by admin
Babies. They’re so cute. They’re the loves of our lives. When my son was born last year, I could not stop staring at his perfect little face and loved soaking in all of those newborn cuddles. The newborn phase was amazing, but there were plenty of times where I thought….hmmm what should I be doing with him now? Even though they don’t seem to be doing a lot in the first few months, research suggests that their brains are laying the groundwork for acquiring language.
Music is great for language development, bonding and creating new neural pathways for babies. So, being a music teacher, I got super excited to research some fun, developmentally appropriate, interactive songs & rhymes to teach to my baby. And now that I’ve compiled my favorites, of course I had to share with all of you!! This will be a first in a series of blog posts about songs to sing with your baby and/or toddler.
Also if you’d like to learn these songs virtually, I am teaching virtual, donation-based, “Baby & Me” classes for 0-6 month olds on Thursdays from 1:00-1:30 pm/CT. Click here to sign up for a class!
Let’s dive into some of my favorite songs for 0-6 month olds!
- Wake up Feet:
This is a great song to sing to your little one right when they wake up from a nap! “Wake Up Feet” is fun way to start teaching your baby about the parts of the body. Perfect for a diaper change or tummy time!
2. Good Morning Toes:
Sometimes in the morning my voice is not fully ready to sing, so I like using this little rhyme that doesn’t require a melody. It’s so much fun to start the day with a playful tone and see how baby responds to this sweet morning greeting!
“Good Morning Toes” on Youtube
3. Peek-A-Boo:
Is there any better sound than hearing your baby giggle? This song is great for those first few months when they start smiling and laughing. And a game of peekaboo is great for babies who are just starting to understand the concept of object permanence (around 3 months-9 months). Peekaboo also helps in building gross motor skills, developing social skills and visual tracking. You can sing, or speak, it slow, fast, dramatic, silly, with props (like a scarf or blanket) or however feels most comfortable!
4. Hello Little Babies:
I love this song because of how versatile it is! If your baby isn’t able to hold up their head just yet, you can lay them on their back and sing the song by moving their feet and hands. For babies who are showing signs of rolling from back to belly, you can sing “Hello little babies let’s go rolling, rolling” and gently roll them to the left and right to help them practice. Another one of my favorites is to move their legs really fast while singing “Hello little babies let’s go running, running” and then freeze really quick. A lot of babies really seem to love this change of tempo! And of course, adding a tickling verse at the end is always fun to see if you can get a sweet giggle or smile out of them.
“Hello Little Babies” on Youtube
5. Wheels on the Bus:
This is one of my favorite songs for kids, but I like to add a few things to make it developmentally appropriate for babies. Once baby is already laying on their back, you can try moving their legs in circles and swishing their legs back in forth with the song. It’s a fun way to make the song interactive for you and your baby.
“Wheels on the Bus” on Youtube
6. 10 Little Fingers:
This is a very catchy, fun, interactive counting song to sing with your baby. (After I sing it, the tune always gets stuck in my head!!) This song could easily turn into a peekaboo game as well! Once you sing “10 little fingers on my hands!”, you could cover your face with your hands and reveal yourself with a PEEKABOO!
“10 Little Fingers” on Youtube
Well, I hope you enjoyed this list of songs to sing with your 0-6 month old. If you loved these songs and would like to learn them in a class setting and possibly meet other COOL parents, be sure to sign up for one of my donation-based virtual “Baby & Me Music Classes”. Click this link to sign up for a class. And if not, thanks for stopping by my blog and I hope you’re having a lovely day.
Enjoy these songs with the babies in your life!
Keepin’ it Simple,
Paige
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