This brief explores the cognitive, social, and language learning benefits of music and singing during the infant and toddler years. Find the most up-to-date research-based information and tips to help families share music with their infants and toddlers.
Also check out the companion resource, Connecting at Home. It includes simple tips for families to support learning and bonding through musical experiences with their child.
Research Notes
Hearing is one of the first senses to develop — babies are listening to and learning from their birth parent before they are born! Once children are born, music and singing have important impacts on their early development. It supports brain development and skills across multiple Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF) domains.
The Take Home
- Babies are naturally drawn to singing that is meant for them, like lullabies.
- Singing with babies benefits the baby and the adult.
- Musical activities support babies’ learning and development.
What does research say?
Music is universal across language and cultures.
Parents and other adults regularly sing to their babies. They sing for many reasons — to soothe their babies, entertain them, lull them to sleep, and help them wait or transition to the next activity.
Singing engages infants more effectively than just speech.
When we sing to babies, we often use facial expressions, exaggerate words and sounds, and use playful movements and gestures. This special combination of communication methods provides babies with rich social-communicative information. The rhythmic patterns and predictability help give infants important communication cues.
Singing with babies promotes bonding and reduces stress.
When singing with babies, parents and other adults pay close attention to the baby’s cues and adjust their singing to match the baby’s needs. These interactions provide a powerful opportunity for bonding between the baby and adult. Singing to infants reduces the infant’s distress and increases their emotional regulation more than just speech. Singing also benefits the adult by reducing stress and anxiety, increasing feelings of well-being and self-esteem, and promoting feelings of closeness with their baby.
Singing with infants supports learning across many developmental areas.
Research shows that singing increases emotional regulation, social skills like prosocial behavior, and language learning. Using instruments like shakers and bells helps young children build fine and gross motor skills as they move and make music along to the beat. Listening to music and moving to the beat helps young babies learn to recognize patterns in music and language. Singing songs with rhymes, numbers, and patterns supports older infants and toddlers’ cognitive development, including memory, sequencing, and storytelling.
Try This!
The parent is the child’s most important teacher, and you are their “guide on the side.” Use these tips with families to help support their music engagement with their child.
- Ask families about their values and practices related to singing and music with their child. Encourage them to continue singing and collaborate in identifying songs to include in their everyday interactions with their children.
- Share the learning benefits of singing with families and ask them about what they’ve noticed about singing with their infants.
- Encourage families to sing to their child in their home languages! Music and singing are often important culturally sustaining practices.
- Work together with families to identify situations in which singing could support their child, like activity transitions, daily routines like diaper changing or bathing, or soothing when they are upset.
- Model the qualities of infant-directed singing that are most engaging for babies. Use facial expressions, exaggerated speech, body movements, clapping to the rhythm together, bouncing babies on your lap, etc.
Learn More
Connecting at Home
Singing with your young child can improve their focus, communication, emotional regulation, social, cognitive, and physical skills. It can also help you feel calmer and more connected to your infant.
Word Swap
If you aren’t sure what to sing to your baby, try using a song you and your baby already enjoy, and change the words to adapt to
different situations. Like singing, “Ba ba bottle, it’s time to eat” to the tune of “Baa Baa Black Sheep.”
Bounce to the Beat
When singing or listening to music together, bounce your baby in your lap or pat them to the rhythm of the music. This helps young infants become familiar with musical rhythms before they are able to move their bodies independently.
Follow the Leader
When singing your young child’s favorite song, pause, wait, and look for them to fill in the next word or movement. These back-and-forth interactions support social connections, language, memory, and sequencing skills.
Hear Me Out
Learn songs that include feelings and emotion words along with matching facial expressions and body language. Combining singing with language and emotional expression helps young children understand their own emotions as well as the emotions of others. Even if they’re not talking about feelings yet, singing is a great way to calm them when upset.
« Go to Connecting Research to Practice
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Resource Type: Publication
National Centers: Early Childhood Development, Teaching and Learning
Age Group: Infants and Toddlers
Last Updated: April 22, 2025