Dr. Emily AronoffTot Shabbat is a magical time to bring young children and their grown-ups together to celebrate Shabbat with music, movement, and joy. Songs are the heartbeat of Tot Shabbat, creating moments of connection, fostering Jewish identity, and making rituals accessible to even the youngest participants.
Tot Shabbat is also an incredibly potent opportunity to gather people who are often at a vulnerable time in their lives— navigating the challenges of early parenthood is a critical time for building community and finding connection.
My doctoral research indicates that the impact of Tot Shabbat is profound: it strengthens social bonds, fosters communal belonging, and creates lasting musical memories that connect families to Jewish tradition. I’ve studied how these gatherings use music to build intergenerational community and nurture spirituality. If you’d like to learn more, check out my research here, as well as related articles like Tot Shabbat for Grown-Ups and How We Got to Tot Shabbat.
This curated list highlights 10 Tot Shabbat songs that engage children and families in meaningful and joyful ways. Whether you’re a seasoned songleader or just starting out, these songs will help you create vibrant, spiritually enriching Tot Shabbat experiences.
1) How Good It Is, How Sweet It Is- Hinei Mah Tov
by Emily Aronoff
This zipper song brings the familiar Hinei Mah Tov melody to life with interactive movements and customizable lyrics. Begin with simple movements like clapping or toe-tapping, then invite children to suggest ideas such as spinning or jumping.
Why It’s Great: The theme of Hinei Mah Tov—the joy of togetherness—makes it the perfect opening song for Tot Shabbat. The interactive nature keeps children engaged while fostering creativity and connection.
How to Use It: Start with actions everyone can easily follow, then ask, “What movement should we do next?” Alternate between high-energy and calming movements to balance the group’s energy. To conclude, use small movements like eye blinking or tip-toeing to prepare to transition.
Transition: OK Friends, it is time to gather together for our Tot Shabbat service! Please find a seat- you can sit on a chair, floor, or lap- find a place for your tushie! We are here to sing, dance, play, and learn together! My name is ______ and I’m SO glad you are here. I’m DELIGHTED to be sharing Shabbat songs with you. (If you have any community norms to share, this is a good spot to communicate them)
I think you might know the next one- if you don’t know it, you will soon! Let’s get ready:
Chant: When I say bim, you say bam!
BIM (BAM) BIM (BAM)
When I say bam, you say bim: BAM (BIM) BAM (BIM)……
<start strumming guitar, sing….>
2) Bim Bam
By Nachum Frankel
This Tot Shabbat classic is a favorite for its repetitive melody and simple words. The familiar rhythm makes it easy for children to join in, either with their fists bumping, adding the lively “Shabbat Shalom HEY!” or waving ‘shabbat shalom’.
Why It’s Great: Bim Bam is simple, joyful, and accessible, helping to focus the group’s attention while setting a celebratory tone for Shabbat.
Transition: Friends, I loved hearing your voices as we shared that song about a Shabbat full of peace! Now, it is time to set some intentions for our Shabbat. Take a moment to think about what kind of Shabbat you want to share. Take a few breaths while you reflect on how you hope to feel or what you wish to do in the next 24 hours. In a moment, then I’ll ask you what you think, and we’ll welcome our blessings, practicing gratitude as we enter Shabbat.
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3. Hello Blessing, Bye-Bye Stressing
By Emily Aronoff
This calming and reflective song helps children and families release stress and welcome Shabbat blessings. Participants are invited to wave goodbye to their stress and envision the kind of Shabbat they want to create using descriptive words (e.g., “peaceful,” “joyful”).
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Why It’s Great: This song fosters mindfulness, gratitude, and intention-setting, helping to shift the group’s energy into a peaceful, Shabbat-ready space.
How to Use It: Demonstrate the actions of “waving goodbye to stress” and “welcoming blessings” with dramatic gestures. Explain that we will set a goal for ourselves, and ask participants to share words that describe the kind of Shabbat they hope for, like “happy” or “silly” or “calm.”
Transition: I feel lighter already- I let go of some of my stresses- and I’m ready to welcome in Shabbat. Next up, we’ll get a little silly by singing a melody you might know a little differently than usual….
4. If It’s Shabbat and You Know It
Traditional, adapted for Shabbat
This playful adaptation of If You’re Happy and You Know It incorporates Shabbat-themed actions like lighting candles, blowing kisses, or shouting “Shabbat Shalom.” The zipper song format makes it easy to customize for your group.
(no recording of this version of this song, but you can sing to this karaoke version!)
Why It’s Great: Children love the familiar tune, and the movements keep them actively engaged while introducing key Shabbat rituals in a fun way.
Transition: Yes, Yes, Yes! It IS Shabbat, and we know it- and something else I know is that it is good to be together!
5) Shabbes Shake
By Jason Mesches
This high-energy song gets everyone moving with shaker eggs and/or dancing feet. Its simple lyrics and catchy beat make it an instant favorite among children, while the use of instruments adds a tactile, sensory element to the experience.
Why It’s Great: Shabbes Shake channels kids’ excitement into structured movement while encouraging rhythm and coordination. It’s also a great way to introduce instruments like shaker eggs.
