If you’ve spent any time on the Kansas City kids’ festival, fair or storytime circuit over the past few years, you’ve surely had the fantastic opportunity to experience a Funky Mama performance. Krista Eyler, a.k.a. Funky Mama, is a local mom (and former television reporter) who knows how to get your kids moving, singing and laughing!

Funky Mama plays a cherry red electric guitar and her music really has a bluesy rock and roll feel - but it’s all geared to the kids. Her third and most recent release is the full length CD “Moo Juice.” It came out in late summer and I was lucky enough to get a copy to test drive. Things have been so busy here on KC Kids Fun and with school, sports, dance, church - you know the drill - that I haven’t gotten around to talking about it yet!

The CD is good - it’s really good! (Not that it’s a big surprise that it’s good!) Songs like the title track “Moo Juice” -about milk - and “Pop ‘n Hop” - about making popcorn - took my kids by surprise though. I don’t think they thought it was “their kind of music” until they really started listening to the lyrics. And then the smiles broke out.

My favorite songs on the CD are “Sippy” which has a great shout-out, sing-along chorus, perfect for annoying my children in the car and “Ooo, Aah, Ow!” (about hair-brushing) which just causes my daughter to roll her eyes while I laugh. It’s not just funny lyrics though - the music is really solid. And Krista has such a full, soulful voice - so easy to listen to.

The kids swiped the CD from the car and it has now disappeared into the abyss of their bedrooms. I can report though that I regularly hear them singing some of the songs around the house, especially “Down, Down Baby” (a fabulous a cappella song) and “Freeze Dance.”

So, we’re big Funky Mama fans at our house. We highly recommend “Moo Juice” and we highly, highly recommend catching Krista live around Kansas City. She’s playing this weekend (September 27, 2008) at the Plant Hope for Hearts fundraiser at English Landing Park in Parkville. And at the Johnson County Museum on October 1, at a shopping benefit for Abby’s Run in Overland Park on October 4 and at Wonderscope on October 8! Check the KC Kids Fun Events Calendar for more details.

If you love Kansas City’s kids’ music scene, check out these KC Kids Music articles:

• Jim Cosgrove (a.k.a. Mr. Stinky Feet)

• The Terrible Twos

• Rock Daddy Rock

• The La La’s

(You can buy CD’s from lots of Kansas City’s kids’ musicians at the KC KIDS STORE too!)

Only a few more weekends until SCHOOL STARTS! There’s still lots to do with the kids around the Kansas City metro. A few things to check out this weekend - August 9 and 10, 2008:

• Worlds of Fun is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Mamba roller coaster. To commemorate the birthday, admission to the park is rolled back to 1998 prices for August 9 and 10. Only $26.99 instead of $39.99 (regular gate admission).
• Johnson County (KS) Fair Parade on Saturday morning, August 9th, at 10:30am - Gardner Fairgrounds, 136 East Washington, Gardner, KS
• Kids Aviation Adventure Day - FREE - Saturday, August 9th from 9am to 3pm - Wheeler Downtown Airport
• Also on Saturday, OPEN HOUSE at the Ford Learning Center at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art - 1 to 4pm - learn about all of the great educational offerings at the Nelson!
• StoneLion Puppets presents Bubba & Trixie at the Kansas City Public Library, Central Library - 2pm on Saturday - click the link to RSVP!
• Saturday is also the LAST DAY AT KANSAS CITY CHILDREN’S MUSEUM IN KCKS! Jim Cosgrove will perform and MORE!
• Straw Hat Saturday at Shawnee Town - Saturday from 10am to 2pm - $1/adult and 50 cents for kids
• Sprint Family Fun Day in the Power & Light District, downtown KC - Saturday, August 9th - check out Wonderscope LIVE! and Funky Mama
• KidFest at Zona Rosa, Kansas City north, 12pm to 4pm on Saturday - Back to School with High School Musical 3!
• Festival of Butterflies, Powell Gardens, Kingsville, MO (east of Lee’s Summit) - Saturday AND Sunday
• Funky Mama & Mr. Stinky Feet, Music in the Park, Santa Fe Commons Park, 81st & Santa Fe, downtown Overland Park, 7:00-8:30pm, Sunday August 10th
• A Celebration Honoring the Gant Sisters, Hallbrook Country Club, 2pm to 5pm on Sunday, August 10th

So…LOTS to do this weekend! Get out and enjoy the city with your kids before they head back to school!