I'm lucky in the sense that my kids were brought up listening to OSTs from all my favorite movies so they tolerate it. At 13, 12, 10, and 8 they don't love it (they'll never admit it, but I know they do- I catch them humming things all the time) but they don't complain when in the car, either. I have tons of stuff from movies both obscure and mainstream, but I must say Shore's LotR trilogy is still my favorite. The music just moves me, especially the dark, pounding drums for the uruk hai. I've been looking for good orcy music for years, and Shore's score is perfect for that. As far as for younger ones, maybe some anime or game soundtracks would be the route to go? I saw a few people mention Jesper Kyd (one of my favorites), but a lot of the Asian composers have bright, lively music that perks up little ears and gets the body wanting to move as well.

Sounds like you are doing a good job as a father.

Posted by Zogdukk ThrakkaAs far as for younger ones, maybe some anime or game soundtracks would be the route to go? I saw a few people mention Jesper Kyd (one of my favorites), but a lot of the Asian composers have bright, lively music that perks up little ears and gets the body wanting to move as well.

I totally agree on that!! I should search for a thread on anime OST and dig it up. If there isn't one we should create one....

Updated 3 August 2012 (09:29)

Posted by IoannaSounds like you are doing a good job as a father. I totally agree on that!! I should search for a thread on anime OST and dig it up. If there isn't one we should create one....

Thanks! I like to think so, but raising little greenskins is tough! I completely agree on the anime OST thread. There are so many good ones out there it would be a shame not to share the love...

A fairy dollhouse!!

I am not sure if I would give it to a kid but I could definately buy it for me...

http://dollhouseminis.blogspot.gr/2008/10/fairy-dollhouse-by-s-mignoli.html

Proud to inform you all that, my little hobbit turned 10 recently!

He is an artist (a real one- he takes part to children exhibitions-) and still plays with playmobil knights and castles. He has a weird approach to fantasy since he would never read a book unless it is absolutely necessary. But he enjoys playing and delving into unknown realms.

Fantasy or fantasia in Greek means imagination.

Here is a video from the man that filled my childhood with adventures, talking about imagination. Subtitles included.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx67UwCrqkU

My god, that was an awesome video Ioanna, thank you for the link. I bet most of the guys here won't be able to understand this video so i'll keep it short. After hearing all these, it makes so much sense how imagination is being limited by us every second. How many times have you heard the phrase imagination of a child? Lost in the everyday's reality, during the struggles of our life, trying to get the means to live or survive and having an invisible pressure by the society's laws and country's politics we keep loosing it... we tend to use our imagination less, and we can't seem to forget about our problems at all. I like how this guy uses phrases and examples of famous guys to make the point, like the electon is like a pulse on an invinsible thread. The invincible green kangaroo was hilarious, i think im gonna get one soon>>>>>>>

Updated 18 May 2015 (16:49)

Posted by MFMMy god, that was an awesome video Ioanna, thank you for the link.I bet most of the guys here won't be able to understand this video so i'll keep it short.

I am glad you liked it.

But there are subtittles available, why won't they understand it????

Posted by MFMThe invincible green kangaroo was hilarious, i think im gonna get one soon>>>>>>>

You probably already have one in a cupboard, stacked with some drawings you made as a child.

Updated 18 May 2015 (17:59)

Posted by IoannaI am glad you liked it. But there are subtittles available, why won't they understand it????You probably already have one in a cupboard, stacked with some drawings you made as a child.

Oops, i didn't realize there were subs, so sorry, i never use this this feature. See what i mean by lack of imagination?

