Torch Stars at Bedtime

What you need

• a torch with a screw-shut battery cover
• a sheet of paper and a pencil

How to do it

1. Poke five or six small holes in the paper with the pencil yourself.
2. Once your toddler is changed for bed, turn the big light off and snuggle up together on the bed.
3. Hold the paper over the end of the torch and shine it at the ceiling so little stars of light appear.
4. Move the stars very slowly across the ceiling and whisper "stars, twinkle" as they drift.
5. Let the stars settle in one place, sing one quiet song, then switch the torch off and say goodnight to the stars.

Why it matters

Slow, soft spots of light give tired eyes something gentle to follow, and the same little routine each night tells them sleep comes next.

What they're learning

Settling

Slow light and a whisper tell their body it is time to wind down.

Following with the eyes

Tracking a slow-moving light is gentle practice for the eyes.

Pointing

Pointing at a star you name shows you what they have noticed.

What to look for

Watch for their eyes following the stars and their body going still and heavy.

A tip

Hold the torch yourself and put it out of reach afterwards. Use a torch with a screw-shut battery cover only.

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