Songs can calm babies and help them move through transitions during the day.

Did you know?

Familiar songs can be used to help your baby tune into daily routines.

Gentle, joyful singing and touch from birth helps build special bonds and security for babies. Babies don’t care how badly you sing!

Add language

Changing pitch, animated voice tones and facial expressions all catch babies’ interest.

Babies learn to communicate through face to face interactions. Singing is a perfect way of starting and keeping an interaction going with your baby right from birth. Feeding time is a special time to share face to face interaction and calm songs at this time are perfect.

Other development

Simple familiar songs can be used to develop awareness of and signal changes in routine e.g. singing “Where is baby” when you are coming to get them after a sleep; “Splish splash splosh” for bath-time or washing songs; or eating songs like “Rumbly tummy” when it’s meal times.

Babies develop a sense of security with predictable routines.

Singing the same lullaby each night signals the end of the day and assists in establishing a calm bedtime routine.

Singing songs during nappy change can distract wriggly babies.

Singing songs from your own childhood and in your own language keeps your culture alive and builds your child’s sense of identity.

Across the ages

All the activities listed on our “Play Ideas” page can be applied across different age groups. See how songs can be fun for toddlers, children and playgroups.

 

Activities listed under “baby” are suitable for children under 12 months. This age is largely about babies exploring their own bodies and the world around them from the safety of a close relationship with their caregiver.