The other day, I received the following message from a friend: “If I have to listen to ‘Baby Shark’ or that incredibly loud PAW Patrol theme tune one more time, I might actually lose my mind.”
We’ve all been there, haven’t we? You’re driving to the supermarket, trapped in a never-ending loop of high-pitched nursery rhymes that make you want to gently tap your forehead against the steering wheel.
But there is a sanity-saving alternative. If you want to raise boys and girls who actually appreciate good tunes (and save your own ears in the process), the absolute best place to start is with the Fab Four. The Beatles are secretly the greatest music teachers your kids will ever have.
Saving your sanity, one pop song at a time
Toddler music is repetitive for a reason. Young brains love simple rhythms and catchy hooks. The genius of early Beatles songs is that they do exactly the same thing, but are actually absolute bangers.
Tracks like She Loves You or I Want to Hold Your Hand have that exact same high-energy, easy-to-sing-along-to magic as kids’ songs, but with actual guitars and brilliant melodies. You can put them on in the kitchen, have a silly living room disco, and everyone wins. The children get to burn off some energy, and you get to listen to proper music.
As they get a bit older, you can sneakily upgrade their playlist. Before they even know what “music theory” is, they’ll be humming along to the beautiful strings in Eleanor Rigby or figuring out the lovely, sunny acoustic vibes of Here Comes the Sun.
Songs that are basically bedtime stories
Remember how wonderfully bizarre the Beatles’ psychedelic videos used to be? They turned rock music into visual art, creating surreal little universes filled with innovative animation, vibrant colours, and collages that felt years ahead of their time.
That may help explain why little ones understand the Beatles so quickly. Their imaginations are just as energetic, colourful, and slightly bonkers. Many Fab Four songs read exactly like brilliant children’s books set to music.
While endless sentimental songs about romance would probably send most children straight to sleep, John, Paul, George, and Ringo wrote about a friendly captain inviting everyone to live beneath the waves in a yellow submarine. They sang about relaxing in an octopus’s garden and meeting the colourful local characters down Penny Lane.
Now imagine the impact of those lyrics on children. Who would resist the chance to climb into a submarine (a yellow one!) and explore the bottom of the sea? Or take shelter from a storm in a garden whose gardener is an octopus?
It is pure magic disguised as great music.
The final push to leave Baby Shark behind
All of this is bound to spark your children’s interest in good music. But if the Beatles are brilliant teachers, then Liverpool is surely the ultimate university.
After all, Beatlemania was born and raised in the capital of Merseyside before spreading across the world. So, if you really want to teach your kids to appreciate the Beatles, or simply introduce them to one of the great birthplaces of British culture, a trip to Liverpool belongs at the top of the family itinerary.
Here is why:
- Walking through the actual songs: A stroll down Penny Lane or a visit to the red gates of Strawberry Field makes the music come alive. It shows kids that the compositions aren’t just made-up fairy tales; they’re about real places, proving that inspiration is everywhere.
- Learning from “humble beginnings”: Taking them to see the tiny childhood homes of John and Paul (now looked after by the National Trust) is such a lovely eye-opener. Showing your kids the small bedrooms where two teenagers sat on the edge of their beds with cheap acoustic guitars and wrote songs that changed the world is so inspiring. It shows them that you don’t need a fancy studio to create something amazing.
- Having fun at the Albert Dock: The Beatles Story exhibition is incredibly family-friendly. It’s interactive, vibrant, and basically a giant, sensory trip back to the 1960s. The kids can see the old instruments, walk through a replica of the Cavern Club, and burn off some steam while soaking up some proper culture.
This kind of experience stays with children. They may forget the release date of an album or the name of a particular producer, but they will remember going underground at the Cavern, seeing the famous red gates, or beholding a “real” Yellow Submarine.
Liverpool also teaches them something important about creativity. The Beatles began as four young men from an ordinary city, playing music together and experimenting with new ideas. Seeing where they grew up can help children understand that great art comes from curiosity, friendship, practice, and a willingness to be wonderfully strange.
By the time the family heads home, your children may be asking to hear Penny Lane again so they can recognise the places they have just visited. At that point, the transformation is complete. They have discovered music history, exercised their imaginations, and developed a taste for some of the greatest songs ever recorded.
And, perhaps most importantly, Baby Shark has finally lost control of the family playlist.
