KIDS SNEAK PEEK NEW CDS FOR CHILDREN SEEK BENEFITS BEYOND SONG.

Byline: - Nancy Hewitt

Music is the balm that soothes tired little bodies and frustrated little minds.

Two performers have released CDs that address the needs of young children, whether those needs are sleep or a different approach to learning songs.

Sara Hickman croons lullabies and silly songs on her CDs ``Newborn'' and ``Toddler.'' Dave Hammer and pals perform favorite tunes that include ``Wheels on the Bus'' and 25 others on the CD ``Time to Sing.''

Hickman began her music career performing for adults and has just recently branched out to providing entertainment for children. She says she wants to help parents overcome any reluctance about singing to their children.

``My hope was, and still is, to gently massage the doubt out of parents' minds about being creative,'' she says.

Each CD retails for $14.95. To order ``Newborn'' or ``Toddler,'' call Big Kids Productions Inc. at [phone] or visit the Web site, www.bigkidsvideo.com.

Hammer, on the other hand, has released a different kind of CD. Although the songs are familiar, the musical pacing is slower and designed especially for kids with speech problems who find it frustrating to sing along with uptempo songs because the pace is just too quick for them to follow.

Hammer, a speech-language pathologist, got the idea for slowing down songs from Robert Moir, artistic administrator of the Pittsburgh Symphony. Moir's son Colin has apraxia of speech. The affliction affects the muscles used in speech and makes it difficult for kids to put words in the proper order.

``For these children who have speech difficulty,'' Hammer explains, quoting his friend Moir, ``it's like a symphony, like learning an instrument at a slow pace.''

Together with producer Michael Moricz, musical director of TV's ``Mister Rogers' Neighborhood,'' Hammer reworked kids' songs and Moir provided musicians from the symphony to play on the album.

Suggested retail price for ``Time to Sing'' is $16.99. The CD can be ordered by calling Center for Creative Play: [phone] or visiting the Web site, www.center4creativeplay.org/sing. It can also be ordered from Big Kids Productions Inc., [phone], or going online to www.bigkidsvideo.com.

GET UP AND ROCK: Entertainer Ralph Covert will keep the feet of kids and adults alike tapping rhythmically with the rocking, country-style songs on his new CD ``Ralph's World.''

From ``Choo-Choo Train'' to ``Driving in My Car,'' kids of all ages will be clapping their hands and singing along with Covert on this fast-paced CD.

And to introduce kids and their folks to his good-time music, Covert will be appearing at 7 p.m. today at Borders Books and Music, 9301 Tampa Ave., Northridge. Information: [phone]. Then he visits Storyopolis at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, 116 N. Robertson, Plaza A, Los Angeles. Information: [phone].

The CD will be available at both stores - for the suggested retail price of $15.99 minus a 20 percent discount at Borders, and $16.98 at Storyopolis.