Jamming with Jules: Music for Kids of All Ages

Jul 21, 2025

When Jules Hoffman walks on stage—ukulele in hand and puppet pal Poppy at their side—you can feel the energy shift. It’s brighter, sillier, and a whole lot more fun. More commonly known as Jamming with Jules, the Brooklyn-based artist reminds audiences of all ages that music can be both playful and profound.

Before Jules makes their Wolf Trap debut at Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods on Thursday, July 24, they sat down with Wolf Trap to talk about their songwriting, inspirations, and why their goal is to create music that both kids and grown-ups will love.

From Folk to Family Fun

Despite being a household name for living room dance parties, Jules didn’t start out making music for kids. “I’ve been writing songs since I was five,” they shared. “But I started taking it seriously around age 12 and recorded my first little, five-song EP at 13 years old.” After studying songwriting at Berklee College of Music, Jules was pursuing a career in adult folk-pop when something shifted.

“The year I graduated, my sister had her first kid,” Jules reflected, recalling how they didn’t resonate with a lot of the mainstream children’s tunes. “I wanted to write something that talked about harder topics, like race, feelings, gender identity: topics that I wasn’t seeing in kids’ music.”

What started as one song for one child grew into a mission—and a whole new chapter in their career. “And now my sister has four kids. Even more reason to be doing this work,” they laughed.

Music That Grows with You

Jules aspires for their music to be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of age. “The biggest thing I wanted was for parents and kids to enjoy the music equally,” they shared, “where parents might even be listening to these songs when their kids are not in the car.”

That balance is baked into everything Jules writes through accessible lyrics and lush harmonies that are often inspired by the folk-rock they grew up on. “Rafi was a big inspiration to me. But as far as adult music, I really grew up on Carole King, James Taylor, and Joni Mitchell.”

Meet Poppy: The Curious Queen of the Crowd

No “Jamming with Jules” show would be complete without Poppy! Poppy is a bold, inquisitive puppet who steals the show (and hearts).

“Poppy is a version of me at four years old,” Jules said. “The part of me that was always asking questions.”

The iconic puppet pal is more than a scene-stealer; she’s one of Jules’s most effective teaching tools. “I teach music classes a few days a week. Poppy is kind of my secret tool to get the kids to focus, and they do, because she’s hilarious, and she knows what to say to make them want to try things. If Poppy says to clap, they’re like, ‘Yeah! Let’s do it for Poppy!’”

First Concerts and Forever Memories

For Jules, inspiring children and families to let go and feel the music is one of the most powerful parts of family-friendly entertainment, and live shows are where they can see the impact that their songs and sounds have firsthand.

“The best part about performing for kids is that they’ll be dancing along. They’re so into it and don’t really care about anyone around them.  They’re going to flap their wings when I say flap their wings. They’re just so free.”

After the music ends, Jules often stays to meet families and take photos. “I’ve met kids who bring their own guitars to the show,” they smiled. “If my music makes one kid want to pick up an instrument, or inspires a parent to reconnect with their creativity, that’s everything to me.”

Creating Space for Littles

At the core of Jules’s work is a simple but powerful belief: every child deserves to feel seen, safe, and celebrated. Whether through characters like Poppy, quirky lyrics, or gentle encouragement, Jules—who you may know from YouTube’s Miss Rachel—is building a world where kids can be fully themselves.

Take “Caterpillar Butterfly Thing,” a sweet, singable tune about transformation. “It has to do with my identity as a queer person and as a trans, non-binary artist. I’m not saying that outwardly in a song, but there’s these ways that we can share about that journey that makes sense for kids. Like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly.”

Learn more about Jules here and find out what else is playing at Children’s Theatre-in-the Woods this summer.