"Fiveness" and "tenness" are important to developing number sense. We can do this naturally with finger plays involving five and ten.
Noodles
One small noodle (Hold up one finger.)
On my noodle plate.
Salt and pepper,
Tastes just great. (Pretend to shake salt.)
Mother’s going to the store.
Mother, mother, get some more.
Two…Three…Four…
*Cut five small holes out of a paper plate and insert your fingers as you say the rhyme.
Five Little Ducks
Noodles
One small noodle (Hold up one finger.)
On my noodle plate.
Salt and pepper,
Tastes just great. (Pretend to shake salt.)
Mother’s going to the store.
Mother, mother, get some more.
Two…Three…Four…
*Cut five small holes out of a paper plate and insert your fingers as you say the rhyme.
Five Little Ducks
Five little ducks (Hold up 5 fingers.)
Went out to play
Over the hills (Move hand up and down.)
And far away. (Put hand over your eyes as if looking.)
When the mother duck called,
“Quack, quack, quack!” (Put palms together and open and shut.)
Four little ducks (Hold up 4 fingers.)
Came waddling back.
Went out to play
Over the hills (Move hand up and down.)
And far away. (Put hand over your eyes as if looking.)
When the mother duck called,
“Quack, quack, quack!” (Put palms together and open and shut.)
Four little ducks (Hold up 4 fingers.)
Came waddling back.
Four…three…two…one
No little ducks went out to play (Make fist.)
Over the hills and far away.
When the daddy duck called,
“QUACK! QUACK! QUACK!” (Open and close arms and say loudly.)
Five little ducks came waddling back.
*Staple the sides of a file folder and glue felt to the front to make a flannel board. Cut ducks or other figures out of felt to use as visuals for finger plays.
Alligator and Monkeys
Five little monkeys (Hold up 5 fingers.)
Swinging from a tree,
Teasing Mr. Alligator, (Point finger as if teasing.)
“Can’t catch me!
You can’t catch me!” (Shake head “no.”)
Along came Mr. Alligator (Put palms together and slowly
Quiet as can be, move like an alligator.)
And snatched a monkey (Open and clap palms as if
Right out of the tree! chomping on something.)
Swinging from a tree,
Teasing Mr. Alligator, (Point finger as if teasing.)
“Can’t catch me!
You can’t catch me!” (Shake head “no.”)
Along came Mr. Alligator (Put palms together and slowly
Quiet as can be, move like an alligator.)
And snatched a monkey (Open and clap palms as if
Right out of the tree! chomping on something.)
Four…three…two…one
“Missed me, missed me!
Now you gotta kiss me!” (Put hands on side of your head and wiggle.)
*Attach stickers to craft sticks to make puppets for finger plays.
*Choose one child to be the alligator and five other children to be the monkeys and act out the rhyme.
Five Little Hotdogs
“Missed me, missed me!
Now you gotta kiss me!” (Put hands on side of your head and wiggle.)
*Attach stickers to craft sticks to make puppets for finger plays.
*Choose one child to be the alligator and five other children to be the monkeys and act out the rhyme.
Five Little Hotdogs
Five little hotdogs (Hold up 5 fingers.)
Frying in the pan.
The grease got hot,
And one went BAM! (Clap hands.)
Four little hotdogs… (Hold up 4 fingers.)
Three little hotdogs… (Hold up 3 fingers.)
Two little hotdogs… (Hold up 2 fingers.)
One little hotdog… (Hold up 1 finger.)
No little hotdogs (Hold up fist.)
Frying in the pan.
The pan got hot,
And it went BAM! (Clap hands and say the last word loudly.)
Frying in the pan.
The grease got hot,
And one went BAM! (Clap hands.)
Four little hotdogs… (Hold up 4 fingers.)
Three little hotdogs… (Hold up 3 fingers.)
Two little hotdogs… (Hold up 2 fingers.)
One little hotdog… (Hold up 1 finger.)
No little hotdogs (Hold up fist.)
Frying in the pan.
The pan got hot,
And it went BAM! (Clap hands and say the last word loudly.)
*Draw the shape of a pan on a file folder. Cut a 6" slit across the center as shown. Cut hotdogs out of construction paper and tape to spring clothespins.
*Write numbers on plastic plates and have children make the appropriate number of hotdogs from play dough.
*Change “hotdogs” to “sausages.” Or, change the rhyme to popcorn and say:
Five little kernels sizzling in the pot.
The grease got hot and one went POP!”
*Write numbers on plastic plates and have children make the appropriate number of hotdogs from play dough.
*Change “hotdogs” to “sausages.” Or, change the rhyme to popcorn and say:
Five little kernels sizzling in the pot.
The grease got hot and one went POP!”
Gummy Bears
Down at the candy shop what did I see?
Five little gummy bears smiling at me.
Along came (child’s name) with a penny one day.
He/she bought the green one and took it away.
Down at the candy shop what did I see?
Four little gummy bears smiling at me.
Along came (child's name) with a penny one day.
He/she bought the red one and took it away.
Down at the candy shop what did I see?
Five little gummy bears smiling at me.
Along came (child’s name) with a penny one day.
He/she bought the green one and took it away.
Down at the candy shop what did I see?
Four little gummy bears smiling at me.
Along came (child's name) with a penny one day.
He/she bought the red one and took it away.
Three...two...one
*Cut gummy bears out of construction paper. Choose five children to hold the bears. Distribute paper pennies to five other children and use their names as you say the rhyme.
Ten Little Friends
Ten Little Friends
Ten little friends (Hold up fingers.)
Went out to play (Wiggle.)
On a very bright
And sunny day.
And they took a little walk.
Walk, walk, walk. (Walk fingers in front of your body.)
And they had a little talk.
Talk, talk, talk. (Put fingertips together.)
They climbed a great big hill (Move fingers over your head.)
And stood on the top very still. (Keep hands still.)
Then they all tumbled down (Roll hands around and down.)
And fell to the ground.
We’re so tired, (Hold up fingers.)
They all said.
So they all went home
And went to bed.
10 – 9 – 8 – 7 – 6 – (Put down fingers one at a time as you
5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1. count backwards and lower your voice.)
Good night! (Lay head on hands.)
Went out to play (Wiggle.)
On a very bright
And sunny day.
And they took a little walk.
Walk, walk, walk. (Walk fingers in front of your body.)
And they had a little talk.
Talk, talk, talk. (Put fingertips together.)
They climbed a great big hill (Move fingers over your head.)
And stood on the top very still. (Keep hands still.)
Then they all tumbled down (Roll hands around and down.)
And fell to the ground.
We’re so tired, (Hold up fingers.)
They all said.
So they all went home
And went to bed.
10 – 9 – 8 – 7 – 6 – (Put down fingers one at a time as you
5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1. count backwards and lower your voice.)
Good night! (Lay head on hands.)
If you missed my webinar on finger plays you can watch it now with this link:
https://home.edweb.net/webinar/earlychildhood20190325/
Check out the new packet that Carolyn Kisloski and I have put together with 60 of our favorite finger plays. Included in this packet are full sheet, illustrated finger plays for you to use in the classroom. You may want to enlarge the pages for shared reading or make a classroom book with them. Also included in the packet are half-sheet illustrated copies of each finger play that you may send home with each child to share with their families.