Well i really had one but i let it free at some point o_O

Updated 18 May 2015 (18:13)

I think he's 100% right about Einstein saying that children are stuffed with knowledge, like turkeys, letting their imagination starve, which makes me wonder... It's interesting how a lot of children have imaginary friends, that sometimes turn out to be not so imaginary. I was reminded of something by my mum once, quite a few years ago now, she told me about an imaginary friend I once had... Turns out I really do remember seeing a woman on numerous occasions, and this is no word of a lie, but as a child I am certain that I this woman was not imaginary, that she was in fact a ghost, spirit or some other worldly entity. Kids are well known for seeing things that older people cannot see. Which is interesting as the more we grow the less we see, the more knowledge, the less imagination. I definitely believe that Einstein was right there. A very interesting video, thanks for posting Ioanna! And congratulations on having a a 10 year old Hobbit! Lol! You must be an awesome parent!

Updated 18 May 2015 (19:25)

I didn't have an imaginary friend... but I can swear that my teddy bear could move and talk.... The paperclip experiment really frightened me. Think about it for a second, it's scary, before they spend time in school kids were geniouses in creative thinking. Schools teach you to think inside the box, put a fence around your imagination. Torches and pitchforks to the teacher that "corrected" a drawing with five suns!! P.S. I am not a parent, I am still too young, I am fairy god-mother and I make sure I contribute just a bit to the Hobbits upbringing!

Posted by IoannaI didn't have an imaginary friend... but I can swear that my teddy bear could move and talk.... The paperclip experiment really frightened me. Think about it for a second, it's scary, before they spend time in school kids were geniouses in creative thinking. Schools teach you to think inside the box, put a fence around your imagination.Torches and pitchforks to the teacher that "corrected" a drawing with five suns!!P.S. I am not a parent, I am still too young, I am fairy god-mother and I make sure I contribute just a bit to the Hobbits upbringing!

Pardon my assumption, none the less you must be one awesome fairy god mother! Heh moving and talking teddy bears is a possibility in my belief my friend, I have seen things that only belong in dreams, whether they were actual dreams or not I do not know, lol! I agree with you there Ioanna, I have always believed there is a someone or something behind most things like School, TV and Governments, that they are hiding something, yeah I might sound like Fox Mulder here (if you know who that is?) But when I was researching years ago I did find a lot of crazy things that cannot be denied, the CIA, MoD and FBI, the Military, the Government, they all work for someone or something that has control of it all, and they have a hand in schools I suppose, teaching kids what they want them to believe, and to hide the things that kids could easily pick up... I may be going way out of the topic here but it's true, in my opinion that is

It's also funny how most kids TV shows have something very different, like nothing to do with real life, is that just crazy entertainment or are they subtly preparing our children for a future that is way beyond the normality of human life...

But anyways, lol! Five suns sound awesome!

Ok, so schools are being monitored and the curriculum is specific. It can't be helped. What do teachers do for that? I blame them. They have the attention of kids for so many hours they might aswell do something with it. Don't just sit there and wait for time to pass, when you have the chance to form the future generation!! I had a teacher, I will never forget her. She would come to class with a CD player and as long as she was around orchestral music would play. She would stick to the curriculum but she would give you hints and "push" you to read something extra at home. To make a long story short, at the age of 15 or 16 I had no clue what teenage literature was. I had moved to adult literure, heavy stuff, in the three years of secondary school. We would quote poetry and make jokes about it both good students and bad. Now THAT IS a good teacher!!

Posted by KNJRA (Conjurer)It's also funny how most kids TV shows have something very different, like nothing to do with real life, is that just crazy entertainment or are they subtly preparing our children for a future that is way beyond the normality of human life...

Children's entertainment needs to be fantastical for the simple reason that kids couldn't identify with it otherwise. For them, everyday life itself is what most adults would consider "unrealistic". The idea that common household objects didn't have a life of their own would be absurd to the imaginative mind of a child. Imagination conjures activity and meaning from things that would otherwise be incomprehensibly dull. All music is fantasy music to a child!

We have a compulsive need for things to make sense. This we can accomplish through examining the physical world (the vacuum cleaner makes noise because it has parts that turn electricity into movement) or creative association (the vacuum cleaner roars because it's angry). A child's brain is clearly better suited for the latter - I'm guessing, as a survival mechanism. Kids are small and defenceless, and they would be justifiably crippled with fear if they had an adult understanding of cause and effect.

