Encouraging Children towards Classic Music.

Playing the average 'Classical music' around the house is probably not the best way to attract children to the 'Classics'.
Some of that 'classic music' can be incredibly boring.. You should simply expose children to ALL the types of music that inspire and 'touch the imagination'.
Any 'hit' with an adult 'listen count' of 10 million or more is obviously well written and 'touches the imagination'. Bring these to your childrens attention and ask them "why do you think that track so popular?" or "seems an average bit of music! What part of that track is worth 30 million hits?" You'll be surprised how quickly they discover the secrets behind the billion hit classics.

You don't need to mention that the billion hit classics mostly involve Tenors! They will soon discover (for themselves) that all the great 'Pop Tenors' are in the 50 million plus 'hit count' (Linkin Park, Queen, Cold Play, Elton John, M. Jackson)
Your children will easily become addicted to tenors without you ever mentioning "classic".
Once they appreciate tenors, you can casually mention "there are some tenors in the 10s of Billions of 'Listen Counts'." That will light their imagination and start them on a self-motivated pursuit of the 'Classic Arias'.

Try to determine early in life, what instrument your children might enjoy..
Expose them to the 'Best Hits' bits of many instruments - Sax & Baker Street; Guitar & 'Local Hero'; Violin & 'Last of the Mohicans'. Etc.
Instead of Xmas presents, offer them $50 if they can play 5 seconds from "The Gael".

Introduce your children to selected tracks by Jackie Evancho.
At 10 years of age, she single-handedly started a renaissance to the Classic Arias.
Hundreds of millions of folk are now exploring the classics, thanks to her.

Some interesting facts that might inspire Kids to Classic..

These three notes, (below) (held for 12 seconds) are the most 'Listen To' bit of music of all time. (greater than 50 billion?)

These 3 notes, 5D, 5B, 5A (by Puccini) are the greatest 'Tear-producers' of this century! They stop traffic, they will silence Wembley Stadium, every non-Asian on the planet knows this piece and loves this Aria. They are often used in TV promos or adds, and, the 1990 World Cup 'add' became the greatest "Listen to" add of all time!
Note: Tenors sing this an octave lower - 4D,4B,4A. Because the 5B is not a sweet note, todays Sopranos sing it 1½ notes lower.
These notes are very hard to sing, (they require a 9 second, sweet 5B) and, girls might be interested to know that in its 90 year history, only two ladies have 'mastered' it. Deanna Durbin (1943) and Jackie Evancho (2010 - age 10) - The worlds top-selling soprano, Sarah Brightman, can manage the total 12 seconds, but her top note is a little harsh and her low (1%) listen count reflects that.

Your Children might wonder why NONE of the Top 40 they are familiar with are in the worlds Top 100! Or that most of this Top 100 are all sung in Italian! (Why Italian?)
The younger girls might wonder why Mr. Bieber is nowhere to be found in the worlds Top 100!

The Tenors..
The little recognized connection between great Tenors and the local Top 40, or the worlds 'Top 100'..

The Italian Arias..
The only category with consistent 'Hit Counts' in the 10s of Billions. The worlds "Top 100" are mostly the Italian Arias. (It is very interesting that most Italians do not consider these arias to be "so special" - It is a tribute to the power of the imagination that those who don't understand the words are free to paint a thousand incredible pictures! Whereas those who know the words have no such freedom! They are stuck with one image!)
As Morgan Freeman said in 'Shawshank Redemption'..
"I had no idea what those two Italian ladies were singing about, and frankly, I don't want to know! (in my imagination) they were singing about something so beautiful it can't be expressed in words - and, for a brief moment, everyman in (this prison) felt free!" (the song was 'The Marriage of Figaro' by Mozart.)

Ombra Mai Fu..
200 years old and still In the Top 100!

Puccini - Top 'Hit Count' composer of all time..
Also, top master of the emotions.. ("Never wear Eye makeup to a performance of Puccini")
A quote from a female Talent-show contestant.. "I had the mis-fortune of following a small girl (JME?) singing Puccini - I didn't understand a word she sang - but I cried so much my mascara was a mess and my voice was gone! I did the worst performance of my life!"

Nessun Dorma (Pucinni) The worlds top listen count 'hit' of all time. Has been in the Top 100 for over 90 years.

The BBC Italia '90 World Cup add..
The 'most listened to' add of all time. (Over a billion hits per week!)
(Pavarotti plus Nessun Dorma will always stop traffic - or silence Wembley Stadium).

Details
Hits: 17903