Last Word Lullaby
What you need
- floor cushions in their room, with the lights low
How to do it
- At bedtime, with the lights low, sit close together on floor cushions in their room.
- Sing your usual bedtime song softly all the way through, such as "Twinkle, twinkle, little star".
- Sing it again, stop before the last word of a line and see what they do.
- Sing on from whatever comes, leaving a gap at the end of each line, then finish with a cuddle.
Why it matters
A slow song they hear every night may be the one they know best, so the end of a line is a natural place for their own words to come in.
What they're learning
- Song words
- Saying the last word of a line in a song they know.
- Listening
- A quiet voice and a pause make room for theirs.
- Winding down
- The same slow song at the same time each night.
What to look for
Notice them saying the last word just before you do, or whispering it along with you.
A tip
Keep your voice soft and slow, so the gap feels like part of the song. Use the song you already sing at bedtime, whichever one that is.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: leave just one gap, at the end of the first line, and sing the rest yourself
Harder: let them choose the bedtime song, and leave a gap for the last word of every line
