Baby Lullabies: help your baby fall asleep

It’s never too early to play your baby lullabies

Baby lullabies are perfect for bringing music to your baby right from the start. There is nothing more soothing to a little baby than the sound of their Mother’s voice.

Even before a baby is born they can hear sounds from the outside world. From around 18 weeks the pre-term baby reacts to sudden noises and will settle when the mother is calm and resting. The baby is rocked by the mother’s movement and reassured by the sound of her voice and the steady beat of her heart. It is understandable that when the baby is born these combined elements of voice, rhythm, and rocking are so comforting and reassuring.

Playing your baby lullabies in pregnancy and beyond

In later pregnancy, play your favourite soothing music when you get a chance to rest. Your baby will be listening and after delivery they will recognise this music and find it soothing.  

In the first three months baby lullabies relax and calm babies bringing them a sense of security and warmth. Because they are soft and soothing with simple repetitive rhythms and melodies they are just right for rocking and humming to.

Best Baby Lullabies

1. Chopin’s Nocturne
2. Rock a Bye Baby
3. Hush My Little Baby
4. Little People
5. Brahms Lullaby
6. Mozart’s Lullaby
7. Golden Slumbers
8. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
9. Schubert’s Lullaby

Chopin’s Nocturne

Chopin’s wrote 21 Nocturnes, but Op 9 No. 2 lends itself perfectly to a Lullaby because of its repetition. The two verses below can be sung on repeat for as long as you need so your baby can be lulled to sleep. In the first line you can also swap out “sleep tight” for your baby’s name sung as “good night, little Benjamin”, for example, which works well.

Chopin’s Nocturne Lyrics

Good night, sleep tight, it’s been a very busy day

And now it’s time to rest your head, softly on your pillow

*

Good night, sleep tight, you’ve been as good as gold all day,

And now it’s time to dream your dreams sweetly on your pillow.

Rock a Bye Baby

Rock-a-bye-baby is sometimes sung as “Hush-a-bye-baby” and either version is a lovely, traditional lullaby that many people will recognise.

In the second and third verses, rather than singing “little girl/boy” you can insert your baby’s name – for example, “Hush little Abigail asleep in your bed”.

Rock a Bye Baby Lyrics

Rock a bye baby on the tree top

When the wind blows the cradle will rock

When the bough breaks the cradle will fall

And down will come baby, cradle and all.

*

Hush little boy/girl asleep in your bed

You will see fairies dancing in your head

There you will snuggle, you’re safe and you’re warm

Till the sun rises up and you’ll wake with the dawn.

*

Night night little boy/pretty girl it’s time for your sleep

Hush now no crying, not even a peep,

You’re a tired little man/lady so good and so sweet

We’re so lucky you’ve made us complete.

Hush My Little Baby

The lullaby below is sometimes confused for the more famous “Hush, Little Baby don’t say a word, Mumma’s going to buy you a mocking bird” as they share a similar title.

This is a shorter lullaby so it’s a bit easier to learn.

Hush My Little Baby Lyrics

Hush my little baby, warm and soft you lie,

Slip away to dreamland, lulla lullaby

*

All the fleecy lambkins, cuddle down to rest

Birdies snuggle warmly in your cosy nest,

*

Sleep and rest the sun says, as he leaves the sky

Hush my little baby, lulla lullaby

Little People (Tune of “I Had a Little Nut Tree”)

The lullaby below uses the tune of “I Had a Little Nut Tree” with the words of the popular nursery rhyme “Bedtime”.

It’s a lovely one to sing as part of the bedtime routine because it can signal to your baby that it’s time to start getting ready for bed.

Little People Lyrics

The evening is a coming, the sun sets to its rest

The pigeons are all flying home to their nests

Coo says the pigeon as he flies over head

It’s time all little people were going to bed.

*

The flowers are a dozing, the daisies are asleep

The primroses are snuggled in a slumber so deep

Closed up for the night are the roses so red

It’s time all little people were going to bed.

Brahms Lullaby

Brahms Lullaby is possibly one of the most famous baby lullabies and most people will recognise it. The lyrics are below, but the tune also works well hummed which is particularly calming.

The lullaby lends itself to being personalised because you can swap “little baby” for your baby’s name. In the second line, you can swap out “mummy” for the caregiver singing the song, or for your own name.

Brahms Lullaby Lyrics

Go to sleep, go to sleep oh my tired little baby

You’re the best little boy/girl that a mummy ever had.

Rest your head, close your eyes and drift off to dreamland

Rest your head, close your eyes and slide off to sleep.

*

See the stars in the sky they are twinkling for you

And the moon shining brightly tells you it is time for bed

See the stars in the sky they are twinkling for you

And the moon up on high tells you it is time for bed.

Mozart’s Lullaby

There are quite a few different versions of the lyrics for Mozart’s Lullaby that are all set to the same tune. I particularly like the words below because of the lovely restful images it conjures up.

You can personalise this baby lullaby too by swapping “My little boy/girl” in the second verse for the name of your baby. For example, “Dear little Charlotte, my love”.

Mozart’s Lullaby Lyrics

Ooo Lullaby, birds to their little nest fly

Sheep safely home have come,

Bumble bees no longer hum,

Moon shining bright in the sky, peeps at my babe from on high

Sleep under silvery sky, loo lullaby

Sing lullaby

*

My little boy/girl my love, cooing like a dove

I never knew they you’d bring, such a great joy from within

What we’ve been chosen to do, now is to cherish you,

Oh what a wonderful gift, loo lullaby

Sing lullaby.

Golden Slumbers

This lullaby inspired the track of the same name by The Beatles. The original baby lullaby is sometimes referred to as “The Cradle Song” and it’s a firm favourite.

Golden Slumbers Lyrics

Golden Slumbers kiss your eyes

Smiles awake you when you rise

Sleep little girl/boy, do not cry,

And I will sing a lullaby, rock you rock you, lullaby

*

Dry your tears my little one,

Come to your Mummy, won’t you come?

Kisses and cuddles for you and I

And I will sing a lullaby, rock you rock you, lullaby.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star is one that needs no introduction! The tune was made famous by Mozart’s arrangement and is still a favourite everywhere today. The second and third verses are less well known but are just as lovely.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Lyrics

Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are

Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky

Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.

*

When the blazing sun is gone, when he nothing shines upon

Then you show your little light, twinkle twinkle all the night,

Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.

*

In the dark blue sky you keep, while you through my curtains peer

And you never shut your eye, til the sun is in the sky

Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.

If you want to learn Twinkle Twinkle on the piano you can check out my beginners piano tutorial here. For ideas and activities on how to sing Twinkle Twinkle with Toddlers, check out my activity post here.

Schubert’s Lullaby

Schubert’s Lullaby is a traditional lullaby that often has slightly different words from the translation from the original German to English but the lyrics below are my favourite.

Again, like the other baby lullabies in this post, you can swap out the boy/girl for your baby’s name.

Schubert’s Lullaby Lyrics

Lu-la lu-la lovely little boy/pretty little girl

Sweetly sleeping in your mummy’s arms

Soft contentment, gentle slumbers

Snoozing peacefully, safe from every harm

*

Lu-la lu-la sleep my baby boy/girl

Guardian angels rock you with their wings

Soon you’ll wake up in the morning

Smiling slumber while your Mummy sings.