As a Mum and Grandma I know that we all want the best for our babies. From sunrise to sunset, parents across the nation go above and beyond to put a smile on their children faces. Despite this, if your child has slept poorly, so have you, and the day can become longer and increasingly difficult.
In this situation, you can try establishing a night-time routine. This includes bathing your baby, changing them into cosy pyjamas, and playing them a lullaby. In days gone by, mum might have sung. Trust me, my children would not have benefitted from my voice having a go. But a good lullaby may, indeed, encourage your baby to sleep through the night. And doesn’t a soundless sleep sound priceless right now?
To help your baby through the night, Nuby, a leading baby brand in the UK, has created a list of the best sleepy songs. This is based on how many times these songs appear on Spotify baby sleep-related playlists – a sure-fire sign that they’re successful in getting your little one some shut-eye. Then you can start your night-time routine with confidence, one lullaby at a time.
10. Puff the Magic Dragon (Laura Hanson)
‘Puff the Magic Dragon’ transports us to another time. You might recognise this song from the animated Puff the Magic Dragon (1978), and Laura Hanson’s cover is just as charming. We can see why her dream-like piano lulls little ones to sleep.
9. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (Charlie Francis)
‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ is a classic lullaby. Charlie Francis’ interpretation of this song is peaceful enough to make any child (or adult) relaxed. The tinkling piano and slow, melodic rhythm is perfectly soothing and is an updated version of the song that probably eased many of us to sleep as babies!
8. Itsy Bitsy Spider (Mingmei Hsueh)
‘Itsy Bitsy Spider’ is another song straight from the history books. Mingmei Hsueh, a talented pianist and musician, has gifted parents with this calming, wordless lullaby. Try not to sing the lyrics alongside this instrumental – if you can.
7. Hush Little Baby (Beth McLaughlin)
‘Hush Little Baby’ by Beth McLaughlin sounds just like the original. Similar to the previous songs, this doesn’t include any lyrics. The soothing tune is perfect for bedtime.
6. A Whole New World (Purple Tulips)
It doesn’t matter what time it is, ‘A Whole New World’ by Purple Tulips is enough to make any baby sleepy. Even though we know this song from Aladdin (1992), this is another reimagined classic that we could easily drift asleep to – the piano rendition is so graceful.
5. Can You Feel The Love Tonight? (Rita May)
Rita May’s ‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight?’ will definitely you think of the comfort of your own bed – but also The Lion King (1994) and Elton John’s smooth voice. Who’d have thought that so many of our favourite Disney classics could be translated into gentle instrumental lullabies?
4. Colors of the Wind (Rita May)
A talented pianist, Rita May deserves to be on our list twice. ‘Colors of the Wind’ reimagines the beauty of the familiar song found in Disney’s Pocahontas (1995).
3. Clean White Noise (White Noise Baby Sleep)
White noise can be extremely beneficial for your little one. It comes in many forms, including static frequencies. This is also a continuous song, so you can put this on repeat without any breaks interrupting your baby’s sleep.
2. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (Adelmar Borrego)
Similar to Francis’ cover, this song is ideal if you’re looking for calming piano music. Considering this is the second time a reimagining of the original has appeared on our list, we think this lullaby will make any baby sleepy!
1. Brahms’ Lullaby (Beth McLaughlin)
Finally, ‘Brahms’ Lullaby’ by Beth McLaughlin is, it appears, the best sleep-inducing song for your little one. This song features the most in Spotify playlists for baby sleep songs. So if you’re in need of a good night’s sleep, this one is for your baby to drift off to.
There you have it – the best songs for babies to fall asleep to. Mums and dads alike can use this as a guide to make a night-time playlist for their little ones. Get your nightlight, speaker, and sleeping bag for your newborn ready. Each child is unique, however, so you might find they respond better to piano music than white noise, or vice versa. Which song will you play first?
To learn more: Nuby: https://nuby-uk.com/