Disney - Playhouse Disney (CD)

All Music Guide

Disney Records has created the ultimate musical playhouse for preschoolers (and whoever knows how to use the CD player in the house) with this release, a collection of favorite songs from The Disney Channel's popular block of preschool programming. The album features an assortment of popular singalongs from all of Playhouse Disney's programs, including Rolie Polie Ollie, The Book of Pooh, Out of the Box, Bear in the Big House, PB J Otter, and Stanley. It's so interesting to listen to the diverse modern styles here and compare them to previous preschool generations' much less-interesting sing-songy tunes. The Bear, for instance, uses shuffling and bluesy folk-rock grooves for the unity-minded "We're All Different" and the spirited "Dancing the Day Away." "Let the Rhythm Take You" is a rapper's delight, all hip-hop and funky. Pooh's "Find the X" has a playful reggae groove, while Otter's "Oodelay-O" has a percussive, island flavor to it. All told there are more than 25 interactive tunes, including the Playhouse Disney theme song. As with all Disney recordings for kids, this collection comes with tips for parents, as well as a CD web link to a special Playhouse Disney, complete with fun activities for preschoolers.

- Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide