TABLE OF CONTENTS
Benefits Of Music For Babies
It is crucial to expose newborns to music. Whether you have an unborn baby still in your womb or have already given birth, introducing your little one to the sound of music has many benefits.
Improves musical development
Your child is prewired to learn language and music. Early on, babies babble or sing to themselves. Playing songs with baby during bathing or feeding helps the growing mind single out sounds and rhythms.
Strengthens bonds
Listening to music while playing with your little one strengthens bonds. Cuddling and playing while humming or singing reinforces the sounds your baby heard within the womb.
Boosts physical movement
Moving your baby to match the rhythm of music boosts both gross and fine motor skills over time.
Helps cognitive development
Encourage your baby to locate and respond to the corresponding sounds.
Language and literacy – Help your baby build language skills by exploring sounds and learning rhymes [1].
What Is A Lullaby?
Baby lullabies and rhymes have been around since ancient times. Baby songs have calming and crooning sounds that soothe and calm fidgety babies. The themes of baby lullaby songs vary from country to country and even region to region. Some rhymes and lullabies are very country-specific. Others focus on body parts such as fingers and toes to help infants become familiar with spacial awareness.
The song, “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”, is one such song. Other songs are early warnings such as “Baby Bumble Bee” where the song describes a bee sting. Lullabies such as “Hush, Little Baby” show the positivity of a good nap by promising a diamond ring or a Mockingbird for a good rest.
Sometimes baby lullabies cross over into mainstream music. Variations of “Hush, Little Baby” or “Mockingbird” have been recorded by numerous artists such as Aretha Franklin and James Taylor in different variants.
Lullabies And Their Histories / Stories
Here are some of the oldest baby songs still in use today that help little children in search of a good night sleep.
“Thirty days hath september”
A French poem that teaches the months. It was recorded as early as the 13th century. The popular English version was published in 1562.
“Pat-a-cake”
Survived from 15th century England. It is one of the oldest nursery rhymes that has survived through the ages. John Newbery, an English publisher, put it into print in Mother Goose’s Melody.
“Brahms lullaby”
A song published in 1868 by Johannes Brahms who wrote the lullaby for his friend Bertha Faber’s second son. It is still being used in many baby mobiles hung above cribs.
“Rockabye baby”
A song whose exact origin is unknown. One theory is that it was written by a pilgrim who sailed to America and observed Native American women create cradles made from birch branches. They would hang them in the trees, and the wind would rock the baby. A more well-known version credits Effie Crockett (Effie I. Canning), a relative of Davy Crockett, with creating the lyrics when babysitting a restless child. The IMDB credits Ms. Canning over 175 times. This song is one of the most popular baby songs to date even though the lullaby lyrics include the slightly scary wording, “When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall.”
Current Top Baby Songs 2019
Top Baby Song Number #10: Five Little Ducks Went Swimming One Day
“Cry baby songs” like this one are best played during bath time as they help babies feel calmer while taking baths. For the same reason, this tune is a good baby shower song. Toddlers and preschoolers find it helpful with their counting.
Top Baby Song Number #9: Wheels On The Bus
This is an American folk song written in 1939 by Verna Hills. It is quite popular in countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia. It is typically sung in school buses or during road trips to keep babies happy.
Top Baby Song Number #8: Baa, Baa, Black Sheep
If you are looking for English songs, this one dates back from 1731 and is still being sung today to help babies fall asleep.
Top Baby Song Number #7: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
This song is based on a 19th-century poem and has the same melody as the “Alphabet Song”. The lyrics are simple enough to sing as it goes like this:
“Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high
like a diamond in the sky!”
This music may have made you fall asleep when you were little as well.
Top Baby Song Number #6: Hush, Little Baby
This song is sometimes considered one of many cry baby songs as the song’s lyrics are calming. This is a charming song to soothe your cry baby. Some parents personalize the song by coming up with their own rhymes.
Top Baby Song Number #5: This Little Piggy
“This Little Piggy” is an excellent song to help your child learn about the parts of the body and improve spatial awareness.
Top Baby Song Number #4: Here Comes The Sun
George Harrison’s, “Here Comes the Sun,” is another example of a baby song that soothes little ones at night. George originally wrote this song to express his relief from being away from his bandmates. Sometimes, parents use the song to decorate their baby’s room.
Top Baby Song Number #3: Itsy Bitsy Spider
Although the origin of this song is unknown, it is believed that it was first published in 1920 and began as a song for adults. The “Itsy, Bitsy Spider” version was printed in 1947 and was often recited rather than sung, but singing it does help babies feel calmer. Adding the hand moves can grab your baby’s attention.
Top Baby Song Number #2: The Alphabet Song
Charles Bradlee first copyrighted “The Alphabet Song” in 1835. However, its origin dated back to the 1700s where it was written down by Bouin, a French composer. Mozart actually created several variations of this melody on his piano.
Top Baby Song Number #1: Amazing Grace
This famous song was penned by John Newton, an English clergyman and poet in 1779. He wrote this song to remind Christians of the blessings that God gave them. Now, it is used to help babies sleep.
Going A Step Further
Eventually, your baby may develop a preference for a favorite lullaby CD or video that parents can play as background music. The familiarity often has a calming effect on the baby.
Finding a television or YouTube channel that just plays baby songs can be a blessing. Some YouTube videos offer nursery songs with lyrics so you can sing along. If the wording is different from what you are used to, it may be due to the song origin.
If your baby finds certain songs calming, look at streaming services such as Apple music, Spotify, or Pandora to take the music on the go.
Create your own baby slideshow with your child’s favorite songs playing in the background.
Babies cry. It is not that your baby is having a pity party. Crying is how they communicate. Check your baby to make sure they are not hungry and have a clean diaper. Put on some favorite songs, and sing along. Babies listen to their mothers starting in the womb. As your baby grows, add a security blanket and a couple of favorite stuffed animals to help nurture a comforting night routine.
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Baby Songs Resources:
[1] Science Daily; Babies’ brains benefit from music lessons, even before they can walk and talk, McMaster University, May 09, 2012.