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For the longest time, bedtime has been a time for us to spend one-on-one time with the kids. We take turns putting the kids to bed, or sometimes I will put Brylee to bed and then Hayden. Brylee always asks for music no matter how sleepy she is. Both kids have really come to love music as part of their bedtime routine. I usually turn on Pandora to John Mayer Radio or Lullaby Radio and let it pick the songs for me, but sometimes I make my own playlist with Apple Music. I don’t know how we lived before digital music! After a while, Hayden started recognizing songs and calling them “sleepy music” even it when it wasn’t bedtime. Each of these songs calls up a sweet memory of bedtime cuddles. Today, I am sharing fifteen songs that help send our kids off to sleep without a fight.
Quick disclaimer: The kids don’t care that one of their favorites was originally recorded by Guns and Roses and not Jasmine Thompson, so there is a good mix of originals and covers. They also don’t really care what the songs are about, so try not to think too much about the lyrics.
Fifteen Contemporary Songs for the Sweetest Dreams
Sweet Child O’ Mine– Jasmine Thompson, Another Bundle of Tantrums
Free Fallin’– John Mayer, Where the Light Is
Hey There Delilah, Plain White T’s, Every Second Counts
Let Her Go– Passenger, All the Little Lights
Thinking Out Loud– Ed Sherran, X
Better Together– Jack Johnson, In Between Dreams
Titanium– Madilyn Bailey, The Covers Vol. 2
Why Georgia– John Mayer, Room For Squares
A Thousand Years– Christina Perri, Breaking Dawn Soundtrack
Somewhere Over the Rainbow/ What a Wonderful World– Isreal (IZ) Kamakawiwo’ole, Facing Future
Chasing Pavements– Adele, 19
Collide (Acoustic Version)– Howie Day, Stop All the World Now
True Colors– Anna Kendrick & Justin Timberlake, Trolls Soundtrack
Never Stop (Wedding Version)– Safety Suit, Hallelujah
Hallelujah-Rufus Wainwright, Shrek Soundtrack
Bonus Track: You’ll Be in My Heart– Phil Collins, Tarzan Soundtrack (play this one to gently wake them up)
So yeah, my kids have pretty good taste in music. They may get from their Daddy. My husband, Bryan, is a musician, and music has always been a big part of our lives. Before the kids were born Bryan even made a playlist for each of them, and they listened on my bellybuds. He put a lot of Dave Matthews and Beatles on their lists, so they would have a good appreciation of some of our favorites.
A couple songs into this playlist, and they are always fast asleep. I’d love to hear about your favorite “sleepy music” or bedtime routine that helps get your kids down without a fight.