Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Lyrics, Hand Motions & a Calm Bedtime Version
This is a slow, soft version of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. It runs about two minutes, which is just right for the last song before lights out.
Only our version has a firefly who can't sleep, a little star who calls down to her, and a lost baby hedgehog they guide home together.
Press play to watch here. The video loads from YouTube only when you press play.
Lyrics
The first verse is the traditional one. Everything after it is our own, written for this video.
Verse 1 (traditional)
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
Verse 2 (ours)
"Can't you sleep?" the star calls down
"Fly up high and look around!"
Firefly blinks her little light
Star blinks back, so warm and bright
Twinkle, twinkle, side by side
Little friends in night so wide
Verse 3 (ours)
Down below, a hedgehog small
Lost his way and starts to call
"Help me find my way back home!
Through the woods I'm all alone!"
Twinkle, twinkle, shining through
"We will light the way for you!"
Verse 4 (ours)
Star above and glow below
Show the path where he should go
Past the stream and up the hill
Home at last, so warm and still
Twinkle, twinkle, wave goodbye
Firefly yawns beneath the sky
Verse 5 (ours)
Twinkle, twinkle, goodnight star
Thank you for your gentle light
Hedgehog's safe and firefly too
Sleeping snug the whole night through
Close my eyes and dream of you
Shining softly where you are
Hand motions
Keep everything slow. Small hands, quiet voices. You don't need to do them all, so pick the ones your child likes and leave the rest.
- Twinkle, twinkle: Raise both empty hands over your head. Open and close your fingers, like tiny stars blinking. Our firefly does this in the video, so your child can copy her.
- Up above the world so high: Reach up as tall as you can, then slowly float your arms back down.
- Firefly blinks her little light: Make a fist near your tummy and open it, once, like a light switching on.
- Close my eyes and dream of you: Rest your cheek on your folded hands.
- Hedgehog small: Curl your hands into a little ball, then peek out.
Babies can just watch your hands. Toddlers will usually join in by the second verse.
Use it tonight
- Before: Dim the lights and ask, "Can you spot a star out the window?"
- During: Sing along softly, and try the sparkle hands on every "Twinkle, twinkle."
- After: Let the last note fade, then whisper "Goodnight, star" together. If your child is still wiggly, sing verse 5 once more, even slower.
Questions to ask your child
- Why couldn't the firefly sleep?
- How did the star and the firefly help the hedgehog?
- How do you think the hedgehog felt when he got home?
Free coloring pages
A free printable coloring page for this one is on its way. Check back soon.
Where the song comes from
The words come from a poem called "The Star" by Jane Taylor. It was published in 1806 in Rhymes for the Nursery, a book she wrote with her sister Ann Taylor. The tune is an older French melody, "Ah! vous dirai-je, maman," which was published in 1761. You may notice it sounds familiar: the same tune is used for the ABC song and for "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep."
More songs and stories
More in: Bedtime · Nursery Rhymes