for fans of the recently rebooted cartoon, this soundtrack includes both the updated 2014 recordings of the songs, but also the 16-bit versions from the original console game

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Video Games Piano Tribute by Piano Tribute Players

“Video Games Piano Tribute” is a short album on Hoopla that includes piano versions of video game standbys like the Super Mario Bros and Tetris themes. A good album for a more relaxed rendition of game music.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: The Game by Anamanaguchi

The soundtrack for Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game by electronica band Anamanaguchi is an energetic powerhouse. Channeling punk and sometimes even metal vibes, the electronic score to this lost game is full of super danceable tunes. Borrow this from Hoopla when you’re looking for motivation to get up and go!