Baby Songs: Great Lullabies to Sing to Your Baby

What do you do when you hear your baby crying? In all likelihood, you do what mothers around the world have done for generations – anything within your power to calm your child down. You try rocking, feeding, burping, and…singing.

Music plays a huge role in babies’ development. Singing to your baby is actually your little one’s first language lesson and can prevent language problems later in life. Introducing your baby to music and lullabies is a simple and enjoyable way to interact with your little one in his first year.

Babies’ hearing is well developed soon after birth, so they can respond to music very early on. Singing kids songs to your baby can strengthen your relationship with him and boost his language skills. When music is part of your daily routine, your baby learns about words, language, and communication and may also speak up sooner. Studies have shown that singing and holding your baby triggers the release of the bonding hormone – oxytocin, the same hormone that is produced during nursing. When you sing to your baby, he bonds with you and your voice and learns that you love him.

You might be thinking that it’s best to choose children songs, classical music or baby lullaby songs, but you should know that almost all music is baby-friendly. You can play recorded songs for babies to your child, too, but it won’t have the same effect as singing will. Singing sweet baby songs is a great way of connecting with your baby because it has the element of human interaction that babies need for their cognitive, emotional, and language development.

The best way to use music with your baby is to just sing. Even when you don’t feel like singing or you are “tone deaf”, you should always sing to your little one. Your baby doesn’t care if you are a great singer. He only cares that you are singing to him and in his eyes , you’ll be a star!
Not sure where to start? Here’s a list of some great lullaby songs for babies to get you started:

Baby Songs

You Are My Sunshine

You Are My Sunshine is one of our all-time favorite lullabies. This hit song was first recorded in 1939 by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell. The melancholy tune has been covered numerous times over the years. It was covered by great singers such as Nat King Cole, Ray Charles, Ike and Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, Brian Wilson, and Johnny Cash.

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are grey
You’ll never know dear, how much I love you
Please don’t take my sunshine away. ”

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Mary Had a Little Lamb is one of the most popular songs for kids. It’s a sweet lullaby perfect to soothe your baby to sleep. This nursery rhyme is dating back to 19th century and the story behind the song is based on a real-life incident. The song was written by Sarah Josepha Hale and was first published as a poem in 1830.

“Mary had a little lamb,
Little lamb, little lamb.
Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow.”

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Itsy Bitsy Spider is another one of the most popular baby lullaby songs of American origin. The song provides rhyming lyrics and describes the adventures of a spider that went up a water sprout. Itsy Bitsy Spider was found in a book titled “Camp and Camino in Lower California” that dated back to 1910.

“The itsy bitsy spider
Climbed up the water spout.
Down came the rain
And washed the spider out.”

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star is a beloved baby English song that was written by poet Jane Taylor. The song was first published as a poem in 1866 in the book “Rhymes for the Nursery”. The melody of the poem has been taken from the symphony “Number 4 in G Minor, K. 55” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star is a classic nursery rhyme but it’s also a Christmas song in Germany, where is known as “Morgen Kommt der Weinachtsman” meaning “Tomorrow Santa Claus Comes”.

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.”

The Wheels on the Bus

The Wheels on the Bus is one of the most favorite songs for kids to sing. The popular children’s song dates back to 20th century and the original composer is still unknown.The melody is the same as that from “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush” and the song has a very repetitive rhythm. Different verses have been added to the song over the years.

“The wheels on the bus go round and round.
round and round.
round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
all through the town!”

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