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
- Chopin’s Nocturne
- Rock a Bye Baby
- Hush My Little Baby
- Little People
- Brahms Lullaby
- Mozart’s Lullaby
- Golden Slumbers
- Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
- Schubert’s Lullaby
My Lullaby Album
Each of the tracks listed below can be played via the player below. My Lullaby is an album I recorded with popular lullabies set to gentle harp and bass. The albums can be personalised, with the songs including the name of the baby. The players below show this with the example of “Little Girl” and “Little Boy” – get in touch to see if we have recorded your baby’s name.
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. You can listen to the tune using the players above.
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.
I love them they also work on adoults
Everyone loves a lullaby! ☺️
These
Songs help me fall asleep. 😴
Hi I’ve been looking for a certain song for years now. My son is 7 years old now and when he was born he listened to a lullaby I’m certain you sing. All I remember is that in the end it sang go to sleep go to sleep. I know it doesn’t help being that all the lullaby are bed time songs but that’s all I remember in the end she sang “go to sleep…go to sleep.” Its killing me that I cant find or know the song.
Hi Mariah, That is a tricky one, since most lullabies include those particular words! I don’t think I can really help you but there are some lovely lullaby lyric here – https://www.babycenter.com/0_lullaby-lyrics-sleep-baby-sleep_6744.bc
Sounds like Brahms Lullaby. I sing that song to my baby every night.
Yes that’s right! Brahms’ lullaby is one of the best along with Schubert and Mozart of course!
So lovely to hear you sing to your baby every night ♥️
you brought it back to me thanks a lot
These are fantastic bed time songs for babies. I have to admit I learned I was not singing the right words in a few of them!
Thank you for stopping by the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop this week. We hope to see you drop by our neck of the woods next week!
Thank you for stopping by Jill! I often think that the made up words are the best!!
Thanks again for hosting!
I still love a good lullaby! Thank you for linking up to the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Bloghop!