COUNT ON WITH FINGER PLAYS

"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
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.

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.)

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
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.)

*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!”

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.

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 (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.)

FINGER PLAYS FOREVER

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i6sEb-2mtP3WlVSB-xCCBruLXd1eAQWU/view?usp=sharing

I've heard people say, "Finger plays are old fashion." Well, you might call them that, but then you'd have to call chocolate chip cookies and mashed potatoes and BINGO and swings and hugs...old fashion as well. Let me share just a few things children can learn when you do a finger play. (You might want to enlighten some administrators or supervisors or parents with this information. Sometimes they just don't "get" what we do!)

Engagement – Doing a finger play is a natural way to engage children’s attention and help them focus.

Oral language – Repetition of finger plays builds oral language skills.

Auditory memory – Children activate their short term memory as they memorize finger plays.

Comprehension – Most finger plays have a simple story plot for children to follow.

Imagination – With so much time spent in front of a screen, finger plays encourage children to make pictures in their brains.

Sequence – Remembering the sequence in finger plays can help children retell stories.

Phonological awareness – Finger plays build a foundation for rhyme, rhythm and alliteration.

Eye-hand coordination – Visual connections with finger plays are important for writing and reading.

Small motor skills – Doing finger plays is like sending the fingers to the gym to exercise.

Active Learning - Multiple senses are engaged as children watch and wiggle their fingers and repeat rhymes.

Purposeful Practice for Automaticity (aka repetition) - Children will enjoy saying these rhymes over and over.

Brain Breaks - Children will be oxygenating the brain and crossing the midline as they do finger plays. Memorizing poems and rhymes is also good for short term memory.

Executive function – Children develop self-regulation and impulse control when they participate in finger plays.

Social skills – All children can be successful with finger plays with this group experience.

State Standards – You got it! Speaking, listening, comprehension, phonological awareness all rolled into one!

Transitions - Finger Plays can be used to entertain children during transitions or any time you’ve got a minute or two.

Here's a video where you can watch me do a few finger plays:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zmszqroq1pM

FINGER PLAY

AUTHENTICITY is imperative when teaching young children. Finger plays are REAL! There is no screen or music or clown costumes or puppets or polka dots! It's just YOU looking in children's eyes and connecting with them visually, auditorially, kinesthetically, and emotionally. Oh, and they are FREE! It doesn't get much better than that!

I've heard people say, "Finger plays are old fashion." Well, you might call them that, but then you'd have to call chocolate chip cookies and mashed potatoes and BINGO and swings and hugs...old fashion as well. Let me share just a few things children can learn when you do a finger play. (You might want to enlighten some administrators or supervisors or parents with this information. Sometimes they just don't "get" what we do!)

Engagement – Doing a finger play is a natural way to engage children’s attention and help them focus.

Oral language – Repetition of finger plays builds oral language skills.

Auditory memory – Children activate their short term memory as they memorize finger plays.

Comprehension – Most finger plays have a simple story plot for children to follow.

Imagination – With so much time spent in front of a screen, finger plays encourage children to make pictures in their brains.

Sequence – Remembering the sequence in finger plays can help children retell stories.

Phonological awareness – Finger plays build a foundation for rhyme, rhythm and alliteration.

Eye-hand coordination – Visual connections with finger plays are important for writing and reading.

Small motor skills – Doing finger plays is like sending the fingers to the gym to exercise.

Active Learning - Multiple senses are engaged as children watch and wiggle their fingers and repeat rhymes.

Purposeful Practice for Automaticity (aka repetition) - Children will enjoy saying these rhymes over and over.

Brain Breaks - Children will be oxygenating the brain and crossing the midline as they do finger plays. Memorizing poems and rhymes is also good for short term memory.

Executive function – Children develop self-regulation and impulse control when they participate in finger plays.

Social skills – All children can be successful with finger plays with this group experience.

Transitions - Finger Plays can be used to entertain children during transitions or any time you’ve got a minute or two.

Best of all, finger plays are FREE! They can be used to entertain children during transitions or any time you’ve got a minute or two.

*If you’ll go to my website (drjean.org), you’ll find 5 free videos where I demonstrate finger plays. 

*Go to my September, 2011, website and you’ll find a download with the words. I would suggest taking one each week and putting it on an index card. (You could also write it on a language experience chart or use it on an interactive white board for choral reading.) At the end of the week punch a hole in the rhyme and attach it to a book ring. If you’ll do this every week, in a few months you’ll have a whole RING OF RHYMES.

https://www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2010/07_Jul/pg00.html

HALLOWEEN FINGER PLAYS

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.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljWmZCbk1sWk1vSWs/view?usp=sharing

Five Little Pumpkins
(Tune: “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.

