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.

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.

Twinkle twinkle little star,
How I wonder what you are.

View On YouTube!

It’s never too early to start prepping holiday decor! This twinkling star craft will help add some sparkle to your Christmas tree, and the finished product can be a lasting holiday heirloom passed down and reused through the years.

While you’re crafting this one with the family, sing along to “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and our holiday songs for inspiration!

Materials:

All the materials you need are below. Most everything can be found around the house or at your local store. Get creative, improvise and let us know what works for you!

• 4 craft sticks (per star)
• Toy jewels
• Ribbon (for hanging)
• Yellow marker
• Glue

Step 1 – Color:

Start by coloring your craft sticks yellow. You’ll need at least 4 craft sticks per star.

Step 2 – Glue On Your Ribbon:

Glue both ends of your ribbon, which should be around 4-5 inches long, to the back end of one of your craft sticks. You’ll use the ribbon to hang your finished twinkling star.

Step 3 – Glue Your Star Together:

Glue your 4 colored craft sticks into the shape of a star, just like our example.

Step 4 – Decorate:

Time to accessorize! Glue your toy jewels onto your star.

Step 5 – Hang Them Up!

Once everything is dry, hang up your new Christmas tree decoration! Have each member of the family make their own, and encourage creativity by mixing up the colors and accessories!

Share With Us!

What are your favorite holiday crafts to do with the family? Share your thoughts and creations with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using #mothergooseclub!

Happy Holidays!

We recently joined our friends Mozart for Munchkins for a concert and meet-and-greet with Baa Baa Sheep, played by Ivy! Mozart for Munchkins’ concerts always deliver a terrific blend of music education, interactivity and, most importantly, family fun. And this one was no exception! It was the perfect setting for Mother Goose Club to hold its first live show collaboration.

The concert began with a few classical pieces performed by Hilary and Sara, the co-founders of Mozart for Munchkins. Each piece was introduced with relatable childhood topics, such as animals, weather patterns and colors. Families were invited to participate with props, such as light scarfs to flutter, maracas to shake and bubbles to blow and chase, in order to keep the kids engaged and active!

With the crowd warmed up, it was time for Baa Baa Sheep to take the stage! Baa Baa started with a performance of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”, encouraging all the kids to dance with “twinkling hands” while they sang along. Sara provided a Mozart interlude while Baa Baa danced on stage and encouraged the kids to mimic her movements. Next was a boisterous take on “The Wheels on the Bus”, during which the kids were given balls to play with while singing along.

Mozart for Munchkins concludes each concert with an instrument petting zoo, allowing the kids to get up close and personal with the instruments. During this time, the kids also got to meet and interact with Baa Baa, exchanging hugs and photos, and participating in our board book giveaway. Baa Baa even spent the last few minutes of the event partaking in the instrument petting zoo herself, trying her hand at the violin and ukulele!

The event was a delightful blend of Mozart for Munchkins’ mission to bring classical music to life for kids, and Mother Goose Club’s mission to bring joyful learning to families!

To stay up-to-date on our future live collaborations with Mozart for Munchkins and others, follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and join our mailing list. And to learn more about Mozart for Munchkins, check out their website and the featured blogs below!

• How to Bring Music to Life, by co-founder Sara Leila Sherman
• The Gifts of Music, by co-founder Hilary Castle Green
• A Classical Concert for Kids (FINALLY!)

Your child is always learning and growing! Talking, playing games, creating art, singing along to a favorite nursery rhyme or watching parents and siblings are all valuable educational experiences. Taking five to ten minutes to watch a “Show Me How” video can empower parents, teachers and caregivers to create and make the most of these early learning experiences with accessible activities and games that are fun, challenging and rewarding on many levels.

Parent-Child Bonding

Babies and young children are naturally curious and inquisitive, so it’s never too early to start spending quality time as modeled in “Show Me How” videos. When you create opportunities for quality interactions and model healthy behavior, children will naturally follow your lead, learn social cues, develop empathy, problem-solving skills and more. Spending quality time with children also benefits adults as they get a chance to learn about, and from, the child’s perspective. It’s a mutually beneficial experience!

These “Show Me How” videos explore opportunities for valuable bonding experiences between children and adults:

Learn how rhymes can be used as a bonding and educational tool.
Learn why it’s important to talk to your baby.
Have fun singing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” together.

Playtime

Don’t underestimate the power of playtime! When children play, they learn deeply about the world, develop imagination, creativity, teamwork, persistence and more. Through their successes and failures, children learn how to face difficult challenges and learn from their mistakes. When parents and teachers play with their children, they not only validate their children, but the importance of all of these experiences.

These “Show Me How” videos celebrate playtime, offering fun ideas the whole family can enjoy and learn from:

Boost letter recognition with this letter hunt game.
Boost imagination and social skills with pretend-play.
Boost vocabulary and observation skills playing “I Spy”.

Motor Skills

When children work on their ability to move and control their bodies, they are developing their motor skills. Crawling and standing develop gross motor skills because these activities engage larger muscle groups. Coloring and eating develop fine motor skills because they engage smaller muscles. We often take these skills for granted, but they’re closely linked to brain development in children!

These “Show Me How” videos offer fun physical activities that can help promote creativity and motor skill development:

Get crafty with a cardboard box.
Get creative and express yourself on the drums.
Get crafty with play dough.

We Want to Hear From You!

Have “Show Me How” videos helped foster learning and bonding in your family? Share your own tips and learning experiences with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

Happy rhyming!

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.

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.

View On YouTube!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
You’re always green and lovely.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
You’re always green and lovely.
So faithful green throughout the year,
In summer and when winter’s here.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
You’re always green and lovely.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Majestic are your branches.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Majestic are your branches.
Beautiful tree, so tall and strong,
You fill my heart with joy and song.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Majestic are your branches.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Your lights, they shine so brightly.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Your lights, they shine so brightly.
You glow and twinkle like a star,
A wondrous sight from near or far.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Your lights, they shine so brightly.

View on YouTube!

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.

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.

View on YouTube!

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.

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.

View on YouTube!