Star Light, Star Bright facts for kids

"Star Light, Star Bright" is a well-known English language nursery rhyme. A nursery rhyme is a traditional song or poem for young children. This rhyme is often sung when someone sees the first star in the evening sky. It is listed in the Roud Folk Song Index as number 16339, which helps track folk songs and rhymes.

The Words We Sing

The words of "Star Light, Star Bright" are simple and easy to remember. They usually go like this:

Star light, star bright,

First star I see tonight;

I wish I may, I wish I might,

Have the wish I wish tonight.

Where Did It Come From?

The idea of making a wish on a star is very old. People have believed for a long time that seeing a special star, like a shooting star (which is actually a meteor), could make wishes come true. This belief might go back to ancient times.

The specific rhyme "Star Light, Star Bright" started to be written down in America in the late 1800s. It then became popular in Britain by the early 1900s. Since then, this hopeful little rhyme has spread all around the world. Many children still say it today when they spot the first star of the night.