About Us

Rainbows and Sunshine | Since 2016

Starting in 2016, Rainbows and Sunshine produces children’s songs, 3D animated children’s song-videos, illustrated story books with the songs included as a CD and download, and music-focussed toys for the age group newborn to 7 years.

Our mission is the donation of quality children’s products to kids who are disadvantaged, underprivileged or sick and the organisations or health and community services that support them e.g., hospitals, child protection agencies, disability support and homeless family support organisations, foster families, community centres, women’s and children’s shelters/refuges, churches, children’s charities, and more. We believe that all children deserve access to great music and books and the opportunity to develop a life-long love of music and reading and so we combine both in our products for them.

We also sell these same products and every purchase of our books, videos, songs and toys, including those through this website, retailers, iTunes, etc. provides the funds for these donations – 100% of the profits go to this charity, volunteer-run donation program to bring joy to children-in-need. 

The team and Board of Advisors at Rainbows and Sunshine work as volunteers. We strongly support local business by employing local artists, musicians, printers, manufacturers and suppliers and are proud to say that all of our products are designed locally and nearly all of our products are fully Australian made. 

The Rainbows and Sunshine songs are played on ABC Kids Listen, Kinderling Kids Radio, iHeart Radio, other radio stations, and the major streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, etc. Our videos are available to watch on YouTube or from our website, and can also be purchased without advertisements.

We are generously supported by amazing sponsors and partners of the program and very much appreciate them. You can see their details below.

AWARD WINNING

Rainbows and Sunshine received the People’s Choice award in 2019 for Best Online and Digital Kid’s Activity with ‘What’s on 4 Kids’ which is Australia’s leading kids’ industry organisation. And in 2021 the People’s Choice Award for Best Volunteer-Led Activity for Kids, plus 2021 Runner Up for Best Play and Learn Product. Then in 2023 we are the winner of Best Sensory Experience for Kids.

THE CHILDREN’S PRODUCTS

The range includes 13 animated song videos (4 of which match our 2 story books), 17 songs, 2 illustrated books with included CDs/mp3 song downloads, accompanying toys, and our self-titled album of 17 songs (available as a download or CD). Each song, 3D animation, book and toy is developed and created to be entertaining, fun, interactive, engaging and educational. 

Our support of parents, educators, and adults taking care of children extends to an advice and ideas section on our website. It also provides tips on maximising the educational and entertaining aspects of our kids’ products.

Many different genres of music are included in our songs and videos, for variety and music education. The quality studio-produced music also has funny sound effects and comments to make the songs even more appealing. There are original songs which tell a story, movement and dance songs, as well as traditional favourites such as “Incy Wincy Spider”, “Old MacDonald”, “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”, etc. which all have unique original, extra verses for fun! Concepts such as counting, colours, learning to say “hello” in other languages, and even subtraction, addition, and learning about musical instruments are covered using our recurring and familiar animal and children characters.

Signature Sets have been released and these consist of a story book with the mp3 song download and CD inside, two animated videos with the song as the soundtrack, and matching character toys. This means that there is suite of diverse and engaging products surrounding the songs and these Signature Sets provide a total sensory experience for kids. The 2 sets are in the ‘Black and White Cow’ range, and the ‘Toodle Toodely Doo’ range. This combination of entertaining digital and hands-on products provides a total sensory experience for kids, something that’s important to parents today and they build developmental skills, cognition, imagination and creativity.

We strongly support local business by employing local artists, musicians, printers, manufacturers and suppliers and we’re proud to say that all of our products are designed locally and nearly all of our products are fully Australian made.

BRINGING JOY TO KIDS’ LIVES

After the songs, the first books were published in December 2016 and donations started on day one to homeless children living in cars and other disadvantaged children in the local area of Queensland, Australia. Since then, our product range has expanded and thousands of songs, books, music and toys have been donated to disadvantaged and sick children throughout Australia and worldwide through organisations including:

The Royal Children’s Hospital (Melbourne, Victoria), Ronald McDonald House (Parkville, Victoria and Queensland), Gold Coast University Hospital for their day and inpatient children’s wards, Royal Hobart Hospital (Tasmania), the Paediatric Department of Townsville Hospital and Health Service, the Paediatric Oncology Department of the Toowoomba Hospital (Toowoomba Hospital Foundation), Lismore Base Hospital Paediatric Ward, The Gold Coast Community Fund, Friends with Dignity Australia, The Pyjama Foundation (Townsville and Gold Coast, Queensland), Baby Give Back, Hope for Our Children (Toowoomba City Care, Qld, providing backpacks filled with products for children in foster care), Caroline Chisholm Society (Melbourne), Hope for our Children (Toowoomba City Care, Qld, providing backpacks filled with products for children in foster care), homeless and disadvantaged family support organisations (Gold Coast, Queensland and overseas), government-run child protective service agencies e.g., the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services (Australia) and The Ministry for Vulnerable Children – Oranga Tamariki (New Zealand), Salvation Army, The Sanctuary (women’s, children’s and pet’s shelter), Paradise Kids (Gold Coast, Queensland), book and toy libraries and play centres in the general community and disadvantaged areas in Australia and New Zealand (Queenstown, South Island), community-led music education programs, Isolated School Education (Northern Territory), villages in Nepal, and many other community organisations supporting children-in-need.

