# Slow, Soothing Songs to Sing With Children **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 20, 2012, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559 "2012-11-20T00:09:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/1 "2012-11-20T00:09:51Z")
Can I have some recommendations, please? Here’s an example of the type of thing I’m asking about: [Sean Colvin and Ernie sing “I Don’t Want to Live on the Moon.”] [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1zzL3N7HE0s/hqdefault.jpg "Shawn Colvin I don't want to live on the moon") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zzL3N7HE0s) ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/2 "2012-11-20T00:46:13Z")
I don’t know the people in the video, but the first song, [“I Can Sing a Rainbow,”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AOAlLKpAC0) is a favorite of my kids when they need soothing. ---
**Author:** ![Jamicat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@Jamicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamicat)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/3 "2012-11-20T04:24:28Z")
Theres a bunch here… [http://www.timmyabell.com/music/lyrics/ol/antrhody.htm](http://www.timmyabell.com/music/lyrics/ol/antrhody.htm) They sang me that one, cause they just hated me. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![OldnCrinkly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e7dd6/32.png) [@OldnCrinkly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldnCrinkly)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/4 "2012-11-20T04:39:45Z")
Silent Night ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/5 "2012-11-20T05:18:06Z")
The Seekers [Morningtown Ride](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scXGFM7R4sY) might fit the bill… ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/6 "2012-11-20T05:24:20Z")
[The Rainbow Connection](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSFLZ-MzIhM) ---
**Author:** ![applebetty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@applebetty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/applebetty)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/7 "2012-11-21T01:23:52Z")
I used to sing the ABC song and One Tin Soldier to my daughter. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/8 "2012-11-21T01:33:16Z")
Lately I sing “I’ve Been Working On the Railroad” like a funeral dirge and that puts them to sleep 7 times out of 10. Most of the actual cradlesongs I know are too short. They respond better when I sing in a deep voice rather than a soft voice. They’ll decide they like a particular song and will be distracted when they hear it for a while. It used to be “Shortening Bread” and then it was “I’ve Been to Harlem”. One of them really likes “Riders on the Storm” but I don’t want to sing about a killer on the road at bedtime. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/9 "2012-11-21T01:35:00Z")
[Dream a Little Dream of Me](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6TmogXhOZ8) was a go-to with my kids. Soothing, nice lyrics about love, but more fun than your standard lullabye or kids’ song. Oh, and [Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svfIocd9oKU&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/10 "2012-11-21T15:26:12Z")
Some bedtime songs I would sing to my daughter: Puff, the Magic Dragon (although I would sing only the first two verses) 500 Miles The Circle Game Where Have All the Flowers Gone? Jamaica Farewell The Unicorn Mr. Tambourine Man ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/11 "2012-11-21T18:37:23Z")
The Beatles “[Good Night](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIKugx1sToY)” (sung by Ringo) ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/12 "2012-11-21T18:58:12Z")
Tom Chapin’s “This Pretty Planet”. I once saw a group of young children sing it at a school presentation. Awesomely adorable. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KeqDHppFwHE/maxresdefault.jpg "Pretty Planet by Tom Chapin") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeqDHppFwHE) ---
**Author:** ![dimmy\_derko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/43a26b/32.png) [@dimmy\_derko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dimmy_derko)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/13 "2012-11-21T19:01:32Z")
Little Donkey, ftw. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/14 "2012-11-21T19:10:14Z")
The House at Pooh Corner is a favorite at our house. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/15 "2012-11-22T00:40:24Z")
Moody Blues, “Eyes of a Child (Pt. 1)”. ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/16 "2012-11-22T01:49:48Z")
“Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur…” ---
**Author:** ![wheresmymind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@wheresmymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheresmymind)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/17 "2012-11-22T03:05:14Z")
“Leaving on a Jet Plane” was one of my mom’s bedtime songs to us. We’d usually be teary-eyed by the time it was over, but it put us to sleep right away. Of course now it seems like a twisted song to sing to your kids to sleep with, but it worked. ---
**Author:** ![ASanders](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asanders/32/3367_2.png) [@ASanders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASanders)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/18 "2012-11-22T03:09:25Z")
Sweet Baby James was one of my kids’ favorites. And Nicolette Larson had a children’s album we actually wore out. I had to buy another disc! Many of the songs named were on it, and her rendition of them was absolutely wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/19 "2012-11-22T03:39:18Z")
Surrey with the Fringe on Top, sung slow is suitably long and my children always enjoyed it. I usually included it with Edelweiss, My Old Kentucky Home and Somewhere Over the Rainbow. I sang those songs so many times I could sing them and plan a grocery list for the next day at the same time! ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559/20 "2012-11-22T03:58:18Z")
> [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](#): > > [Dream a Little Dream of Me](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6TmogXhOZ8) was a go-to with my kids. Soothing, nice lyrics about love, but more fun than your standard lullabye or kids’ song. My mom sang that to me too! Our other favorite was [Happiness](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eHWHjRPNV0&playnext=1&list=PL839814DA26AF31CF&feature=results_video) from the musical **You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown**. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-soothing-songs-to-sing-with-children/641559.md?page=2)