Here's a play dough mat that Carolyn Kisloski made  where children can make their own pumpkins for the rhyme.

*What? You never heard of a blue pumpkin? It's all I had, but I kind of like it, don't you?


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

OCTOBER HAPPIES

BOO! It's October, and it is bound to be HAPPIE with all the treats you’ll find in this free download of OCTOBER HAPPIES!

02-October

https://bit.ly/drJFreeOct

 
Your students will love the squirrel handshake and the Harry Potter cheer, and you'll be able to grab their attention with Hocus Pocus Focus! "Jack O' Happy" is one of those timeless finger plays and you can follow up "Five Little Pumpkins" with the play dough mat. 


Take a look at the contents:

MONKEY AROUND

We love our little monkeys in our classrooms, don’t we?

Caps for Sale
This was always one of my favorite books to read to my class. It was such fun to let the children be the monkeys and act out the tale. We did this in the classroom as well as outside on the playground equipment.

Monkey on a Swing
Cut a sheet of paper as shown. Roll down the top section and staple to make the monkey’s head. Decorate with markers or crayons. Glue on a tail. Staple the monkey’s hands to a straw and watch him swing.

Compare and Contrast
Get several copies of Curious George books. Compare and contrast George’s adventures. How are they alike? How are they different? Could those adventures really happen?

Five Little Monkeys
Five little monkeys jumping on the bed. (Hold up five fingers.)
One fell off and bumped her head. (Touch your head.)
Momma called the doctor and the doctor said, (Pretend to hold a phone.)
“That’s what you get for jumping on the bed!” (Point finger.)
Four…three..two…one…
No little monkeys jumping on the bed.
They are sick with broken heads!

*Change the number of monkeys in the song. Children will also get a kick out of saying, "Five little mommies jumping on the bed..."

Monkeys and Alligator 

Five little monkeys swinging from a tree, (Hold up five fingers.)
Teasing Mr. Alligator, “Can’t catch me.”
Along came Mr. Alligator quiet as can be,
And snatched a monkey right out of that tree!
Four little monkeys… (Hold up appropriate number of
Three…two…one… fingers on hand.)
“Missed me, missed me. (Stick thumbs in ears and tease.)
Now you gotta kiss me!”

Click to view video

*Choose five children to be monkeys and one child to be the alligator to act out this song.

Monkey Tail Sandwich
You will need:
Hot dog buns
Bananas
Peanut butter (or substitute)
1. Wash your hands.
2. Spread peanut butter in the bun.
3. Peel the banana and insert it in the bun.
4. Yum! Yum!

WHERE IS MY BUNNY?

Where Is My Bunny?
Where is my bunny? (Put hands behind your back.)
No one can see. (Shake head.)
I think that my bunny
Is hiding from me. (Look over shoulder.)
Here is my bunny. (Hold up 1 thumb.)
He’s found a friend. (Hold up other thumb.)
Look at all the others. (Slowly stick up fingers.)
Now there are ten! (Wiggle fingers.)

Here Is a Bunny
Here is a bunny (Hold up index and middle fingers.)
With ears so funny. (Wiggle fingers.)
And here is his
Hole in the ground. (Make hole with fist of the other hand.)
At the slightest noise he hears,
He pricks up his ears, (Wiggle fingers.)
Then hops to his
Hole in the ground! (Pretend to hop bunny ears into the hole.)


Handprint Bunny

Trace around children's hands and cut them out. Cut off the middle finger and bring the pinky finger and thumb finger down to make arms as shown. Decorate and there's your bunny!


Bunny Ears
Cut ears out of construction paper and glue them to a headband. You can also trace around children's feet and use them for the ears of the headband.

Benny and Bella
Here's a new video with adorable bunnies that Alex May has created.

https://bit.ly/drJBennyNarrated

WAKE UP YOU SLEEPY HEAD!

The world is full of wonderful things like BUTTERFLIES!

Caterpillar Finger Play
A caterpillar crawled to the top of a tree. (Hold up right arm and wiggle left index finger up like a caterpillar.)
I think I’ll take a nap said he. (Wiggle left index finger.)
Under a leaf he began to creep, (Wiggle left index finger under right palm.)
He spun a chrysalis and went to sleep. (Make fist with right hand around left index finger.)
Spring came along, shook him and said,
"Wake up, wake up, you sleepy head.” (Shake right fist.)
Out of the leaf he spread his wings to fly, (Hook right and left thumbs together. Spread out fingers like wings.)
“Look at me! Look at me! I’m a butterfly!” (Fly fingers around.)

