19/06/2025
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Apparently, babies are listening.
A groundbreaking international study led by researchers from the University of Auckland and Yale University found that singing to babies significantly improved their mood â suggesting a simple, low-cost way to support infant well-being.
The study, called Musical Babies, involved 110 parents and their babies, most under four months old, in New Zealand, where Plunket helped with recruitment, and the United States.
âAcross cultures, caregivers naturally sing to their babies,â says Dr Samuel Mehr, Auckland-based director of the Music Lab and principal investigator of the study. âThis study shows that such instinctive behaviour has real emotional benefits for infants, which can positively affect the entire family.â
Interestingly, parents gravitated toward singing especially when their babies were fussy.
âWe didnât tell parents to sing when their babies were upsetâbut thatâs what they did,â says Dr Mehr. âThey intuitively used music to manage their infantsâ emotions, because they quickly saw how effective it was.â
âOur evolutionary understanding of music suggests it plays a key role in communication,â says Dr Mehr. âWhen parents sing lullabies, theyâre sending a powerful message: âIâm here, I hear you, and youâre safe.ââ