Reading and singing to your baby?

[hazelnut]

Who all here is reading to their babies? What's your favorite book to read to them? Also, what's your favorite song to sing to your LO?

I read a book and sing a song every night before putting LO to bed. I love the Nancy Tillman books. They're cute and catchy, and I love the illustrations. My favorites are On the Night You Were Born and Wherever You Are, My Love Will Find You.

As for songs, I always sing You Are My Sunshine before bed. Sometimes I'll also sing 500 Miles (by Peter, Paul, and Mary) or Puff, the Magic Dragon. They're all songs that were sung to me before bed as a child. One by our favorite babysitter growing up (we still keep in touch. It's been 25 years!) and the rest by my mom. LO is starting to respond to them with smiles. During LO's awake time, I sometimes turn on Pandora and we sing and dance to the music, as well.

[ourcrazynavylife]

I read the Brown Bear book by Eric Carlton. Em likes the bright colors.

I also sing her You are my sunshine & twinkle twinkle little star.

[kml218]

I read Ferdinand and Horton Hears a Who.
As far as songs I usual make up stuff all day long (she likes when I do an opera voice lol). If I had to pick actual songs then there are 3. "So This is Love" from Cinderella, "Aloha O'e" from Lilo and Stitch and "Groovy Kind of Love" by Phil Collins. My mom used to sings Phil Collins' song to me and put my name in it. I've done the same thing for Z but it makes me tear up sometimes.

[grumpycat88]

I read Harry Potter and sing Twinkle Twinkle Litter Star or the Itsy Bitsy Little Spider with hand motions. He loves it.

[grommom]

Ladybugs picnic...I sang that for ds1 too. Ds1 and I sing a lot of children's songs which I figure ds2 gets to enjoy too

Interestingly we were on a Peter Paul and Mary kick the other day.

[littlelion]

hazelnut I thought you were singing the Proclaimers 500 mile song which I love and should sing to baby. The only song I've managed to sing is the "you and me so happy together" song by I think the Turtles. Otherwise I'm trying to learn some spanish kid songs. And I also sing made up songs usually about his body parts.

Book I read is called Little Blue Truck. I have a couple others but he's so fidgeting on my lap.

[shannjohnston]

LO gets to hear whatever DS has picked - she sits on the beanbag chair in his room during his bedtime routine.

No singing, which is weird considering I'm a music teacher. Never really sang to DS either come to think of it.

[raven]

We have a couple books we read her, my favorite is Love Monster.
I sing Your Song by Elton John everyday. DH proposed to me during this song at the Bellagio fountains. I also song Peter, Paul and Mary songs. My dad wants me to sing Happy Trails, but I don't know all the words.

[stephanielouise]

Mar 3, 2015 12:09:00 GMT -5 littlelion said:

hazelnut I thought you were singing the Proclaimers 500 mile song which I love and should sing to baby. The only song I've managed to sing is the "you and me so happy together" song by I think the Turtles. Otherwise I'm trying to learn some spanish kid songs. And I also sing made up songs usually about his body parts.

Book I read is called Little Blue Truck. I have a couple others but he's so fidgeting on my lap.

Little blue truck is the one L likes too!

[peggels24]

Mostly I sing Copacabana to her or songs that I've made up. I haven't actually sat down and read her a book but instead I talk to her about what is going on.

[backseatdriver]

I usually sing Hush Little Baby, Make You Feel My Love, or You Are My Sunshine.

I don't read to her specifically, but I'm often holding her while reading to my son. Lately it has been Snatchabook, Snow, Bear Wants More, Llama Llama books, and books about the alphabet. I liked reading longer books when he was really little. The short ones went too quickly. For pictures and colors check out Following Papas Song. An early favorite of his was the Pout Pout Fish. He wanted that one all the time.

[Deleted]

I make up songs about what we are doing. Haven't read a book yet.

