Alastair Moock, Boston children's musician
Alastair Moock, Boston children's musician (photo by Mara Brod)

Music has so many benefits for a child’s developing brain! In addition to improving language, memory, cognition, and creativity, it’s just plain fun! Boston is home to some amazing children’s musicians — and we are sharing a few of the best!

Matt Heaton

Matt Heaton believes music for kids can be entertaining for both children AND parents. His songs blend mid-century American guitar styles: surf, rockabilly, western swing, and soul, delivered with a wry sense of humor and a sincere sense of fun. Kids dance, laugh, and sing along. Grownups appreciate the Muppet-esque touches of humor and observations of kid behavior. Call it children’s music, family music, kindie, or toddlerbilly, it’s sure to please listeners of all ages.

Matt Heaton Boston children's musician

Sulinha Boucher

With everything from soothing melodies to upbeat dance jams, Sulinha’s trio performs educational children’s music influenced by traditional Brazilian music. Whether it’s “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” with a bossa nova beat or an original song about crossing the street, Sulinha’s hits are engaging and interactive. The trio uses traditional instruments from their native country, like berimbau, cuica, pandeiro, and surdo. Sulinha has received the Parents’ Choice Award for two of her albums!

Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys

Packing concert halls, preschool fundraisers, libraries, and outdoor venues with dancing kids and families, Vanessa Trien is known for highly interactive and energetic shows that feature plenty of group singing and movement.

With Vanessa’s four Parents’ Choice Award-winning albums of original songs based on her years of teaching preschool music and parent-child music classes and, more importantly, on her 13 years of parenting her two kids, she brings a warmth and connection with audiences that makes her shows extra special. 

Ben Rudnick and Friends

Ben Rudnick and Friends play the hippest family music around. With countless awards to their credit, including seven Parents’ Choice awards, their adventurous, high-energy blend of happy, upbeat acoustic music is guaranteed to entertain the entire family. Bending musical styles from country to bluegrass, rock to second-line New Orleans, their original songs and familiar tunes make you sing, make you dance, and make you happy. Join the fun!

Wayne Potash

When it comes to Boston children’s musicians, Wayne is a classic! His super-fun solo and band performances for young audiences are interactive and high energy. He plays all over New England at festivals, libraries, and more. You might even catch him at a local birthday party or at your child’s school! Wayne graduated from the Berklee College of Music and has released eight award-winning albums for children over his 30+ years as a children’s performer!

Wayne Potash band, a local Boston kids musician

Jeff Jam

Jeff Jam is a friendly, goofy guy who sings and performs songs for children of all ages. He travels all over Massachusetts, New England, and the world with his acoustic guitar, bringing songs and smiles to children everywhere. Jeff Jam is a certified Music Together teacher and leads music classes in Cambridge, Arlington, Somerville, and Lexington. He has released five albums, including his hit songs “Crazy Monkey Day,” “Tutu Bird,” and “Bad Sandwich.” His YouTube channel features hours of family-friendly songs, including his “Old MacDonald” video with more than 9 million views!

Jeff Jam, a local Boston musician for kids

Jeremy Lyons

Jeremy Lyons began his professional music career playing blues guitar and singing on the streets of New Orleans. Now, he does it all, including rock, folk, jug band, children’s music, and education. Jeremy and his various bands perform around the world, but you can also find him serenading happy children at the Fox Library in Arlington, MA.

Alastair Moock

One of Boston’s premier folk artists, Alastair Moock is a Grammy nominee for best children’s album, a three-time Parents’ Choice Gold Medal winner, and recipient of the ASCAP Joe Raposo Children’s Music Award. Alastair celebrates the roots of American music while knocking down the walls between different audiences, genres, and musical traditions. A social justice and songwriting educator for all ages, Alastair is the proud co-founder of The Opening Doors Project, an anti-racist music organization.

Alastair Moock, Boston children's musician
Photo by Mara Brod

Alissa Coates

As a teacher, Alissa combines entertainment with the all-important skill of group management! She brings with her a passion for education, a fundamental knowledge of music, and a love for making music inclusive and fun for all ages. Her energetic, engaging, and educational show is always a hit!

Do you have a favorite Boston-area children’s musician to add to our list? Let us know!

Deanna Greenstein
Deanna is a mom of five (yes, five) children, who lives in Brockton with her small circus of kids, her husband, their dog Penny, and a few cats. Her life is loud, energetic, mostly fun, often gross (did she mention four of those kids are boys?), and she wouldn't have it any other way. In between carting kids to school, baseball, gymnastics, guitar, dance, track and field and every other kid activity known to mankind, she works as a school bus driver for the city of Brockton, and is the Director of Religious Education at the Unity Church of North Easton, a Unitarian Universalist congregation. Deanna also holds degrees in Elementary Physical Education and Dance Education, which she plans to put back into use one day. At parties, Deanna can often be found hanging out with family pets. She follows her children around with a camera like the paparazzi, is pretty sure that 97% of her blood stream is made of coffee, and her laundry is never done. You can also find her blogging at https://eighteenmoreyearsofburpsandfarts.wordpress.com

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