Transition: For our next song, I’m going to ask everyone to say my most favorite Hebrew word. Jewish people use this word to tell God “Good Job.” The word is ‘Halleluyah!’- Can I get a ‘Halleluyah?’ (group responds with hallelujah…if they don’t get it you can try again). Amazing. In this song, we are going to sing it in a funny way, like this- repeat after me: HA! (ha) LA LE LA! (la le la) LA LE LU! (la le lu) YAH! (yah)
Great! In between turns of singing that together, you’ll follow directions to share this song.
6) Halalalalalaleluyah
Taught by Shira Kline
This is one of my favorite evergreen tunes (evergreen = nonseasonal song that can be shared at any time). This song has an “A” part (Halalalalalalalaleluyah) and a “B” part in which directions are given.
This versatile song blends playful repetition with opportunities for reflection. The elongated “Hallelujah” syllables are engaging for young children, while the actions and prompts invite families to share words of gratitude and praise.
Why It’s Great: This song fosters connection, gratitude, and community while introducing Hebrew in an approachable way. It’s both joyful and reflective, making it a perfect Tot Shabbat addition.
Transition: ‘Hallelujah’ means ‘praise God’- praise is when we say what we like or love about something. I hope you remember to offer praises daily. It is a sacred obligation to recognize and appreciate creation.
7) On My Way to Shul
By Debbie Brukman
This imaginative zipper song takes children on a journey to shul/school (use the word that matches your community(, where they meet different animals along the way. Each animal greets the group with a cheerful “Shabbat Shalom,” adding a playful, interactive element.
Why It’s Great: Puppets, animal sounds, and the repetitive structure make this song captivating for kids while reinforcing the joy of going to shul.
How to Use It: Use a puppet to introduce each animal, and let the children guess its sound. Encourage them to suggest new animals or lead the sounds for added engagement.
Transition: I think it is truly amazing that our one God made this world and loves us so much. Please take a few moments to think about what in this world you love, because we are about to sing a Thank You Song about the things for which we are grateful!
8) Thank You God
By Shira Kline
This song of gratitude helps children reflect on the blessings in their lives. The repetitive lyrics make it easy for little ones to join in, while the theme of thankfulness resonates with families.
Why It’s Great: Simple and sweet, Thank You, God encourages mindfulness and gratitude while connecting participants to Jewish tradition. God miraculously made our world, and in my experiences, children are experts at observation and their wonder can be awe-inspiring. We can use all of our parts to experience this wonderful world we share. Now let’s sing a song about our senses and how they help us know God.
Transition: THANK YOU, friends, for creating these musical moments together.
9) God, God, God
By Ellen Allard
This sensory-focused song helps children explore where they see, hear, and feel God in their world. Using repetition and sensory prompts, it encourages mindfulness and connection. I start by asking kids to take out one finger on each hand, and show them to me. Then, I’ll prompt: “point to the part of you that can do each of these things: hear, see, smell, taste, touch, know, feel!” (I’m modeling pointing to the parts with one finger on each hand.)
Why It’s Great: The song’s simplicity makes it accessible for all learners, while its focus on sensory exploration fosters spiritual reflection and invites accessible interactivity.
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Transition: Now, we’re at the conclusion of the service and I’d like you to cuddle up with whoever came here with you tonight! Find your grown-ups and snuggle in close, because you are going to be singing this next echo song to each other. Parents and kids each get a turn in this song about blessings. Who wants to go first, parents or kids…? (Decide who is going to go). Great, this is a taking turns song. I’m going to sing a line, and when it is your turn, you will sing it back to the people in your family. OK, kiddos! Sing the words I sing to your grown ups! Let’s get super quiet in the room so we can hear them. Grown ups, you take a listening turn. Once the kiddos go, we’ll switch! Then, we’ll conclude the song in a grand finale, singing blessings to one another….
10) Family Blessing Song- Y’varechecha
By Emily Aronoff
Inspired by the Priestly Blessing, this song is a heartfelt way for families to exchange blessings with one another. Its simple structure and sweet melody make it accessible for even the youngest participants.
Why It’s Great: This song fosters sacred, intergenerational moments while teaching children the importance of giving and receiving blessings.
How to Use It: Encourage parents to sing to their children, then invite children to sing blessings back to their grown-ups. End with everyone singing the final verse together for a communal, peaceful close to the session.
Conclusion
These Tot Shabbat songs can create joyful, meaningful experiences for young children and their families, fostering connection, spirituality, and a love for Jewish traditions. From playful zipper songs to reflective blessings, these types of melodies are the heartbeat of Tot Shabbat gatherings.
Ready to deepen your songleading skills and elevate your Tot Shabbat offerings? Explore my Songleading for Kiddos courses, where you’ll find tools, strategies, and resources to lead impactful musical experiences for children and families.
Learn More About the Songleading for Kiddos Courses Here
Personalized Coaching to Elevate Your Tot Shabbat Program
Looking to create a more engaging, meaningful, and interactive Tot Shabbat experience for young children and families? My Little Voices, Big Connections coaching program is designed for Jewish educators, clergy, and community leaders who want to deepen family engagement, enrich musical worship, and foster joyful connections through Jewish music and storytelling.
Through personalized coaching, I help you design Tot Shabbat experiences that are developmentally appropriate, spiritually enriching, and filled with ruach (spirit and joy).
Ready to elevate your Tot Shabbat program? Schedule a consultation today!
