When driving around with a tired baby, sometimes you need to use every tool in your arsenal to keep him calm. Playing a familiar song can shock a baby into silence in the middle of a carseat meltdown, or even soothe a cranky child to sleep. We like these kid-friendly songs because adults love them, too. Choose your favorite genre and hit the road!

rock: They Might Be Giants – Here Come the ABCs, Here Come the 123s, Here Comes Science. Beloved alterna-rockers TMBG have recorded three classic children’s albums that are as funny and catchy as they are educational.

jazz: Vince Guaraldi Trio – A Boy Named Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Christmas. Prepare to weather a sea of nostalgia as your kid listens to Vince Guaraldi’s familiar themes.

oldies: Carole King – Really Rosie. Maurice Sendak (of Where The Wild Things Are) wrote the lyrics for this girl-power classic. You can also find favorites like Chicken Soup With Rice in book form and read along!

world music: Sweet Honey In The Rock – I Got Shoes. This a cappella children’s album combines folk songs from around the world, in languages like Japanese, Spanish, and Swahili. The tone is gentle and sweet, but never cloying.

For more great children’s music, check out our recent children’s music roundup.

Photo credit: tedsblog on Flickr.

Tagged as: baby, car, kids, music, toddler