Review: Activities + Music to Build Character, Social and Emotional Skills

Happy Kids Songs were created for building character and social and emotional skills for kids ages 4 to 8 years old. The songs are super catchy and fun to listen to (great car music!) – you can listen to some samples via this page. The creator Don MacMannis – also known as Dr. Mac – is a Child Psychologist and award-winning PBS children’s songwriter and music director, and his passion for empowering families through fun resources really shines through.

Music to Build Character

There are 8 Happy Kids Songs CDs in total with 5 songs each that focus on a theme such as “Talking and Listening” or “Respect and Responsibility.”

Sample Song Topics

Assertiveness and dealing with bullies
Taking turns with others
Celebrating differences
Including others in play
Ways of expressing feelings constructively
Handling unwanted thoughts
Overcoming fears
Being considerate
and more!

Activities to Build Character

If you want to extend the conversations beyond the songs, there is also a 125-page activity book that includes lyrics to all 40 songs, a corresponding full-page activity for each one (which could be photocopied to use in the classroom), plus a list of 3-5 more hands-on activities per song. This workbook could be used in so many ways including after-school sessions, vacation care camps, playgroups, music classes, or kids counselling programmes. It would also be a valuable resource for a homeschooling co-op.