APRA AMCOS and Recorded Music NZ have announced an outstanding line-up of songwriters and recording artists for this year's Children's Music Awards.

With themes ranging from bedtime to the barnyard, road safety to recipes, the Children's Music Awards celebrate those who inspire New Zealand's youngest music fans with their quirky songs and fun lyrics.

The finalists for the 2016 APRA Best Children's Music Song Award are Anna van Riel & Daniel Fairley for their imaginative entry 'Cooking Up a Song', Anika Moa with 'My Nana's Farm' from her second children's album, and Lucy Hiku & Jenny Payne for their bilingual lullaby 'Pō Mārie.'

The winner of the APRA Best Children's Music Song Award will receive a $1,000 cash prize and a $10,000 grant to go towards the production of a song and music video, courtesy of NZ On Air.

Finalists for the Recorded Music NZ Best Children’s Music Album are Tui Award winning singer/songwriter Anna van Riel for her fun and interactive album ‘Cooking Up a Song’, Christchurch parent and singing teacher duo Itty Bitty Beats’ album ‘Lay Your Head Down’ and Peter Weatherall,who brings his experience of writing more than 20 albums of children’s music to his latest release ‘Lollipop Man.’

The What Now Best Children's Music Video celebrates the creators of the best music videos for children. Initially reviewed by an independent judging panel of experts in children's music and video production, the top three videos are then handed over to the children to choose!  Kids can vote for their favourite video through the What Now website from Sunday 10 July - www.whatnow.tv

The finalists for the What Now Best Children's Video Awards are:

'Aotearoa, Home of Our Hearts' - video and song by Rainbow Rosalind, 'Mighty Maui' - video and song by Jeffrey Addison, and 'Weird Creatures' by Luke Fitzgerald, video by Simon Crane and Roxy Lyon.

The top entries from the 2016 Children's Music Awards will be featured on Music Box 2016 - a promotional album released to coincide with the awards. Now in its fourth instalment, Music Box will once again be distributed free to libraries and child-friendly organisations across the country, and will be available as a free download from www.apraamcos.co.nz in August.

The winners of all awards will be announced at the 2016 Children's Music Awards on Tuesday 9 August.

 THE 2016 CHILDREN'S MUSIC AWARDS FINALISTS

APRA Best Children's Music Song

Cooking Up a Song - written by Anna Van Riel & Daniel Fairley, performed by Anna van Riel

My Nana's Farm - written and performed by Anika Moa

Pō Mārie - written by Lucy Hiku & Jenny Payne, performed by Itty Bitty Beats

Recorded Music NZ Best Children's Music Album

Cooking Up a Song - Anna van Riel

Lay Your Head Down - Itty Bitty Beats

Lollipop Man - Peter Weatherall

What Now Best Children's Music Video

Aotearoa, Home of Our Hearts - video and song by Rainbow Rosalind

Mighty Maui - video and song by Jeffrey Addison

Weird Creatures song by Luke Fitzgerald, video by Simon Crane and Roxy Lyon