The Big Zing!

ZingZillas is a music show set on a tropical island where everyone joins in to create ZingZilla music magic. With musical influences spanning the globe from rock to soul, jazz to samba, big band to orchestra, ZingZillas will get its young listeners jumping, swaying and trilling to music from the world over.Zak, Tang, Panzee and Drum are music sensation ZingZillas. On their island paradise, this band of primate friends live to play fantastic music. With the help of their mentor, music guru DJ Loose, they create their unique ZingZilla sound just in time for their daily performance, The Big Zing.As well as these regular island dwellers, the island is visited in every episode by a different musical guest. The ZingZillas always discover their musical guests in a lush jungle glade which pulsates with music. They take inspiration from the guests and incorporate them and their sounds into The Big Zing.

I have to admit that ZingZillas is a very new prospect for my household. Favouring Nick Jr and Playhouse Disney to Cbeebies, the children have only just discovered this lively show. And they absolutely love it!

The 3 year old, on a recent trip to Toys r Us decided to purchase a ZingZillas jigsaw puzzle with her birthday money, so when I was asked to review their new album I knew that I would be making someone very happy!

As soon as I opened the package and pulled out the CD, uniquely called 'ZingZillas -The Album' Bailey's little eyes lit up and she told me in no uncertain terms that before anything else happened this CD must be played!

With the ever catchy 'ZingZillas Theme' being the number one track, we were off to a flying start. Che instantly stopped playing with his building blocks and started nodding his head along to the music. Bailey was beyond herself and clearly couldn't contain her excitement. She was racing around the living room, jumping up and down, and shaking her little butt like crazy! (stupidly cute!)

As we listened to each of the songs in turn, several times in a row, "coz they might disappear by magic, Mumma" I have to admit that even I started to join in with my crazed toddler!

When the older girls returned home from school, they too loved this album and repeatedly asked for it to be played while all four of the children boogied away happily.

From a parent's perspective, I was amazed by how many songs are included on this disc (26 tracks).

I was also pleasantly surprised (having never actually watched a full episode of the programme) by how educational some of the songs were (Track, 13 'Litter, Litter, Litter', for example).

This album is current and very culturally diverse, including bhangra, rock, opera. scat, and flamenco, which really appeals to me being a big music lover. The children love the fact that all the songs have different sounds, which isn't the case with other children's show albums.

We've had the ZingZillas album now for almost a week and none of the children (and much more importantly, me!) haven't tired of it. Bailey in particular comes down each morning, heads for the CD player and tells me to "put the monkey music on, Mumma".

So a very big thumbs up from my four little helpers, and a definite favourite all round.
I have not been left pulling my hair out or searching for the ear plugs, so as kids albums go, this one hits the number one spot.

ZingZillas - The Album, is out Monday 4th October 2010.