Last Night as I Lay Sleeping

Cool-down Song

Last Night as I Lay Sleeping is a beautiful song that can be sung to a key-worker group, whole nursery or single child. It is great for helping children to calm down, but equally can be used as a tool for language development.

Cool-down songs are similar to lullabies, and are great for restoring peace and calm after an exciting session or day in the nursery. It is also a good opportunity to let children listen rather than participate, and to have some quiet time to themselves to reflect on the day.

AREAS OF LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT

Personal, Social and Emotional Development
– Managing feelings and behaviour

Communication and Language
– Listening and attention

Preparation for Literacy
– Reading

RESOURCES

– A space big enough for the children to lie down

– A drawstring bag full of cuddly toys

SONG WORDS

Last night as I lay sleeping,
I dreamt that I was flying
To Paris, France, to sing
and dance, and back again
by morning.

Last night as I lay sleeping,
I dreamt that I was flying
All the way to Spain, in the
pouring rain, and back again
by morning.

7-1 Last Night as I Lay Sleeping - Full Song

How to...
Step by step

1.Pass the drawstring bag round the circle and let each child pick a cuddly toy;

3.Start singing the song. Don’t put emphasis on the children joining in, but encourage and praise them if they decide to.

2.Encourage the children to sit or lie comfortably in the space with their toy;

Extension & Development

1.As an exercise in vocabulary and rhyming, suggest the children have a go at creating their own verses. Ask where they have been over the weekend or on holiday, and piece additional verses together.

This additional verse was created by children at Houghton Community Nursery:

Last night as I lay sleeping,
I dreamt that I was flying
All the way to Sunderland,
to sing in a band,
and back again by morning.

7-2 Last Night as I Lay Sleeping - Additional Verse

Aspects

Early Learning Goals

Activity Contribution to Goals

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Managing feelings and behaviour

1. Children talk about how they and others show feelings, talk about their own and others’ behaviour,
and its consequences, and know that some behaviour is unacceptable;

2. They work as part of a group or class, and understand and follow the rules;

3. They adjust their behaviour to different situations, and take changes of routine in their stride.

Chidlren are encouraged to be peaceful and still;

Children are encouraged to understand that this is a cool-down activity and subsequently, they must respect each other’s space and need for quiet.

Communication and Language

Listening and attention

1. Children listen attentively in a range of situations;

2. They listen to stories, accurately anticipating key events and respond to what they hear with relevant comments,
questions or actions;

3. They give their attention to what others say and respond appropriately, while engaged in another activity.

Listening and respecting others’ ideas is essential.

Preparation for Literacy

Reading

1. Children read and understand simple sentences;

2. They use phonic knowledge to decode regular words and read them aloud accurately. They also read some
common irregular words;

3. They demonstrate understanding when talking with others about what they have read.

Children get the opportunity to pre-empt the lyrics as they follow a repetitive structure;