As parents of newborns or toddlers, we don’t need to limit ourselves to just nursery rhymes. We can incorporate songs that move and delight us as adults. In this way, we can create a tighter bond as child and parent and authentically dig an activity together. Whether chanting along to a song or watching an “age-fluid” movie, the mutual joy and presence in the moment is a feeling like no other, and crucial to building a deep relationship. I always return to the idea of age-fluidity: through books, songs, films and games that can be enjoyed by anyone from 0-100 years of age.

I’ve played and sung the same playlist to my daughter since she was a newborn and throughout her 3 1/2 years of age. When I turn any one of these songs on, she animates, mouth agape in delight. The tracks are sentimental to me as they are songs that hold a “reminiscence bump,” or memories I have with each of my parents. Now at 3.5 years of age, my daughter identifies the artists and song titles, picking up the lyrics and emotions behind them. Not only does being able to sing together foster a distinctly special bond between us, but the lyrics in these songs have become our daily wisdom.

Give these beats a try and bond to the beat.

A Baby/Toddler/Anyone’s Playlist: