Origins of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star started as a poem The Star by John Taylor. The poem featured in the book Rhymes for The Nursery first appeared in 1806. The earliest appearance of the words with the music was in 1838. Some say that Mozart wrote the music for this song, but it is not true. The melody for this song is a French melody called Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman that first appeared in 1761. No one knows who wrote this popular melody. The ABC Song and Baa Baa Black Sheep follow the same tune. Some German, Spanish, and Turkish songs also borrow this melody.
What does this Song teach?
Twinkle Twinkle little star helps teach toddlers and preschoolers pre-reading skills. One important pre-reading skill to master is phonological awareness. An example of phonological awareness is, star and are rhyme because they have the same ending sound. Learning rhyming songs also helps young children understand that words are able to be broken into smaller parts. This concept will help with both reading and writing later on. The song is also easy for children to pick up and learn If you show a copy of the twinkle twinkle little star lyrics as you sing the song a child may be able to pick out what words go with what part.
Learning the song can also help with memorization. Start singing the song together and then stop. See if the child can continue on with the song without your help. You can also add silly words in the song, and see if the child can pick out what is wrong. Silly Songs boosts the child’s confidence because they know the song, and you do not.
The song can be an introduction to young children to the concept of space. You can take your children out in the late evenings and sing the song with them. Then point up in the sky and show them the stars up there. How many do they see? What do they think stars are? At this age, you do not need to get to scientific about it. It is an introduction into what the young child can observe about stars for themselves. In a classroom setting, you can talk about when you see stars. It can also go into a discussion about what the difference between day and night.
Hand motions for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Another thing twinkle little star helps teach is fine motor and logic skills. There is a set of hand motions that go with the song. A child mirroring a teachers hand movements is using their fine motor skills. You open and close your hands when the star is twinkling. When you wonder what they are, point your pointer finger at your head. Reach up to the sky when you sing up above the world. Then make a diamond shape with your hands when you sing about a diamond.