Leo the little lamb loved bedtime. Not just because it meant snuggling under his soft wool blanket, but because it was nursery rhyme time! Every night, after splashing in his bath and putting on his warm pajamas, Leo’s favourite part of his bedtime routine was listening to his parent read the big, colourful book of rhymes. The rhymes made his tummy feel warm and his eyes feel sleepy.
Tonight, his parent opened the book to a page with a twinkling star. "Twinkle, twinkle, little star," his parent read softly. Leo closed his eyes and imagined a tiny star in the big, dark sky, just like the one he sometimes saw peeking through his window. He imagined it sparkling just for him, making the night feel friendly and bright.
Next, they turned the page to Little Bo Peep. "Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep," read his parent. Leo giggled quietly. He pictured Bo Peep wandering through a field, looking for fluffy, soft sheep just like him. He imagined all the sheep were hiding behind big, puffy clouds, ready to jump out and surprise her with happy 'baa' sounds.
Then came Baa Baa Black Sheep. Leo loved that rhyme. "Baa, baa, black sheep, have you any wool?" He pictured the generous black sheep sharing its soft, warm wool. He imagined the three bags full: one for the master, one for the dame, and one for the little boy who lived down the lane. It made him think of sharing and being kind.
Even Humpty Dumpty didn't seem scary in the book. His parent read about him sitting on the wall. Leo pictured a funny, round egg sitting carefully on a very low, sturdy wall, maybe just wiggling a little. When the rhyme said he had a great fall, Leo imagined it like rolling gently down a small grassy hill, landing softly in a pile of leaves, ready for a big hug.
As his parent finished the last rhyme for the night, Leo felt so peaceful. The familiar words and gentle rhythms were like a soft lullaby wrapping around him. He snuggled deeper under his blanket, the pictures from the rhymes still floating gently in his mind like sleepy clouds.
He thought of the twinkling star watching over him, the fluffy sheep playing hide-and-seek, the kind black sheep sharing its wool, and funny Humpty Dumpty having a soft tumble. The rhymes filled his head with cozy, happy thoughts. He yawned a big, sleepy yawn. Nursery rhyme time always made bedtime the best time. And with his head full of gentle rhyme pictures, Leo the little lamb drifted off into a sweet, peaceful sleep.