Guaranteed Tips for Developing Your Child’s Language
The Importance of Storytime
Nursery Rhymes series Part 1: We have decided to do a series of activity and crafts articles to help you and your toddler make the most of the Nursery Rhymes we all know and love. Here we are looking at Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
The English lyrics by Jane Taylor (1793-1824) were first published in Rhymes for the Nursery in London in 1806. Here are the lyrics in full for those brave enough to tackle them all!
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky!
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Then the traveller in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveller in the dark,—
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Things to make and do:
- Make your own Twinkly stars: Trace large stars onto cardboard. Cut them out. Punch a hole in the top and tie some ribbon or string through the hole. Cover the star with glue and sprinkle glitter all over it. Allow to dry and hang up somewhere where it can sparkle.
- Make a Starry night scene: Use black paper, chalk and star stickers. With white chalk draw the outlines of houses and windows onto the black paper. Colour some of the windows yellow so that it looks like light shining out into the dark night. Stick lots of sparkly stars in the night sky.
- Make a starry mobile: Use shiny paper in a variety of colours.Cut out stars and hang them from a wire coat hanger using fishing line. Hook the completed mobile to a window or door frame.
- Make a starry crown: Cut a strip of cardboard and measure it around your child’s head. Stick star shapes, stickers and glittery bits onto it. Staple or tape the ends together. Let your child wear their twinkly star crown.
- Make a starry tunic to go with the crown: Use a black plastic bin liner. Cut a hole for the head and two holes for the arms. using double sided tape, stick shiny stars all over the body of the tunic. *If you don’t like the idea of a bin liner, use/buy a cheap adult sized black t-shirt and cover it with stars instead.
- Try to find other poems and songs about stars : Star light, star bright,
First star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight. - Look at real stars in books or on the internet.
- Bake star shaped cookies.
- Make star shaped sandwiches or pancakes.
- Find star fruit at the supermarket and cut it into slices. Have your child eat stars for a snack!
- Find star shaped pasta and cook a starry themed meal.
- Something pretty: Use star shaped beads (from your craft/toy shop) and make bracelets and necklaces for them to wear.
- Make a 3d star: Cut out two star shapes-they must be identical. Cut them each in the same way to the centre (a single straight cut). Slide them into each other to make a 3d star. Make a small hole and hang the stars.
- Wax resist nightscape: Draw stars onto white paper using white wax crayon. Paint over the entire page using black ink or very runny black paint. The wax will resist the paint and appear in the night sky as the child paints.
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Make your own Space in a Jar: Use an empty jar and some star, moon etc shaped sequins, water and foil. Fill the jar with water, add some food colouring, drop in the sequins and tiny foil balls. Tightly seal the jar. Let your child shake it up to see the swirly universe!
For more details on how to make any of the crafts. Please refer to individual instructions in our Arts and Crafts section.
Have fun and enjoy these ideas with your very own little star!
I am a preschool and primary school teacher and mum to 3 children. I have been involved in education since 1997 and have trained in a variety of educational specialist areas. It is with this expertise that I write articles to help parents and educators provide quality learning experiences for the children in their care.
