Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Lyrics
Jane Taylor wrote these words in 1806 as a poem called "The Star", and families have sung them as a lullaby ever since. Most people only know the first verse, shown here; the other four sit just below it.
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
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!
More verses from the original
When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
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.
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.
'Tis your bright and tiny spark
Lights the traveller in the dark,
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/twinkle-twinkle-little-star/
- Type
- Lullabies
- Written by
- Jane Taylor
- First published
- 1806
- Tune
- Ah! vous dirai-je, maman (French, 1761)
- Best for ages
- 0 to 5 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Twinkle, twinkle, little star | Hold both hands up high and open and close your fingers, like a sparkling star. |
| How I wonder what you are | Tap a finger on your chin and tilt your head, as if you are thinking. |
| Up above the world so high | Point up to the sky, then stretch both arms up tall. |
| Like a diamond in the sky | Touch thumbs and first fingers together to make a diamond shape and hold it above your head. |
| Twinkle, twinkle, little star | Twinkle your fingers again, bringing your hands slowly down. |
| How I wonder what you are | Finish with a shrug and open palms, or fold your hands under your cheek for bedtime. |
What Does Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Mean?
The song is simply a child looking up at a star and wondering what it is. That sense of wonder is the whole point: in 1806 most people had no idea what stars were made of, and Jane Taylor wrote the poem to be read by young children.
The later verses add a gentle message. The star keeps shining all night, helps a traveler find his way in the dark and peeps through the child's curtains, so the star becomes a friendly night light watching over the child until morning. That is why it works so well as a lullaby.
History and Origin
The words come from "The Star", a poem by English writer Jane Taylor (1783 to 1824). It was published in 1806 in Rhymes for the Nursery, a book of poems she wrote with her sister Ann Taylor. The sisters grew up in Colchester, Essex, and wrote several popular books of verse for children.
The tune is much older than the words. It comes from a French folk melody, Ah! vous dirai-je, maman, first printed in 1761. Mozart later wrote a famous set of twelve piano variations on the same melody. In English the tune also carries the Baa Baa Black Sheep rhyme and the Alphabet Song, which is why all three sound the same.
The poem became so well known that Lewis Carroll parodied it in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865), where the Mad Hatter sings "Twinkle, twinkle, little bat! How I wonder what you're at!"
Easy Piano Notes
Play these on a piano, keyboard or xylophone. Each line matches one line of the song.
C C G G A A G F F E E D D C G G F F E E D G G F F E E D C C G G A A G F F E E D D C
Learning Activities
- Star spotting: on a clear night, go outside together and find the brightest star. Sing the song to it.
- Same tune game: sing Twinkle Twinkle, then the Alphabet Song and Baa Baa Black Sheep. Ask your child what they notice.
- Paper stars: cut out star shapes, let your child decorate them and stick them on the bedroom wall as a bedtime reminder.
- Fast and slow: sing it very slowly like a sleepy star, then quickly like a twinkly star. It is a fun way to learn opposites.
- Star in other languages: the same tune is sung in French as Ah! vous dirai-je, maman. Play a recording and see if your child recognizes it.
- Why rhymes help: our sister site explains why nursery rhymes boost language skills, from rhythm and rhyme to new words.