This year on Valentine’s Day, we decided to focus on the gift of FRIENDSHIP and are so excited to be featuring this dynamic duo – Bobs & Lolo.  Their partnership did not begin as a business arrangement but rather, blossomed from a lifelong friendship that started at the tender age of eight, when these two met at Girl Guides. There, they shared their love for nature and music, and discovered how much they had in common. Of course, there were a lot of songs they shared around the campfires! The photo above depicts these two getting ready for a high school talent show! Yes, they also went through high school together and have been there for each other throughout all their milestones in life.

They have always been there to support each other’s dreams. After going off and pursing their own post secondary careers, they were able to come back together with their degrees in education, and combine their experiences as both teachers and child performers. Now these BFF’s travel the world together performing their own songs to children and their families – living the dream of any child performer.

One of their earlier songs from their SEANOTES ALBUM, Cindy The Seahorse – is my personal favourite and one that I am happy to include in this story as it’s all about the friendship that is formed between two seahorses. The song is very soft, soothing and it sneaks up on you with it’s magical storytelling quality. The music is beautiful and magical and draws the children in. The slow tempo is perfect for swaying back and forth and rocking on your feet with small children in an early learning music class, which is where I have made a lot of use of this song over the years. The lyrics tell the story of a shy, sweet little seahorse by the name of Cindy who is all alone, swimming slowly as seahorses do when she spots another seahorse. By the end of the song, Cindy has made a friend and it’s such a warmhearted song to share with young children. We’ve included the video here which I absolutely love. It’s sung inside a tent where Bobs & Lolo are intimately sharing this lyrical story with some children in such a sweet depiction. We hope you enjoy it as much we do and please feel free to write into us to let us know how your kids or students feel about this song and how you have made use of it. I personally created felt characters of Cindy and her new friend and had my young musical friends use them in our circle time, where they had these character swim while they were passed around in opposite directions, until they met and held tails as they swam away, which is also something seahorses like to do.

And now, Bobs & Lolo have given us an exclusive interview – conducted in video format by some of their own children – on what friendship means to them! We hope you enjoy!

Q & A about FRiENDSHiP with BOB’S & LOLO

Thank you Bobs & Lolo for this heartwarming interview about what friendship means to you! Check out more songs from Bobs & Lolo here!

SONGS ABOUT FRIENDSHIP

Outside of Bob’s & Lolo who was a go-to for me when my daughter was younger, is Children’s Songwriter & Music Therapist, Stephanie Leavell from Music For Kiddos. I highly recommend all of her songs and workshops as well for any teacher – or parent – who is wanting to get more musical and share their musicality with their kiddos! Here is a link to 10 Songs About Friendship by Stephanie!

MY TOP 5 FRIENDSHIP SONG PICKS FOR THE CLASSROOM THIS YEAR

1. K-I-N-D by Stephanie Leavell

My first choice is K.I.N.D. by Music For Kiddos. This is such a beautiful song to remind us all that, “Kind is kind of the most important thing, that we can all be.” Stephanie Leavell.

2. New New Friends Song by The Learning Station

My second choice is Make New Friends by The Learning Station. Their opening line, “Make new friends, but keep the old,” is such an important message to share with our children about how wonderful it is to make new friends while still keeping your old friends! This channel is geared towards babies, toddlers, preschoolers and elementary age children, you can also find many other songs and music videos on this channel that filled with active participation, nursery rhymes, brain breaks for the classroom including learning videos, camp songs, dance, holiday songs, action songs, and their very popular move and freeze dance songs. ESL songs can also be found here.

3. THIS IS THE WAY WE MAKE FRIENDS by Super Simple Songs.

This song by Super Simple Songs is perfect choice for kids to enjoy watching these puppets practice making friends – by saying hello, sharing toys, taking turns, playing games, singing songs, and saying goodbye. It’s a way demonstration of different gestures to practice being a good friend.

4. HOW TO BE A GOOD FRIEND by Sesame Street

How To Be A Good Friend by Sesame Street is such a great song to teach kids how to work together if they have different ideas. I would strongly recommend playing this video to your children and then having a Friendship Challenge afterwards where children can come up with their own ideas and come up with ways they can work together! Such a great way to introduce and practice this concept with our kiddos!

5. TOY STORY’S, YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND IN ME by Disney Junior

No children’s friendship song playlist is complete without adding the Toy Story theme song, You’ve Got A Friend In Me! This version is fun for preschoolers to watch and listen to. Check out the Disney Junior Channel for more Popular & Classic Kids Disney Songs.

Thanks KiDS NEWS & REViEWS for sharing this story with us!