CAN YOU HELP SPREAD THE JOY?

As an individual, business or company, you might consider purchasing a selection of our children’s products to donate to your favourite children’s charity. We’re happy to help you decide on which are the best ones for your charity-of-choice, be it books, music, videos or toys such as our soft plush cow or finger puppets that match our characters. Please contact us for further information.
 
Do follow and share our posts on Facebook and Instagram – we’re really happy if you hit the ‘Like’ or ‘Follow’ button. It helps us if you subscribe to our YouTube Channel that features our videos and songs, you could volunteer your services, or buy any of our products for yourself, as gifts to family or friends (they’re especially loved by parents of newborns), or buy and donate some products to children-in-need yourself. We offer sponsorship pricing on our products to our sponsors and partners who buy in quantity.

WHAT MAKES OUR PRODUCTS SO RELEVANT TODAY?

In producing high quality books with the song inside, matching animated videos that bring the books to life (versions with and without the lyrics on the screen), plus toys that represent the animals in the books, songs, and videos…..well, it’s an entire interactive, fun, sensory and full learning experience for kids –  singing, reading, vocal play, pretend play, dance, musical activities, creative movement – at the same time stimulating children’s imagination, language, visual, auditory and tactile senses, and encouraging their cognitive, social, emotional, motor skills and physical development.

The important aspect of our products is that they bring traditional ‘play and learn’ products such as books, interactive songs and experiential toys into the digital age through an integration of hands-on products and complementing digital material. It is this combination that reflects current relevance, and the expectations and reality of parents and children today. This unique range is an all-round, multi-faceted, diverse media, total sensory awareness approach.

 The Founder and Creative Director of Rainbows and Sunshine, Linnie, is a parent whose career includes professional musician and long-established educator and lecturer in the field of early childhood education and child development. She is experienced and practiced also in international approaches to music, creative movement and drama. Working for Rainbows and Sunshine in a voluntary capacity she uses her knowledge and professional experience in the field of early childhood education and music, psychology and music qualifications, to ensure that each product is fun, entertaining, educational, high quality and simultaneously offers creative, developmental, sensory and learning opportunities.

THE RAINBOWS AND SUNSHINE PRODUCTS

Black and White Cow – downloadable song, 2 x fully animated music videos, book, CD and 21cm plush toy cow
Toodle Toodely Doo – downloadable song, 2 x fully animated music videos, book, CD and 6 character finger puppets (Australian/N.Z. version and International version)
Five Green Monkeys (Counting song) – downloadable song and 2 x 3D animated music videos
Your Clothes  (Colours and clothing, comical) – downloadable song and 2 x fully animated music videos with a cute oompah band.
Beep Jeep – downloadable song and 2 x fully animated music videos
The Alphabet Dance (Interactive action song to teach the alphabet and 4 x fully animated music videos) – downloadable song available as both a “Zed” and a “Zee” pronunciation version for the letter “Z”.
Row Row Row Your Boat (Funny extended version) – downloadable song
Wide Mouth Frog  (Funny song with a final twist) – downloadable song
Incy Wincy Spider  (Children’s favourite with extra verses) – downloadable song.
Old MacDonald Had a Farm  (Super catchy toe-tapping music) – downloadable song
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star  (Traditional favourite with extra fun verses) – downloadable song
The Wheels on the Bus  (Action and creative movement) – downloadable song
The Grand Old Duke of York (Learning to count in thousands, and learning about musical instruments) – downloadable song
Ten in the Bed (Features our reappearing animal characters) – downloadable song
Are You Ready? (Action and movement) – downloadable song

AND OUR 3 SIGNATURE PRODUCTS ARE:

6 Product Set “Black and White Cow”

11 Product Set “Toodle Toodely Doo” 

“Ultimate Play and Learn 18 Piece Set” 

The team and Board of Advisors at Rainbows and Sunshine work as volunteers.  Supportive sponsors and partners of the program are very much appreciated and you can see their details below.

A HUGE “THANK YOU” TO OUR ORGANISATION SPONSORS AND PARTNERS

We acknowledge and thank the businesses, professional advisors, development team, and the imaginative and dedicated creative people who are also committed to the Rainbows and Sunshine children-in-need charity program. They contribute with sponsorship, partnerships, or with their resources, time, expertise, support, or donate their services and goods. Their generosity is very much appreciated in enabling this program and if you have the opportunity to also support them, please do so. Please click on their logo to learn more.