This Week —

Take a listen to one of our favorite pieces: Peter and the Wolf by Prokofiev. Whether we’re playing, snacking, or lounging around the house, the Elf and I listen to this piece Every. Single. Day. No joke. Is it a part of the family by now? Hard to say for sure (BUT YES).

Listen To —

Peter and the Wolf is like an orchestral audiobook, in that each character is represented by a different instrument—the oboe represents the Duck, for example. The story is exciting and a wee-bit scary—but it’s the kind of scary that older kids go bananas for. It’s also a two-fer: kiddos both enjoy a great narrative and learn the ins and outs of an orchestra. (**Heads up, there’s a wolf involved obviously, and said wolf gobbles down a duck—so if that’s too frightening of a scenario for your child, fast forward through that part and save it for later). There are tons of versions but we like the David Bowie narration best.

Dig In —

I introduced this piece to the Elf by showing him the phenomenal, Oscar-winning animated short film by Suzie Templeton a handful of times. Later I showed him a live concert so he could see which instrument represented each animal—the conductor/narrator is an absolute delight to watch. Now we simply listen to this playlist. The Elf has come to know and love this piece—and when he pretends to blow a French horn when the wolf emerges, it simply makes my heart want to explode with joy!

 For those who would like a screen-free option, here is an illustrated book by Janet Shulman.

I hope you love it as much as we do. Happy listening!

(Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase)

Don’t have Spotify? Listen on YouTube