(Photo: Courtesy of the vendor)

• Songs for Seeds

  Apple Seeds, 10 W. 25th St., nr. Fifth Ave.; 212-792-7590

  As many parents can attest, kiddie music classes are both a blessing (even tiny ones can bang a drum) and a curse (oh, lord, that racket!). Songs for Seeds was created expressly with that dilemma in mind. The original playlist was written by Mr. Ray (Ray Andersen), a rock guitarist who has jammed with Bruce Springsteen and Meatloaf, and who has developed an adult-ears-friendly music empire with his own CDs and DVDs. There are no hokey cartoon characters or musicians in animal costumes here. Instead, the 45-minute classes are led by a three-piece band whose members would not look out of place onstage at Irving Plaza. Each session ($561 and up for sixteen weeks) kicks off with an infectious, original Seeds selection. Kids are then introduced to an instrument and songs pegged to a different country (Honduras, Tahiti, China) every week. At the end, students get to belt out their favorite songs, karaoke style. The classes are available uptown, too, at the Sports Club/LA (212-355-5100, ext. 4253) and Reebok Sports Club/NY (212-501-1434).

From the 2010 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine