This is one of my all time favorite finger plays and it never goes out of style!
Jack O’ Happy
This is Jack O’ Happy. (Hands circle head and smile.)
This is Jack O’ Sad. (Hands circle head and frown.)
This is Jack O’ Spooky. (Open mouth and eyes wide.)
And this is Jack O’ Mad. (Make a mean face.)
This is Jack in pieces small. (Hold up palms.)
But in a pie he’s best of all. (Circle arms in front as if holding a pie.)
You can download a book for the children to read and color. Or, better yet, download the version with just the words so the children can make their own illustrations.
The Five Days of Halloween (Tune: “Twelve Days of Christmas”)
On the first day of Halloween my monster gave to me, (Hold up 1 finger.)
A bat in an old, dead tree. (Flap arms like a bat.)
On the second day …2 creepy spiders (Wiggle fingers like spiders.)
On the third day…3 howling cats (Stroke whiskers.)
On the fourth day…4 silly scarecrows (Jiggle like a scarecrow.)
On the fifth day…5 jack-o-lanterns (Hands over head like a
jack-o-lantern.)
*Choose one child to be the bat, 2 to be spiders, 3 to be cats, etc. to act out the song.
http://bit.ly/drjeanMyMonster
Five Little Pumpkins
(You can say this or sing it to the tune of “Five Little Ducks”.)
Five little pumpkins sitting on the gate. (Hold up 5 fingers.)
The first one said, “Oh, my it’s getting late.” (Hold up thumb.)
The second one said, “There are witches in the air.” (Hold up index finger.)
The third one said, “But I don’t care.” (Hold up middle finger.)
The fourth one said, “Let’s run and run and run.” (Hold up ring finger.)
The fifth one said, “I’m ready for some fun.” (Hold up pinky.)
Ooooo! Went the wind, and out went the light. (Blow through hands, then clap.)
And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight! (Roll hands behind back.)
(You can say this or sing it to the tune of “Five Little Ducks”.)
Five little pumpkins sitting on the gate. (Hold up 5 fingers.)
The first one said, “Oh, my it’s getting late.” (Hold up thumb.)
The second one said, “There are witches in the air.” (Hold up index finger.)
The third one said, “But I don’t care.” (Hold up middle finger.)
The fourth one said, “Let’s run and run and run.” (Hold up ring finger.)
The fifth one said, “I’m ready for some fun.” (Hold up pinky.)
Ooooo! Went the wind, and out went the light. (Blow through hands, then clap.)
And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight! (Roll hands behind back.)
*My students loved to hold paper pumpkins and act out this rhyme.
*It's also easy to make a flannel board activity for children to use as they say the rhyme.
Note! If you don't like "witches" you can substitute "bats."
Here's a Youtube video my daughter did several years ago where you can see me demonstrate the finger plays.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2I-TttXTm8
