Lullabies and their importance in childhood.

Parents have always sung songs to their children. These songs can be the precursors to developing language, learning about cadence and rhythm. Even very  young infants who have heard a song repeated, will start to repeat the cadence and rhythm of the end of the verse. This is also true of the nursery rhymes we tell our children. If they are repeated regularly from infancy, by a few months the child will replicate the last part of the verse.

The songs you choose to sing are not as important as the sound of your voice.

Dr. John Lind, professor emeritus at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, discovered that children who have parents with rather poor singing voices still grow up to love to sing, and are able to sing on key (Fletcher, 1981, p. 26). It is more important that parents sing to their babies than that they sing well. Authorities like Lind and Hardgrove (1978) remind us, “It is not the quality of the voice that matters, it is the connection....It is not the on-key, smooth mechanical perfection that brings joy to infants as well as adults. The joy comes in the rendition, and the example of this intimate parent-to-infant message encourages the child to sing”

 Although singing lullabies comes naturally to many people, some may need a few tips on sharing them with infants. Infants’ interest in a world of sound can be enhanced in different ways and through different qualities of tones and pitches, rhythmical movement, and songs.

Suggestions for Singing Lullabies to Infants 

Build a repertoire of favorite lullabies. If possible, memorize them. This is important, as many of today's young parents have no memories of lullabies being sung to them, and are not familiar with the most beautiful lullabies from around the world. There are excellent lullaby books on the market. There is also a wide variety of good lullaby compact discs (CDs) and cassette tapes available.  

• Note: Tapes and CDs should be used only as accompaniment or as an aid when learning new songs. The parent's or teacher's voice should always be present.
• Some infants prefer one lullaby over another; however, don't limit your singing to only music considered to be lullabies. Try singing contemporary songs and show tunes. Infants enjoy variety and change of pace.
• As you securely hold and gently rock an infant, smile warmly and look directly into the infant's face and eyes. This kind of "bonding" brings contentment and security to the infant.

As your child grows action songs become more interesting because the actions encourage play and make the music even more interactive. Singing can lift the spirits even on a grey day when the world seems to be against you, making time to make music with your little one is an intimate connection that will live on and probably be replayed with their own children. Lullabies can be a lifelong gift carried through generations like family histories.

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The importance of music.

Throughout the ages mothers have sung to their children to help settle them to sleep.  The lullaby carries not only individual feelings and thoughts but also collective feelings and ideals, is a literary genre which also has a practical side in helping children get to sleep. Research has shown the value of this and commercial companies now offer a rich variety of compilations of music for this purpose. Music can alter our mood, make us feel happier, or sad, energize or calm us. The lullaby when sung by mum or dad offers some interesting comforts and learning experiences.

The pace and volume of the lullaby acts as a reminder of the cadence and tone of the spoken word. Infants learning pre verbal skills benefit from listening to mum and dad talking and singing. Nursery rhythms and lullabies offer a comfortable way to start to understand the world. Often lullabies are accompanied by movement, rocking, being held snuggling in a parents arms and the long "Ssss" remind baby of the noises heard before birth. Lullabies are intimate reflections of the parents experiences. In some cultures they are a vocal history of the family, of the parents experience, relayed in an acceptable form for the child, in much the same way as telling stories.


Dr. John Lind, professor emeritus at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, discovered that children who have parents with rather poor singing voices still grow up to love to sing and are able to sing on key (Fletcher, 1981, p. 26). It is more important that parents sing to their babies than that they sing well. Authorities like Lind and Hardgrove (1978) remind us, “It is not the quality of the voice that matters, it is the connection....It is not the on-key, smooth mechanical perfection that brings joy to infants as well as adults. The joy comes in the rendition, and the example of this intimate parent-to-infant message encourages the child to sing” (p. 10).
Although singing lullabies comes naturally to many people, some may need a few tips on sharing them with infants. Infants’ interest in a world of sound can be enhanced in different ways and through different qualities of tones and pitches, rhythmical movement, and songs.

Suggestions for Singing Lullabies to Infants 

1. Build a repertoire of favourite lullabies. If possible, memorize them. This is important, as many of today's young parents have no memories of lullabies being sung to them, and are not familiar with the most beautiful lullabies from around the world. There are excellent lullaby books on the market. There is also a wide variety of good lullaby compact discs (CDs) and cassette tapes available. Note: Tapes and CDs should be used only as accompaniment or as an aid when learning new songs. The parent's  voice should always be present.
2. Some infants prefer one lullaby over another; however, don't limit your singing to only music considered to be lullabies. Try singing contemporary songs and show tunes. Infants enjoy variety and change of pace.
3. As you securely hold and gently rock an infant, smile warmly and look directly into the infant's face and eyes. This kind of "bonding" brings contentment and security to the infant.

  If you would like help and support to improve your child's sleep contact us;- info@dream-angus.com