10 Baby Sleep Songs That’ll Ensure A Restful Night’s Sleep For Your Little One

There’s no sweeter way to put your munchkin to bed than with a calming lullaby. As you snuggle your baby close to you at bedtime, adding soothing music can help enhance your sense of connection, improve your munchkin’s cognitive development, and also calm them into a deep slumber. In fact, according to UNICEF, lullabies ignite multiple areas of your baby’s brain, which prepare them for language acquisition and reading skills. Additionally, the rhythm of a lullaby can calm your baby, and slow down their heart rate. 

Although there is no definition of what counts as a lullaby, experts consider it as any song sung softly and slowly. So you could use your favourite pop song, a rock melody, or even a rap lyric to soothe your little bub to sleep. In brief, the more rhythmic and gentle the song is, the more quickly it sends your little one to dreamland.

So what are the best baby sleep songs to add to your little one’s nighttime repertoire? Read on to find out.

10 Best Baby Sleep Songs Of All Time

Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars

This is a classic lullaby that comes from a poem written by James Taylor in 1806. It follows the same melody as the alphabet song and is perfect to evoke sleep in your little one. While you might already be aware of the first verse that goes, “Twinkle twinkle little stars, how I wonder what you are! Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky!” You can get a little bit more ambitious and learn all three verses to sing this melody to your munchkin at nighttime.

Learn the lyrics here.

Love Songs From Disney Movies

You can also use Disney movie ballads as bedtime songs, including “Once upon a dream” from Sleeping Beauty and “You will be in my heart” from Tarzan. These songs are perfectly rhythmic and can put your baby in deep sleep in no time.

Learn the lyrics of “Once upon a dream” here.

You Are My Sunshine

This beloved lullaby was written and recorded by Charles Mitchell and Jimmie Davis in 1940. Since then many famous singers and songwriters have released their renditions of this lullaby, including Bing Crosby, Ray Charles, and the most recent Christina Perri. The song has a melancholic tune and a memorably sentimental chorus, “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when the skies are grey…”

Learn the lyrics here. 

All The Pretty Little Ponies

This lullaby paints an irresistible picture of delight that is awaiting your little one on the other side of the dreamland. Coordinate the swaying melody of this lullaby with the rhythm of your rocking to help your little one nod off to sleep even faster.

Learn the lyrics here. 

Isn’t She Lovely

Stevie Wonder released this hit song to celebrate the birth of his first daughter. And thereafter, this song became the perfect melody for awe-struck parents, who just can’t stop admiring their little ones. The sweet song echoes every parent’s thoughts as they watch their munchkin fall asleep, “Isn’t she lovely, isn’t she beautiful!”

Learn the lyrics here

Frere Jaques (Commonly Known As Brother Johns)

This classic French lullaby is about a friar who oversleeps. You can sing it in both English or French, whichever rendition you find easier. The repetition at the end of the song—ding, dang, dong can be restful for your baby and soothe them to a deep slumber.

Learn the English lyrics here. 

Brahms’ Lullaby

Wiegenlied, also known as Bramhs’ lullaby was first-performed in 1868 and is still a classic bedtime song for little ones. You can stream the orchestral version of the lullaby or learn the lyrics to sing it to your baby. 

Learn the lyrics here. 

All Of Me

While John Legend originally wrote this song as an ode to his wife, Chrissy Teigen, the singer revealed that the song worked great in soothing his kids too. Since then, this song has become one of the most-loved lullabies for parents as well.

Learn the lyrics here.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Just like how Dorothy found her way to the magical land of Oz, this ballad can help your munchkin find their way to dreamland. This soothing melody can also calm restless babies, and help them get a restful night’s sleep. 

Learn the lyrics here. 

My Love, My Life

This tear-jerker ballad stole the show in the hit movie “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.” Performed by the hot band ABBA, this sweet melody is an ode to children and is equal parts comforting and catchy.

Learn the lyrics here. 

Tips For Introducing Lullabies To Your Baby

• If possible, sing the lullaby to your baby yourself, rather than playing it on a device. Research conducted by the PNAS revealed that parents’ voices, especially mothers’ voices engage babies’ brains better than other sounds.
• Do not put headphones on your baby.
• If you are playing the lullaby on a device, make sure that the volume is low. Your child’s inner ears are still very sensitive, and anything above 85 decibels can impair their hearing.
• Do not worry about having the perfect pitch. It’s more about improving your connection with your little one rather than maintaining an ideal tune and pitch. 

A restful night’s sleep is essential for your baby’s brain development and functioning. These baby sleep songs will help comfort your little one and ease them to sleep quickly. Singing the melodies and rhythms can also help build connection and enhance your little one’s language skills. So browse through the list of lullabies we mentioned and learn the lyrics of those you like the most. We are sure both you and your little one will love this experience!

Also read:

Best bedtime routine for your baby: This routine will help establish a healthy sleep-wake schedule in your child from an early age.

How to make your baby sleep: Wondering how to make your baby sleep through the night? Here are some tips!

Featured image: Freepik.com