We wanted to share some great lullaby songs for babies that help make bedtime easier for both babies and parents. We’ve included bedtime songs for babies that are soothing, because if they aren’t soothing, then they aren’t going to relax baby, and relaxed babies are much easier to put to bed than amped-up babies. So, regardless of whether you are looking for nighttime songs for babies in English or Spanish, we got ya! We’ve gathered a bunch of classics and some not-so-classics that will become classic nighty-night songs for your baby.
More from MamásLatinas: Best products & tips to help baby get a good night's sleep
Let’s be brutally honest: Putting a baby to sleep at night and getting them to sleep through the night can be a very daunting task. Just ask any tired parent with a newborn or infant at home. Sure, it can be a beautiful time to bond with baby, but it can also be very frustrating for a tired mamá or papá who is just longing for their own relaxation. That’s why learning a variety of baby lullabies that you can sing to your baby is important, because the songs not only help baby relax but also help you relax, and a relaxed parent can more easily help their baby relax into sleep. Listen to the songs below, and be sure to pick ones you find soothing, because you don’t get brownie points for torturing yourself with lullabies that you can't stand.
"Duérmete Pollito" is soothing in both English and Spanish.
If you are trying to raise bilingual children, singing the same lullaby in both English and Spanish is a great way to incorporate both languages into a baby's day-to-day activities. "Duérmete Pollito" is a lovely song for babies to sing in both languages.
"10 Elefantes Se Columpiaban" has put countless numbers of children to sleep.
It's a simple and silly song about 10 elephants swinging on a spiderweb. Its repetitiveness is relaxing, and it also helps teach children to count up to 10. All you have to do is listen to it once to learn the lyrics.
Sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" in English and Spanish.
Another nice thing about singing a lullaby song for babies to sleep in both English and Spanish is that it makes it less boring for the singer. Like if your baby just loves "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and wants you to sing it on repeat, being able to vary the language is a welcome relief.
"Los Pollitos" is easy even if you don't speak Spanish.
Maybe you're not bilingual or your partner isn't, but you still want your children to grow up to be bilingual. "Los Pollitos" is easy to learn even if Spanish isn't a language that you speak, and since the lyrics are also sung in English, you'll know exactly what you are singing.
It doesn't get more soothing than "Arrorró Mi Niño."
The lyrics of this bedtime song for babies are sweet and can even just be spoken in a sing-songy voice if you're not much of a fan of singing. Still, remember that your baby loves your voice, even if you think you can't sing. To them, your voice is music to their ears.
"Hush Little Baby Don’t Say a Word" is a classic.
This song for helping get babies to sleep is believed to have been written in the Southern United States of America some time around the first half of the 1900s. The lyrics ask a baby to "hush" and then go on and list a bunch of things that "mama's gonna buy" baby.
You can also sing "Calla Mi Bebé" in Spanish.
Classic or popular songs often get translated into other languages, and "Hush Little Baby Don't Say a Word" is no exception. In Spanish it's called "Calla Mi Bebé" and goes on to make all the promises of the original English version but in Spanish.
Try the "Avaloran" lullaby from "Elena of Avalor."
From the show Elena of Avalor, the lullaby starts off like this:
Evening is a-falling, so rest your weary head
Don't cry little baby, sleep tight in your bed
The jaquins are a-nestling, way up in the trees
The scent of springtime flowers floating on the breeze
The full moon is a-shining in the sky above
Hush now little darling, bundled up with love
Don't forget about "Remember Me," because it's unforgettable!
"Remember Me" from the movie Coco is one of the sweetest bedtime song for babies you could possibly sing to your child. Just be aware that it might get you all choked up. It's written to be bilingual, and it's truly unforgettable.
"Rock-a-Bye Baby" is a lullaby standard.
This is interesting: According to The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes, this song was the first poem to be written by an English colonist on American soil back in the 17th century, and it was inspired by how Native American women rocked their babies in birch bark cradles hung from trees.
You can also sing "Rock-a-Bye Baby" in Spanish.
There are several translations of this classic lullaby song for babies, with slight variations. We chose this one, but translation is not an exact science, so you might prefer a different one, and that's OK. You could even translate it yourself.
"When You Wish Upon a Star " will be familiar to Disney fans.
This was written especially for the Disney film adaptation of the story of Pinocchio, but it's become the sort of unofficial Disney theme song because it plays as an intro to many a Disney movie. It's definitely stood the test of time.
"La Estrella Azul" is the Spanish-language version of the Disney classic.
It sounds just as beautiful in Spanish. Also, remember that you don't have to sound like a professional singer when you sing it to your baby. Just channel your love, and your baby will love it. They just want to hear you sing.
Sing about "Pin Pon" in Spanish and English.
In case you aren't familiar, Pin Pon is a handsome cardboard cutout, and this song for babies is all about what he does in a day. He's very well-behaved and does all the things that most moms would like their children to do as well.
"Pon, Pon, Pon" is probably the easiest song on this list.
Seriously, there isn't much to it, but for some reason kids love it. You basically just sing one lyric over and over. You can vary the tone, and you can also sing it in English. Before you know it, your little one will be singing along with you.
