You might assume it's best to choose classical music or lullabies, but almost all music is baby-friendly. "If you play music that you enjoy, you'll have more fun listening and singing along with your baby," says Dr. Trainor. Super simple songs are perfect for these times. But children's brains can continue to make connections and grow while watching if they can build off of their previous knowledge that was made by singing, doing motions, talking about pictures, and being silly with their parents.

Studies have shown that classical music brings down a newborn's heart and breathing rates and soothes their stress, and that listening to a waltz or concerto might help promote brain development, especially in premature babies. If you want to start playing music for your baby, the best time is around 24 weeks which is when your baby can begin to hear.

It's no secret that babies and toddlers love music and playing tunes as well as dancing and listening to them are an important part of early child development. Combine gestures, actions, movement and use finger play while singing (such as, “Itsy Bitsy Spider”). Use song-based picture books. Encourage your baby to sing with you. Pause in the middle of a song your baby is familiar with and wait for them to “fill in the word” with a gesture, sound, word, or phrase.

Top 10 Most Popular Songs/Nursery Rhymes for babies:

• Baby Shark
• London Bridge is Falling Down
• Chugga Chugga Choo Choo
• Jingle Bells
• Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
• Row, Row, Row Your Boat
• Humpty Dumpty
• Wheels On The Bus
• Old Mac Donald Had A Farm
• Incy, Wincy Spider

Why does the baby have such an emotional reaction to the mother's singing?  Psychologist Siu-Lan Tan theorizes that it has to do with the emotional contagion that causes human begins to “absorb and reflect the intense emotions of those around them.”

How do you sing a baby to sleep?

1. Keep the lullaby simple by using repetitive words and melodies sung in a soft tone.
2. Pair the lullaby with rocking or jiggling to offer more of a womb-like experience.
3. Make the lullaby the final part of a consistent night-time ritual.

The best music for babies should be quiet and soothing like classical and lullabies, so you should avoid loud and upbeat music. The soothing and calming effect of this type of music help reduce stress and the extremely high heart rate of babies so they can sleep more and grow faster.

Let your child listen to whatever he likes. Try out your favorites, or classical music (the old standby), or spice things up with Brazilian or African tunes. Anything with a good melody will do, although slow songs may work best for bedtime and fast ones for play.