Within a half hour of my first flight with my 9-month-old, I knew I was in a rut. We’d gone through the pile of toys; the bag full of apple and spinach puree had been drained; the Gussie and Gertie book had been read about 18.5 times; and there were all sorts of puffs scattered on the floor. Determined not to pull out the iPad, I started whispering “Little Spider” to my daughter. She loved it, and as my hand rose in the air, her eyes lit up, her toothless smile bright as the sun, and my arms formed over my head. Found it! “We’ll get through this,” I realized.

We’ve all heard how music is good for babies: it promotes language development, facilitates vocabulary acquisition, and helps build a sense of rhythm. What’s more, getting your little one to move to a song or a game is a major form of bonding. Dr. Sharon Sick, clinical associate professor of child development at the Erikson Institute in Chicago, says: “Your baby may not know that Foo Foo the bunny is running through the forest, but he does realize that you and he are paying attention to the same sounds, rhythms and flows.” . “The result is that your child feels comforted, calmed, and connected to you.”

However, other than Itsy Bitsy Spider, I only know a few words about nursery rhymes, and unless your grandparents are well-versed in this classic ditty, you probably don’t either. Enter this top five playlist. They don’t require a verbal response, so they’re ideal for babies, although older siblings will enjoy them too. Try them at home when you’re not sure what to play, or when you need to pass the time somewhere, like in the pediatrician’s waiting room, in a restaurant, and, of course, on a plane.

1. Where’s Thumbkin?

Why You Should Try Pretending Your Finger is Person-to-Person Conversation reinforces the idea that playtime is something fun to share with others. Joanne Loy, director of the Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, says: “It’s a rehearsal for real drama, so when the kids are old enough to play on the playground, they’ll be able to interact with other kids.” . In addition, the “Where’s Thumbkin? ” body movements provide a rich sensory experience, Dr. Sickle notes.

Holding hands behind the lyrics:

“Where’s Thumbkin? Where’s the thumbkin? ”

One hand holds up a thumb: “Here I am! ”

The other: “I’m here! ”

The thumbs “talk” to each other: “How are you today, sir? ” “Very well, thank you.”

Thumbs back behind you: “Run away, run away.”

Repeat with “pointer”, “tall man”, “ring man” and “little finger”

2. Peekaboo, i See You

Why You Should Try If your baby clings to you like chewing gum to your hair, then you know separation anxiety is real. Enter the game of hide and seek. “Hide and seek games and songs reinforce the idea that mommy or daddy can hide under a blanket or behind their hand and still come back,” Loewy explains. “It helps them understand that it’s OK to be alone.” Music can also enhance trust by providing a sense of predictability; stick to simple, short melodies and make sure the expression happens on the same word.

The song’s lyrics depict an exposed face with the words:

” Peekaboo, I see you, Peeka Peeka… Boo!”

3. we walk around the mulberry bush

Why you should try it? Children of all ages, especially infants, often have a hard time adjusting to change. Therefore, a song about moving from one activity to another is the ideal song during the transition period. The melody is so well known that you can easily improvise with your own words to fit the activity at hand. For example, “Changing a baby’s diaper is not usually a pleasant thing to do,” Loewy says, “but singing, ‘This is how we change, change, change,’ makes it more fun. ” Doing so, she says, is the equivalent of serving strawberries on a lovely antique plate instead of out of a plastic container. Try it with toddlers, too: “If your daughter doesn’t want to wear shoes, you can sing, ‘Here’s how we wear shoes, wear our shoes, wear our shoes’ and make it interactive.”

Lyrics ” Here we go round

Mulberry bush,

Mulberry bush,

Mulberry bush.

We go round the mulberry bush

So early.

This is our way of washing our faces,

Washing our faces,

Wash your face.

This is how we wash our faces

Early in the morning.”

Repeat other routines such as “comb your hair”, “brush your teeth”, “put on your clothes”, etc.

4. Little flea walking
Why you should try it Little ones love the anticipation in this song. “While you’re singing, put your baby on his back and ‘walk’ your fingers around his belly,” says John m. Feierabend, Ph.D., professor emeritus of music education at the University of Hartford’s Haight D. of the School of Music. Not only will he giggle and wait for a tickle, but he will create a series of suspenseful moments and then release, “You’re preparing your child for those qualities in a good story and a good book,” he says.

When you run your fingers over your child’s belly, the lyrics go something like this:

“There goes a little flea

Look what he can see

But all he can see… … ”

Scratch his tummy: “It’s a baby’s little tummy! ”

Change: After three months, when the baby’s palm is naturally loose, try to draw a circle on the baby’s palm while singing,

“Goes round and round in the garden like a teddy bear. One step, two steps… … ” then go to her armpit and sing, “There to tickle you! ”

5. Old MacDonald Had a Farm

Why should you try it? Who knew that a few moans could teach your child empathy? “Animal songs make us imagine how different animals feel,” Loewy explains. “When a child pretends he’s the dog in ‘Old MacDonald,’ he’ll think, ‘Why is the dog barking? Is he hungry? Is he tired? Likewise, ‘Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed’ will remind a child of those poor monkeys’ headaches. Strange but true: Loewy says the Mary Had a Little Lamb book was originally written to help children with school phobias feel more comfortable; Mary’s little lamb acts as a cuddly lamb and brings her comfort.

The song’s lyrics are “Old MacDonald Had a Farm

E-I-E-I-O

On his farm, he had a cow

E-I-E-I-O

Here mooing and mooing

And mooing

Mooing here, mooing there

And mooing everywhere

Old MacDonald Had a Farm

E-i-i-o.”

Repeat “pig,” “duck,” “horse.”