Watching your baby peacefully drift off to sleep as you sing a gentle lullaby is one of the most joyous memories as a new parent. Singing classic nursery rhymes before bedtime is an enjoyable activity that has helped children fall asleep for generations, preparing them for a (hopefully!) restful night’s sleep. 

Here are some of the best bedtime nursery rhymes and lullabies that are perfect for sharing sleepy bedtime moments with your infant! These recognizable, enduring songs will be sure to help your little one get cozy and ready for bed in no time.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, with its starry sky theme, is a perfect nursery rhyme to sing at bedtime! The simple melody and rhyming lines will make sure your baby will relax to the sound of your soothing voice, preparing them for a good night’s sleep. 

Rock A Bye Baby

With the word ‘Baby’ in the title and the mention of ‘cradle’ in the lyrics, many parents love to sing Rock A Bye Baby to their little one at bedtime! We all associate the lullaby with gently rocking a baby to sleep, despite it being an old-fashioned, nonsensical style of children’s song. The calming tune will no doubt help your baby drift off to sleep peacefully. 

Sleep, Baby, Sleep

If you’ve spent many nights singing the old favorites to your little one, then Sleep, Baby, Sleep is a great modern lullaby to mix up your routine. As much as we all love the classic nursery rhymes, it’s always fun to try a new song! 

Sleep, Baby, Sleep is a simple rhyme with all of the features of a good lullaby – a waltzing, slow tempo, and a gentle melody. It has peaceful lyrics about a baby getting ready to fall asleep and enjoy a nice dream, with their loving parents watching over them. 

You can check out a video of the song and learn the words on YouTube, here.

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes (Cinderella)

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes is a delightful song with a soothing tune and happy message, taken from Disney’s Cinderella! The story of Cinderella is a classic story loved by children everywhere, and singing this charming song from a young age will introduce your child to the world of Disney.

Suggested read: what to write in a baby shower book. We put together a bunch of awesome message ideas for the special occasion!

La La Lu (Lady and the Tramp)

Another Disney classic next! The tune of La La Lu from the adorable Disney movie Lady and the Tramp is a wonderful lullaby to sing to your little one. In the movie, La La Lu is sung by the mother character Darling, and the song is often played by mobiles and other musical items made for babies! 

There are so many different lyrics that have accompanied the tune, but the version from Lady and the Tramp is the most popular, especially since it links children with the loveable movie! Take a look at the video clip below to see the song being played in the film:

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Somewhere Over The Rainbow is a famous song from the iconic movie, The Wizard of Oz. A young Judy Garland introduced us to this song in 1939 when she played the role of Dorothy, filling hearts with joy as she so beautifully sang this relaxing tune. There have been many versions of the song as the years have gone by, but it remains to be a popular lullaby for new parents. 

In case you’ve forgotten the words, take a look at the video clip below, playing the original version of the song from The Wizard of Oz: 

Silent Night

There’s no better lullaby for settling your little one on a cozy winter’s evening than Silent Night. A popular Christmas song originating from Germany, this famous rhyming song with its calming melody will relax your child, and help you get into the Christmas spirit at the same time! 

There’s been a lot of research done on why nursery rhymes like the ones above are so effective. We definitely recommend checking out articles such as this one for the experts’ opinions.

Best Lullabies to Put a Baby to Sleep: The Sparknotes

  • Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
  • Rock A Bye Baby
  • Sleep, Baby, Sleep
  • A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes (Cinderella)
  • La La Lu (Lady and the Tramp)
  • Somewhere Over The Rainbow
  • Silent Night