NOTE!  Butterflies hatch from a chrysalis, a life stage made of a hardened protein. A cocoon is spun from silk and surrounds the pupa of many moths.


Butterfly Handshake 

Extend your right thumb and hook it with your partner’s right thumb. Stick out your fingers and then flutter them around like a butterfly. 


Baggie Butterfly
Make a butterfly by tearing up little pieces of colored tissue paper and putting them in a zip lunch bag. Gather up in the middle and twist on a pipe cleaner to make the body and antennae. Attach a string for flying. 

Smoosh Painting
Cut butterfly shapes out of newsprint. Fold in half. Children drop paint with a spoon or eye dropper on one half. Fold and rub. Open to view a beautiful butterfly.



Symmetry
What does symmetry mean? Butterfly wings are a good example of symmetry. Cut paper into butterfly shapes and challenge children to make them symmetrical.
*Check out some books on butterflies from the library. Can children decorate their pattern to look like one in the book?


Butterfly Bites
Children will enjoy assembling and eating this butterfly. You will need celery cut in 4” pieces, cream cheese, and pretzel twists. First, spread cream cheese in the hollow part of the celery. Insert two pretzels on either side for wings.
Hint! Make a language experience chart with the directions so children can make these at a center.

There is a story about children that is similar to butterflies. If you find a chrysalis before it hatches and you gently try to open it, the butterfly will not live and it will never be able to spread its wings and fly. Children are like that as well. If we try to push them and force them to do things before they are ready, will they ever be able to reach their full potential and truly fly?

LITTLE CELEBRATIONS

Here are some ways to celebrate every child.

P.S. You'll be surprised how these "tricks" will focus children's attention!

Drum Roll
Say, “Give me a drum roll” as you pat your thighs. When all are engaged you can make your announcement.

Beethoven
Pretend to hold your violin and play as you hum the first few notes to Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.
“Da da da daaaaaa. Da da da daaaaa.”

Trumpet Call
Hold pretend trumpet as you go, “Doo doo doo doo doo doooooo!”

Tootaroo
Cut paper towel rolls in half and then let children decorate with markers and stickers. When a student accomplishes a skill or the class does outstanding work you can get out your tootaroos to celebrate.

Toot, toot, toot, toot, taroooo!!

Something New to Celebrate!

Here's a new video that my webmaster (Alex May) has created for you:

https://bit.ly/drJFingerPlaysYouTube

Plus, you can download two printables that go with the video:

https://bit.ly/drJFingerPlaysPDF

https://bit.ly/drJFingerPlays

SNOW PEOPLE

Whether you live in Alaska or Florida, everybody loves snowmen! Here's a finger play, puppet poem, and story you can make this week and you'll be good to go back to school!

Five Little Snowmen Finger Play
Five little snowmen fat. (Hold up five fingers.)
Each wore a different hat.
Along came the sun and melted one. (Bend down one finger.)
Now, what do you think about that?

Four little snowmen fat… (Hold up four fingers.)
Three…Two…One

Cut snowmen out of felt as shown. Place a different colored hat on each one. Remove one snowman as each verse is said.

*Place the flannel board and snowmen in a center so children can practice saying the rhyme and make sets.
*Make a simple flannel board by gluing a piece of felt to the front of a file folder. Staple the sides. Store pieces inside and glue a copy of the poem to the back.


Snowman Puppet
Cut a snowman out of heavy paper and decorate with markers. Cut a circle for the nose the width of your index finger. Cut another circle the size of your index finger out of a cup. Match up holes and tape the snowman in place. Put your hand in the cup and stick your index finger through the hole as you repeat the rhyme below.
A chubby little snowman
Had a carrot for a nose.
Along came a bunny
And what do you suppose?
That hungry little bunny
Looking for some lunch
Ate that little snowman’s nose
Nibble, nibble, crunch! (Slowly pull your finger back into the cup.)

Snowman’s Story
Once there was a beautiful snowman made of white snow. Along came a red bird one day and the bird said,
Ha, ha, ha,
He, he, he,
You’re the funniest snowman I ever did see.
The snowman said,
Oh, dear, oh, dear,
Oh, me, oh, me!
Why am I the funniest snowman you ever did see?
Well, said the bird, you should be red like me. Red is such a bright, happy color.
So that night the snowman got some red dye and turned himself red.

