Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Lyrics

Actions to do together

1. Open and close your hands above your head to make them twinkle.
2. Stretch both arms up high for “up above the world so high”.
3. Touch your thumbs and fingers together to make a diamond shape.
4. For a bedtime version, sing it slower and quieter each time.

What children learn

• Rhythm and rhyme (star/are, high/sky)
• New words like “wonder”, “diamond” and “blazing”
• A calm wind-down routine before sleep

The story behind the rhyme

The words come from a poem called “The Star” by Jane Taylor, first published in 1806 in Rhymes for the Nursery, a book she wrote with her sister Ann.

The tune is an old French melody, “Ah! vous dirai-je, maman”. It’s the same tune as the ABC song and Baa Baa Black Sheep, which is why little ones often mix them up.