[emmyg65]

We read to him almost every night and have a bunch of children's books. Favorites include Blueberries for Sal, Ferdinand, Harold and the Purple Crayon, Papa Get the Moon for Me (Eric Carle). I have some good newer ones too like Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus.

I make up songs about what we're doing, but I'm not really into singing. I'd like to do it more though.

[mels823]

Mar 3, 2015 10:23:21 GMT -5 kml218 said:

I read Ferdinand and Horton Hears a Who.
As far as songs I usual make up stuff all day long (she likes when I do an opera voice lol). If I had to pick actual songs then there are 3. "So This is Love" from Cinderella, "Aloha O'e" from Lilo and Stitch and "Groovy Kind of Love" by Phil Collins. My mom used to sings Phil Collins' song to me and put my name in it. I've done the same thing for Z but it makes me tear up sometimes.

Awwww Ferdinand was my favorite when I was a kid!

[kml218]

Mar 3, 2015 16:20:04 GMT -5 mels823 said:

Mar 3, 2015 10:23:21 GMT -5 kml218 said:

I read Ferdinand and Horton Hears a Who.
As far as songs I usual make up stuff all day long (she likes when I do an opera voice lol). If I had to pick actual songs then there are 3. "So This is Love" from Cinderella, "Aloha O'e" from Lilo and Stitch and "Groovy Kind of Love" by Phil Collins. My mom used to sings Phil Collins' song to me and put my name in it. I've done the same thing for Z but it makes me tear up sometimes.

Awwww Ferdinand was my favorite when I was a kid!

Mine too!

[ashlantic]

emmyg65 I love the Pigeon books too! We've been reading those plus The Pout Pout Fish, Guess How Much I Love You, The Goodnight Book, and Goodnight Moon.

I sing lots of the Eagles, country, and Disney songs. I make up songs too throughout the day.

[LaBellaVida]

I read to him, because I read to my toddler.
Also, I always sing the abc Song.

[mapetitefamille]

I read to DD1 all the time, so LO gets to listen too. Lately we've been reading the Pigeon books, Duck on a Bike, Little Blue Truck, and the Disney Cars board book over and over and over. I have it memorized. Oh, and DD1 is insisting I "read" a Mickey coloring book to her, so that's super enriching I'm sure.

[mapetitefamille]

Oh and for songs, I do a lot of finger play with LO-- itsy bitsy spider, open shut them, etc.

[megpie5]

Mar 3, 2015 12:52:22 GMT -5 raven said:

We have a couple books we read her, my favorite is Love Monster.

We have a ton of books but so far Love Monster is my favorite too...so cute!

[veryvogue]

We try to read as much as possible. One of my favorites so far is Pirate, Viking, Scientist.

Even though I'm tone deaf, I still sing silly songs to DS. He's also super into the David Bowie Rockabye Baby CD.

[nemomof2]

Does reading to my DD count? We read all day long with her and DS is there.

My DH is a musician so he is constantly playing the piano and guitar and singing all day long, so whatever he is singing. But usually it is a lot of Elton John and billy Joel.

[ladyprof]

I don't directly read A books overly often but I read indirectly because I'm reading to the twins. I sing to her all the time but mostly made up songs to the tune of whatever is stuck in my head.

[sgio7485]

Mar 3, 2015 12:59:26 GMT -5 peggels24 said:

Mostly I sing Copacabana to her or songs that I've made up. I haven't actually sat down and read her a book but instead I talk to her about what is going on.

Omg, just when I thought i was the only one who sings Copacabana to my child!

[grommom]

Reading question... Do you read dramatically and do voices? I guess I didn't realize how much I add to a story until I overhead dh's step mom reading the monster at the end of this book and green eggs and ham in a monotone. So now I wonder if I'm a weirdo or if her style is less common.

[mapetitefamille]

My FIL is monotone, too! DH and I speculated that he's just out of practice. Kids respond a lot more if you're animated.