Use EventSetter to add mouse event handler
<Window x:Class="Styles.EventSetter" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation" xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml" Title="EventSetter" Height="300" Width="300"> <Window.Resources> <Style x:Key="MouseOverHighlightStyle"> <Setter Property="TextBlock.Padding" Value="5"/> <EventSetter Event="FrameworkElement.MouseEnter" Handler="element_MouseEnter" /> <EventSetter Event="FrameworkElement.MouseLeave" Handler="element_MouseLeave" /> </Style> </Window.Resources> <StackPanel> <TextBlock Style="{StaticResource MouseOverHighlightStyle}">Hover over me.</TextBlock> <TextBlock Padding="5">asdf</TextBlock> <TextBlock Style="{StaticResource MouseOverHighlightStyle}">Hover over me.</TextBlock> </StackPanel> </Window> //File:Window.xaml.vb Imports System Imports System.Collections.Generic Imports System.Text Imports System.Windows Imports System.Windows.Controls Imports System.Windows.Data Imports System.Windows.Documents Imports System.Windows.Input Imports System.Windows.Media Imports System.Windows.Media.Imaging Imports System.Windows.Shapes Namespace Styles Public Partial Class EventSetter Inherits System.Windows.Window Public Sub New() InitializeComponent() End Sub Private Sub element_MouseEnter(sender As Object, e As MouseEventArgs) DirectCast(sender, TextBlock).Background = New SolidColorBrush(Colors.LightGoldenrodYellow) End Sub Private Sub element_MouseLeave(sender As Object, e As MouseEventArgs) DirectCast(sender, TextBlock).Background = Nothing End Sub End Class End Namespace