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What do you sing to your babies? NPR listeners share songs and sweet little smiles

A young father lulls his baby to sleep while playing the guitar and singing.
zeljkosantrac
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E+/Getty Images
A young father lulls his baby to sleep while playing the guitar and singing.

Updated June 12, 2025 at 11:06 PM EDT

Last week, Morning Edition reported on a study from Yale University which found that singing to babies lifts their mood and improves their mental well-being.

We asked folks in our audience to send us the songs they sing to their little ones, and you delivered.

We received over 1,000 responses, many of which even included recordings of you singing the songs you sing to your babies.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Derek and Kelsey Webb of Tulsa, Okla. sent us an alphabet song they came up with that was inspired by Dr. Seuss's ABC, which they performed for their 1-year-old, Phoebe.

"The rhymes in that book just flow so well that it was easy to just make up a tune and sing that with her," Derek Webb says.

"And it just made it more fun to sing and more fun to read to her, and she loves it," adds Kelsey Webb.

Tim and Maryanna Clairmont of Pinckney, Mich. have two kids, a 4-year-old, Dottie, and a 2-year-old, Stu.

Tim says that when he gets home from work, Stu often comes to him with his toy guitar and starts saying "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah," which is the cue for Tim to grab his guitar and start singing "She Loves You" by The Beatles.

"Both my kids, my wife, we all have a great time singing," Tim says. "Music is a huge part of our lives."

"Yukie Takabatake in Brooklyn, N. Y. sent us her rendition of an old Japanese children's song called "Amefuri."

"It's about a child that is caught in the rain and is joyfully met by their mom, who brings an umbrella," Takabatake says.

Takabatake grew up in a Japanese household in the United States, learning these songs. And she sings them for her daughter, who is almost two.

"Now, even though my own family lives far away in Japan, I continue that tradition by singing these songs to my own child in Japanese," Takabatake says. "And when my mom and grandma video call us, they often sing 'Amefuri' to her, too."

She adds that singing these songs for her daughter are a way to "pass down language, memories and love."

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.