Children and Music

6 Songs Your Three-Year-Old Should Learn By Heart

Inspiring Music for Your Child’s Daily Routines

“Hey Google, play ocean waves.”

For the first 18 months of his life my son, August was accustomed to hearing the Google mini speaker above his head playing ambient and soothing music.

Some music seemed to stick in his mind more than others.

August is only three-years-old but is already showing us his love for music. He catches on to melodies extremely well and seems to hone in on the nuances of hooks and runs rather than the stanza lyrics.

I have heard him get lost inside a song as I do.

The phrases and phases of songs are miniature works of art, like toys; he plays with them. He loves adlibs, whispers, and inflections. He loves a song for every mood.

Somebody get this kid a theme song, or six.

Here are six songs we simply cannot play enough for our child and highly recommend for yours. Links to the songs in my YouTube Music playlist are included throughout this post.

Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) John Lennon

Beautiful Boy was the very first song my wife played for August when we brought him home from the hospital. He was only a few days old the first time he heard it.

Fast forward three years.

One day I played Beautiful Boy and, to my surprise, he exclaimed, “Daddy, play it again!”

For the next few weeks and months, he continued to sing the song with emphasis on these lyrics:

Before you cross the street take my hand/ life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans./

John Lennon (listen)

I Will Trust Fred Hammond

Here we are. Sitting in the worn brown rocking chair in the corner of August’s bedroom. I ask him to hop down and flip the switch on the wall to turn off the ceiling light. He hops back up and we sit only with the ambient light from his night-night clock.

He says, ‘Daddy, play ‘I Will Trust’.’

I pull out my Android phone and find my recent songs section in the YouTube Music app. He presses the button. We turn the phone screen off and slowly begin to rock back and forth as Hammond’s gentle tone emerges out of the darkness.

August sings louder when the room is dark and I’m not watching him. He sings the entire song all pitchy and mumbles, but so honestly earnest. He sings like he is reaching for the deeper meaning of it all.

I pick August up and lay him in his bed, but it is Fred Hammond who truly carries him to sleep.

Some put their trust in earthly possessions but in the end it won’t bring them through/

i will not lean to my own understanding/ but with my whole heart here is what I will do/

i will trust in the name of the Lord.

Fred Hammond (listen)

Is there anything better than hearing your three-year-old child proclaim he will trust in the Lord?

Column of Birds Oscar Brown, Jr

Oscar Brown, Jr. might very well be the most under-appreciated social change artist of the 20th century. I urge you to watch his amazing documentary on YouTube titled, “Music is My Life, Politics my Mistress.”

While his most popular song, Dat Dere, is literally about his own precocious 3-year-old son, we prefer Column of Birds. The 70-something year old Oscar Brown, Jr. sounds like a great-grandfather singing a lullaby.

This is often the very last song played before we hear August’s deep sleep breathing.

I saw millions of migrating birds flying over today/ couldn’t tell which one was leading and showing the others the way/

But I thought as i watched them sail by/ extending through miles in the sky/ what a blessing it must be to fly/ with a column of birds.

Oscar Brown, Jr. (listen)

Mercury Sleeping at Last

Rows of houses Sound asleep/ Only street lights Notice me./

Sleeping at Last (listen)

I play Sleeping at Last for my son because the music is made with love. Ethereal, spiritual and profoundly beautiful, I have introduced as many people as I can to Sleeping at Last. Read my National Poetry Month tribute to the artist.

The great irony of the artist’s name, Sleeping at Last, and depth of appreciation for my son’s own attraction to artist I love so much goes beyond words.

Reading Rainbow Television Theme Song

Reading Rainbow was cancelled in 2006, but it remains a great resource for parents. Some might argue the best part of the show was the theme song. It inspired children like August to read!

The song is surprisingly short (see full lyrics below) but very memorable and a great candidate for a parent-child sing along.

Butterfly in the sky/ I can go twice as high/ Take a look/ It’s in a book/ A reading rainbow

I can go anywhere Friends to know/ And ways to grow/ A reading rainbow

I can be anything Take a look/ It’s in a book/

A reading rainbow. (A reading rainbow!)

Reading Rainbow Television Show Theme Song (listen)

Wipe Me Down Boosie Badazz

Don’t judge me.

Many parents agree the night time bathing routine is one of the most consistent, sweet and fun parts of parenting infants and toddlers. Well, it has been for me!

It was totally natural to play Lil’ Boosie’s catchy and festive, “Wipe Me Down.”

We do the wipe me down dance together as we work through his routine, washing his face and brushing his teeth. This is not a calming activity for the child, but it gets the last bit of energy out of his body.

Recently, August began to dry himself off with less assistance from me.

Thanks to Boosie, August knows the proper drying method: 1) shoulders, 2) chest, 3) pants, 4) shoes.

That’s my boy. (listen)

Sooner than later, we will place August in music classes to develop his passion and his strength for melody.

We do not know where his exploration of music will lead. But, wherever it goes. We will be there.

Honestly,

Ed.

Ed Fields is a poet, essayist, and strategist. Follow him on LinkedIn, Medium, or Instagram.