Laurie Berkner – “The Queen of Kids’ Music” – To Release 18th Album – “Walking With The Penguins” – June 26, 2026
Five years in coming, and now it’s here! Beloved children’s musician Laurie Berkner is back with her 18th album, Walking With The Penguins, set for release June 26, 2026. This is Laurie’s first album in five years made entirely of original songs.
Walking With The Penguins abounds with many new Laurie Berkner songs never before featured on her albums. Sixteen catchy originals by “the queen of kids’ music” are showcased in this much-anticipated collection that encourages curiosity, movement, and singing along.
“I am extremely excited to release this album!” says Laurie Berkner. “I really love these new songs, and the feedback I’ve received on the tracks has already been overwhelmingly positive. I love the combination of interactive, silly, and educational content that runs throughout the album, and it makes me very eager to sing them all live, in concert. I’m also thrilled that listeners will get to experience the talent of all the wonderful musicians who collaborated with me, because they helped to make the songs sound so good.”
Album Highlights:
The rocking “Walking With The Penguins” overflows with irresistibly interactive penguin fun. Little “penguins” might try to stop, but they won’t be able to keep from flapping and tapping when they hear the beat of this catchy song. Laurie says, “The idea behind this movement song for kids is to explore the tension between being a child who is trying to sit still (as they are asked to do) and the undeniable impulse to get up and move. Now I’m just waiting for the ‘Penguin Walk’ to become a viral TikTok dance!”
“Four Seasons” takes Laurie and popular Australian children’s music group, Lah-Lah, on a cheerful trip through the sounds and seasons of the year. Laurie leads kids in listening for the special sounds of winter, spring, summer, and fall, as they tap their heads, noses, shoulders, and knees, and sing along.
Kids will go bananas for the rollicking “Everyone’s Demanding Bananas,” and no matter whether they say “banana” or “banahna,” they’ll want to hear it again and again. This lively song is already an organic fan favorite.
Laurie bops to the beat of “Big Baby Go Boom,” which features stellar contributions from NYC “A-list” horn players Tony Kadlek (trumpet) and Dave Mann (sax), with Laurie Berkner Band members Bob Golden on drums, Leslie Mendelson on keys, and Winston Roye on bass. Lap-sit babies and their grown-ups will love grooving along with Laurie!
About Laurie Berkner:
Quadruple platinum artist Laurie Berkner is a singer, songwriter, lyricist, author, and founder of Two Tomatoes Records, L.L.C. With more than 1.7 billion total streams, an average of more than 22 million monthly streams, more than 595 million YouTube channel views, and millions of albums, songs, and DVDs sold, Laurie’s songs have become beloved classics for children worldwide.
Business Insider dubbed Laurie “the gold standard of the children’s music world.” As a leader and innovator in children’s music and entertainment for nearly 30 years, Laurie has released 17 bestselling, award-winning albums, was the first recording artist ever to perform in music videos on Noggin and Nick Jr., appeared regularly on those channels’ Jack’s Big Music Show, and helped develop the short form animated musical preschool series Sing It, Laurie! on Universal Kids (formerly Sprout TV). She has made multiple appearances on such national TV shows as Today, Good Morning America, Live with Kelly and Ryan, The Tamron Hall Show, and more.
Laurie has authored several picture books based on her songs and created two Laurie Berkner’s Song and Story Kitchen series with Audible Studios. She has written the music and lyrics for three children’s musicals originally produced Off-Broadway by New York City Children’s Theater and now presented regionally. Laurie maintains a busy nationwide touring schedule, both solo and with The Laurie Berkner Band, and has performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the White House, among many other prestigious venues. She is prominently featured in the children’s music documentary Happy and You Know It, available on HBO Max.
Laurie Berkner has received tremendous critical acclaim. USA Today named Laurie “the undisputed queen of kindie rock.” The New York Times dubbed her “the Adele of the preschool crowd.” The Wall Street Journal called Laurie “one of the most popular children’s performers in America … her music is distinctive because it speaks to kids without talking down to them, charming youngsters without boring grownups.” NPR’s All Things Considered declared, “Laurie Berkner is like a goddess to these children.”
Walking With The Penguins will be available for digital download on iTunes and Amazon Digital and on CD at Amazon, Laurie Berkner concerts, and on Laurie’s website HERE.
Album Details: Walking With The Penguins
Release date: June 26, 2026
For ages 0 – 8
Label: Two Tomatoes Records
SRP: $10.98, physical CD and digital
Run time: 32 minutes
Track Listing:
1. Walking With The Penguins
2. Wash It
3. My Bunny Goes Hop
4. Put It In The Bag
5. Onyx The Octopus
6. String Cheese
7. I’m Proud
8. Everyone’s Demanding Bananas
9. A Rainbow In The Sky
10. Rollercoaster
11. Four Seasons (feat. Lah-Lah)
12. Count To 100
13. I Am Curious
14. Let’s Make A Shape
15. Big Baby Go Boom
16. Hello River
Laurie Berkner Performance Highlights May – November 2026
May 3 – Peekskill, NY – Paramount Hudson Valley
May 16 – San Francisco, CA – Palace of Fine Arts
May 17 – Los Angeles, CA – The Autry in Griffith Park
June 13 – Columbia, SC – Koger Center for the Arts
July 11 – Toronto, ON – Queen Elizabeth Theatre
July 12 – Detroit, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
August 1 – Highland Park, IL – Ravinia Festival
August 2 – Bloomington, IL – Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts
August 23 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater
September 13 – Cary, NC – Koka Booth Amphitheatre
October 3 – Rochester, NY – The Theatre at Innovation Square
October 4 – Buffalo, NY – Buffalo State Performing Arts Center
October 24 – Concord, NH – Capitol Center for the Arts
November 8 – Tucson, AZ – Fox Tucson Theatre
To schedule an interview with Laurie Berkner or request a download link or CD for review purposes, please contact Elizabeth Waldman at Waldmania PR: 415-203-0220 or elizabeth@waldmaniapr.com.
