What did you sing to babies?

[HandsomeRyan]

Just what the title says- What did you sing (songs or otherwise) to babies?

Sawyer is reaching that awkward time where he is more awake and alert during the day but he is still too little to really play with toys or play games like peek-a-boo with mom and dad. I think engaging him is very important but it can be difficult since he can't really "play". I talk to him some but he seems to like it when we sing and bounce around. I'm not exactly Josh Groban so I like to sing silly stuff. Also we don't like to limit ourselves to traditional "baby songs" because that is no fun.

We like "The Drunken Scotsman", Sea Shanty's, and making lulaby or spoken word versions of pop music.

What did you sing to babies in your life?

[BobW]

Re: What did you sing to babies?

Ryan,

While I cheer for the Child Catcher in Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang, I have never felt the need to torture a baby with my singing. I think you are on track with the engaging. I have read to babies before. And for the record, Mini-Cooper is a cutie.

[Bubby]

Re: What did you sing to babies?

I made up personal songs for my daughters that included their names several times. When they got a little older I would sing Jesus Loves Me (You), You Are My Sunshine, Billy Boy, Itsy Bitsy Spider plus everything that was happening on Sesame Street at the time.

I came from a family that loved to sing whether we could carry a tune or not. My Grandma Nan was a hoot to watch when she sang. She would get her index finger really going to help her keep time! About once a year we asked the older members of our church if they would like to sing for us and Grandma was always the first one to volunteer. I would play the mandolin and she would sing The Old Rugged Cross and there wouldn't be a dry eye in the congregation.

I encourage you and Tabitha to sing to Sawyer. Babies love to be sung to. Singing can calm them down, make them laugh and help them engage.

[Divine Daisy]

Re: What did you sing to babies?

I always sing Oh Oh Antonio to babies lol. My aunty Lizzie used to sing it to me and I remembered it when I had my own. I swoop them up a bit when I get to 'upppppp will go Antonio and his ice cream cart'. It make them laugh and me too lol

Oh Oh Antonio, he's gone away

Geff & Pat sing Oh! Oh! Antonio October 2013 - YouTube

This one is really funny and how it was sung to me and how I sing it......I pout and sigh and wail! LOVE IT and so do the babes especially when they get old enough to copy your face. OH OH ANTONIO.mov - YouTube

Here is a sing along with the lyrics oh oh antonio singalong - YouTube

Its a very very old Music Hall song.......fun though

[buckeyequilter]

Re: What did you sing to babies?

Puff the Magic Dragon would be a good one.
My kids always liked Itsy Bitsy Spider. I also told mine a lot of nursery rhymes.

[Momofmonsters5]

Re: What did you sing to babies?

I actually work for an Army daycare in the infant room, I song all day to them, I can send you a bunch of songs to your private message if you want. We even have a song to get them ready to eat. Lol or look up wee sing CDs on amazon they usually come with books with the words

[Iris Girl]

Re: What did you sing to babies?

I used to sing a lot of different things to my babies, from nursery rhymes to what was popular at the time to made up gibberish. Most included hand motions and touching and holding of the babies, they loved it ...but don't tell them that now... they are 26 and 30... LOL

[buckeyequilter]

Re: What did you sing to babies?

I used to sing a lot of different things to my babies, from nursery rhymes to what was popular at the time to made up gibberish. Most included hand motions and touching and holding of the babies, they loved it ...but don't tell them that now... they are 26 and 30... LOL

That's what I used to do...I think Itsy Bitsy Spider was their favorite....because of all the little tickling.

[GrammaBabs]

Re: What did you sing to babies?

Oh this is a great thread!! Like Bubby,, I used to make up songs... little lines in something that would pop into my head,,,ie..
She's my Debby Lee Johnson,, she' a root,too,too,,, and she's a rooty,too,too.. don't ask me why that made her laugh, but it was infectious...(of course it could be my habit of face animation..LOL)....
Then there was the time I used to put my 2 in the tub together (yes, there were babies.. boy and girl...... it was such a small bathroom, it "echoed"... so I used to sing "loudly" with an imitation of Ethel Merman... "There's NO Business, like SHOW Business"... while pouring water over their heads to wash the hair and rinse...
Now there's an insight to GrammaBabs you'll never forget... those were the good old days!!! B

[shermur]

Re: What did you sing to babies?

Ryan...babies enjoy music and it is wonderful to start them with the appreciation of the art! I always sang soothing gospel hymns or nursery songs. My "babies" (25,22 & 13) all seemed to enjoy to special favorites...His Eye his on the Sparrow and Wee Willy Winkey....

[LorraineRob]

Re: What did you sing to babies?

I can't remember what I used to sing to my own particularly, lots of different ones but my granddaughter loved Snow Patrol's 'Chasing Cars' and my grandson had to have 'You are my sunshine' 3 times every night.

[Slokarma]

Re: What did you sing to babies?

Every evening after bath time and right before bedtime, I would take my youngest son and we would slow dance (sway) to Willie Nelson's Stardust. It still brings happy tears to my eyes when I hear it.

Later on, my grandson's listened to Andre Bocelli when it was nap time and when ever they needed soothed. (Me too) and later on there were lots of Sesame street songs and such. Anything with a simple melody and was repetitious enough for them to learn to keep a beat and sing along.

and just for old time sake:

[Sandy Navas]

Re: What did you sing to babies?

Anything musical, nonsense, enlightening - just make funny faces (you know how to do that, right?) and Mr. Sawyer will be just fine.

I have to say that Daisy got me off on a tangent and I'm still sitting here giggling because of a sidelined you-tube of Peter Sellers singing "When I'm Cleaning Windows". Anyone know that he could play the ukulele?

[GSArcher]

Re: What did you sing to babies?

My girls seemed to like anything I came up with. I tended to stick with the classics ~ "Rock-a-bye- Baby", "You are my Sunshine", "Jesus Loves Me", "Row, Row, Row Your Boat", "Brahm's Lullaby" ~ when they were really little. As they grew up, I personalized things, ex one Thanksgiving my oldest wanted a Thanksgiving song before bed, I could not think of any, so I made up "Row, Row, Row Your Turkey" and it has been a hit with all of my girls.

When numbers 2, 3, and 4 came along, my older girls helped me sing to the younger one or ones (19 months between 3 & 4). It was successful enough that they still love to sit and listen to me sing. I don't think I have a fantastic voice, but they do. Also, where a parent singing in public usually embarrasses at teenager, my 13 yo just joins me. The 5 of us usually have people staring at us or laughing because we have so much fun doing it.

The good thing about them being littlewhen you start, is that you don't have to make sense. If you cannot remember all of the words, either make them up or just hum the tune. You are still engaging them and they don't know the difference.

[WendyI]

Re: What did you sing to babies?

I used to sing My Bonnie, You Are My Sunshine, and a bunch of childrens songs from tv shows, then later on we sang songs together that he learned at daycare like Itsy Bitsy Spider, Skina Ma Rinky Dink and Baby Beluga which was his favorite.