Something for the kids

It's like the old saying goes: the children are our future, unless we stop them now. Okay, so that's not exactly how it goes, but it is true that kids today are growing up hearing about global warming and environmentalism, so it's important that they are educated about the planet as much as possible. Well, that learning doesn't have to come in the form of stuffy documentaries by Al Gore, it can be fun!

Photo courtesy of the Banana Slug String Band website

Case in point: the Banana Slug String Band. They're a band made up of teachers and musicians from Santa Cruz, California who play children's music and encourage learning about the environment, nature, and science. They also use interactive demonstrations to get kids interested in learning about the world around them. Think Raffi crossed with Sesame Street. They've released several CDs of music, and have won many children's music awards. You can even schedule them to give workshops and perform at your school. In addition, they support organic farms and other Earth-friendly resources. To check out some of their music, you can listen to a clip of the song "Singing to the Moon," and you can find more clips on their ordering page.

Sure, it may sound kind of silly to us, but anyone who has children or younger siblings will tell you that kids love colorful characters and fun songs and really embrace that kind of learning. Even those of us who are older can maybe take a break from reading all the gloomy warnings about global catastrophe and have fun singing along to a song about a moose.