If there is some conspiracy behind children's entertainment, they seem to be doing at least something right!

Just a little update on this thread. The munchkin's upbringing is going pretty well. I had such a laugh during holiday season, he called me and asked for his holiday gift. He actually started the conversation with " Have you heard of Star Wars?". Here is how the conversation went. -Have you heard of Star Wars? -Sure, I ve heard about it. What would you like? -I want a figure of a short... very short green old ... ehh.. -You want a figure of Yoda? -Yes! Or Baba Fet or Darth Maul! -They are not in the new movie so wouldn t you like a figure of the new characters? -No. -Ok, I ll see what I can find. Alright? I get it that there was a Stars Was frenzy these holidays but still it felt pretty good... When we went to visit him I told him that he was old enough to understand now that his "Nona"(God-mother) is a fantasy, sci-fi enthusiast. He wouldn't believe me!!! And on top of that he would brag about watching the older Star Wars movies. But in time the young Padawan was convinced... I hope his frenzy lasts a bit, in few months will be his birthday, he will turn 11 and i want to buy him the OST... too early for an OST? What do you think?

Not at all! I've been listening to OSTs most of my life, and have always felt a connection more with a movie's music than what's happening on screen at times. The earlier, the better, IMO. If he's expressing an interest in Star Wars, you can never go wrong with any of their soundtracks, but Empire Strikes Back has always been my favorite. Such iconic themes throughout, and if he's like the younglings I know, he'll instantly recognize The Imperial March. Keep us posted on how it turns out!

I ended up bying him "The Hobbit" He wasn t very enthusiastic about receiving a book but I told him that he will thank me later. He read it in two weeks, loved it and now we wait for schools to close so that we can arrange watching the movies. This is going suprisingly well...

My apologies for being late to this discussion. I just wanted to offer that the two Asian artists that first earned my attention and love for the kind of high-fantasy music played on Radio Rivendell are Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy 4 / Super NES game) and Yuzo Koshiro (Actraiser / Super NES game). This would be around late-1991 when I was still a teenager, myself. It also helped that the Super NES, as game machines go, had an amazing sound synth (for the time-period).

Update!! I don t think I could be happier and prouder. After reading the Hobbit he asked for the Lord of the Rings !!!

Oh dear! That is awesome! Does he know about the different amount of text between those two stories? Because if he does, it is even more awesome.

About your initial question at the start of this tread, I've made the experience that all kids have a taste for everything. Even if they haven't used it yet or even know that they have it. Kind of like the leading girl and her writing in the movie 'Mimi wo sumaseba'.

I know this one case for example (by the time a nine year old), who had basically no musical interest at all. Then after watching 'La flûte à six schtroumpfs' a very tiny blossom startet to emerge. Watching the movies 'Ronja Rövardotter', 'Labyrinth' and 'The Last Unicorn' provided a regular blast-off pad. About half a year later the 'Labyrinth' and 'Unicorn' OSts were regularly listened to and the OSts to 'Ronja' and 'Conan the Barbarian' were one of the most desired CD's. To top it off on a side note, this person got a bit out of its personal isolationalism, visited a small roleplaying-con about two years later, and only one year after that started as a DungeonMaster by founding a D&D group.

Posted by IoannaUpdate!!I don t think I could be happier and prouder. After reading the Hobbit he asked for the Lord of the Rings !!!

My point is: You can push kids too hard and run them over with your enthusiasm for things they don't care about. But if they do have not only a taste but also an interest in a particular area, all you need to do is provide them with hints to this area. Maybe give them a figurative helping and supportive hand, (or as you did, a book) is usually a very good thing to get them going.

As for what OSts to recommend .... it seems your hobbit-prince is mostly on the right way to develop a working relation to hypes and topics. Maybe let him do the next step. Take him to a musicstore with a large soundtrack-section, wander about and listen together to music he picks. Afterwards talk about what he particularly liked and then build up on that.