Mark Galasso made Big Backyard during his tenure teaching music to preschoolers at Montessori Children’s House in Baton Rouge. This makes sense when you hear the lyrics, which stress all the tenets of the Montessori Method, including individuality, creativity and keeping busy. And like any good children’s music, Galasso’s songs are bright and well crafted, with hooks for the kids that won’t get on the parents’ nerves. Galasso’s voice is high and soothing as he sings about armadillos and Ferris wheels, and the musicianship is superb throughout. My favorite track is “Smiles Miles Johnson,” which reminds me of something John Prine would come up with if he wrote songs about houses made of peanuts and bread. The only problem is that the album is only 15 minutes long, and the longest track is a mere two minutes. Even so, these songs are good enough that your kids will want to hear them again right away, and you probably won’t mind. You might even catch yourself singing along.