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Nursery rhymes and lullabies for babies

Sing to your baby every day, any song you know. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's tips for the first year are to sing, tell stories or read to your child every day, and the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests books with simple rhymes for the first months. Your voice matters more than the tune.

Checked October 29, 2026.

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The words

The actions

  • Finger playsThe hand moves, bounces and tickles for 15 favorite nursery rhymes, from Itsy Bitsy Spider to Pop Goes the Weasel, written out line by line. Printable.

Why do babies like nursery rhymes?

Rhymes are short, they repeat, and they have a beat you can bounce to. That makes them easy for you to remember at 3 a.m., and easy to say so often that they become familiar. By 18 to 23 months, the AAP says, many toddlers can finish some sentences from books they know very well.

How do I sing with my baby if I can't sing?

  • Say the rhyme instead of singing it. A slow, bouncy voice is enough.
  • Pick three or four and repeat them for weeks. Repetition is the point.
  • Add a touch: a tickle, a bounce, a clap. The finger plays show the moves for 15 favorites.
  • Pause before the last word and let your child fill it in, once they're ready.
  • Sing in the language you're most comfortable using. ASHA's advice is the same for talking.

Which lullabies are good for bedtime?

Any slow song you can sing softly works: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Hush, Little Baby, Rock-a-Bye Baby and All Through the Night are on the lullaby list with their words. Singing the same one at the end of each night can become part of the bedtime routine.

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