[RuthC]

Hi Everyone,

I've been taking bedtime as an opportunity to teach my three youngest daughters some classics. I usually have to sing the same song 3-4 times (3 kids plus one as I wander out after they're all tucked in) and so I'm interested in hearing some suggestions from the crowds. We've done "Leaving on a Jet Plane" and "Hey Jude" but it's time to change it up.

Keep the following in mind:

1. I don't want to teach them the usual bedtime songs.
2. I'm almost 48 so don't ask me to be too current.
3. The girls tend to break out in song in random places (restaurants, the car, day care) so all songs must be appropriate. (They treated everyone at our local Newport Bay brunch on Sunday to two songs!)
4. I have to be able to remember the tune so be kind to me.

OK, so let's have it!

[robandjulie]

Golden slumbers by The Beatles is one of my husband's favorites to sing to our daughter. I personally find it hard to sing.

We also sing "you are my sunshine" a lot, but you have to really slow down the beat to make it work for nighttime.

If you're willing to learn a new song, Laurie Berkner has some cute stuff and one is this simple song that has an infinite number of versus. They all basically go

You're a little ____animal___
and your mommy loves you.
You're a little ____animal___
and your daddy loves you.
and when they tuck you in and say goodnight
they say __sound sound sound___, Goodnight!

Goodnight, goodnight
goodnight little (animal), goodnight.
Goodnight, goodnight,
sound sound sound, goodnight.

We do 8-10 versus and my daughter loves calling out animals to do, or we'll mix it up and sing it

You're a little Katie
and your __grandma/grandpa/aunt/etc___ loves you.
You're a little Katie
and your __person___ loves you.
and when they tuck you in and say goodnight
they say __(some phrase they always say)___, Goodnight!

Goodnight, goodnight
goodnight little Katie, goodnight.
Goodnight, goodnight,
(quote), goodnight.

Our 2 year old made her grandpa's day by requesting a grandpa verse and then when I got to the quote part and let her fill it in she said "I'm gonna get you! Tickle Tickle!" and cracked us all up.

[Bug-n-Bears-Mommy]

We have a GREAT CD that we play every night for the boys...it is called "A Child's Gift of Lullabyes". Really simple tunes, very child oriented, and easy to pick up. It has about 9 different songs followed by the melody of each of the songs. It plays about an hour, but it totally lulls the boys to sleep. My favorite song goes like this:

Well, I love my baby sweet and fair
Got the sky in your eyes and the sun in your hair.
I rock you to sleep most every night
And sing you this song while I hold you tight.

Sleep my baby...
Nestled in your mama's arms.
Sleep my baby...
May angels keep you from harm.
And your father above cradles you in his love
Safe and warm
Sleep my baby...

There are 2 more verses, but they are so simple and very catchy.

[JillnChris]

My favorite is "Somewhere over the rainbow" I plan to sing it to eva when she comes home.

[Devora]

Around here, any song will do...My son has a tendency to think of something and then ask for a song about it so I have to get creative with finding a song that has that word in it.

Some of his favorites over time that aren't so "typical" but were easy for me...

- Take Me Out to the Ballgame
- America
- America the Beautiful
- She'll be Coming 'Round the Mountain
- I've Been Working on the Railroad
- Frosty the Snowman (I sang it *every* night for three straight months!!)
- The Bear Went Over the Mountain

[chriscinger]

The songs I've been singing to my now 5 year-old son since he was a baby are from my favorite musicals, "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Sound of Music", and now he requests them. I sing Over the Rainbow, If I Only Had a Brain, Edelweiss, and My Favorite Things. He also requests The Alphabet Song, Twinkle Twinkle, and You Are My Sunshine.

[CEB]

Well, the favorites in our house are

Beatles, Yellow Submarine (this is number 1 favorite);

Little Eva, Locomotion (this has to be a first song - its too upbeat to end on);

Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, Cant Take My Eyes Off of You (slight editing lyrics from "I need you baby to warm the lonely night" to "I need you baby to sleep the peaceful night")

as you can see, we are pretty old too