The next day along came a yellow duck.
Ha, ha, ha….(The story continues as the snowman dyes himself yellow.)
The next day along came a green frog…
The next day along came blue bug…

The next day the snowman was feeling rather sad. Just then along came a little girl. She said, “Why are you so sad?” The snowman said, “I’ve dyed myself red and yellow and green and blue and I just don’t feel like myself.” The little girl said, “You are wonderful just the way you are! Always be yourself!”
So the snowman blinked his eyes and he was once again the color of snow. From then on he was happy just being himself. And that’s why you always see snowmen with happy smiles on their faces.

     

*Cut a snowman shape out of the front of a file folder. Insert white, red, yellow, green, blue, and white paper. Glue the words to the story on the back. As you tell the story remove the paper to correspond with the story.
Hint! I painted snow on the file folder with White Out.

Here's a video where I say these rhymes and tell the story.
http://bit.ly/drjeanWinterFun

IT'S ABOUT TIME!

Even if "time" isn't in your standards, it's an integral part of all of our lives. This version of "Hickory Dickory Dock" is good for younger children because of the counting and rhymes. It can also be adapted for older students who are learning to tell time because they can use their arms like the hands on a clock as they sing.

Hickory Dickory Dock

Hickory dickory dock. (Palms together and tick tock back and forth.)

The mouse ran up the clock. (Wiggle fingers up in the air.)

The clock struck one, (Clap one time.)

The mouse ran down. (Wiggle fingers down.)

Hickory dickory dock.

Two – “Yahoo!” (Continue clapping the appropriate number of times.)

Three – “Whopee!”

Four – “Do more!”

Five – “Let’s jive!”

Six – “Fiddlesticks!”

Seven – “Oh, heavens!”

Eight – “Life’s great!”

Nine – “So fine!”

Ten – “We’re near the end.”

Eleven – “We’re sizzlin’.”

Twelve – “I’m proud of myself.”

*Here's a youtube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQbBksJMjpg

*Make paper plate clocks and use to as you sing the song.

*Use your arms like the hands on a clock. Extend both arms over your head. On “one,” bring right arm down to the position of “one” on a clock. On “two,” bring right arm down to position of “two,” and so forth as you sing.

Digital Time - Place a digital clock by the wall clock in your classroom so children can associate both ways of telling time.

LET'S TALK TURKEY

What?  How can it already be November 1st?  

Time to take down those pumpkins and put up some turkeys.  

My webmaster (Alex May) had a special play list to get you started.

https://bit.ly/drJSeasonal

Albuquerque Turkey(Tune: “My Darlin’ Clementine”)
Albuquerque is a turkey (Put hands on hips like wings.)
And he’s feathered and he’s fine.
And he wobbles and he gobbles (Strut and wiggle.)
And he’s absolutely mine.

He’s the best pet you can get, (Pretend to stroke a turkey’s head.)
Better than a dog or cat.
He’s my Albuquerque turkey,
And I’m awfully proud of that.

Albuquerque is a turkey,
And he’s happy in his bed. (Lay hands on palms as you smile.)
Cause for our Thanksgiving dinner,
We’ll have pizza pie instead! (Palm up in the air like a pizza.)

Here's the link so you can download the book. Make four copies of the song and put it in the listening center so children can follow along.
http://www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2007/11_Nov/1booksNov/albuTurkey.pdf

You can also follow-up with this YouTube video:
http://bit.ly/drjeanTurkey


Mr. Turkey and Mr. Duck Finger Play
Mr. Turkey went for (Start with hands behind your back.)
A walk one day (Bring right thumb out in front of you.)
In the very best
Of weather.
He met Mr. Duck (Bring left thumb out in front.)
Along the way
And they talked (Have thumbs look at each other.)
Together.
“Gobble, gobble, gobble.” (Wiggle right thumb.)
“Quack, quack, quack.” (Wiggle left thumb.)
“Good-bye.” (Bow right thumb.)
“Good-bye.” (Bow left thumb.)
And they both walked back! (Wiggle thumbs behind your back.)

Handprint Turkey

This idea is old as the hills, but it will be new to the children in your classroom. Have children place their hand on a sheet of paper extending all the fingers. Trace. Children turn the thumb into the head of the turkey and color the other fingers to look like feathers. Add legs, and there’s your turkey! 

*You can also do this with paint. Paint brown paint on the child’s palm, red on the thumb, and a different color on each finger. Press firmly on a sheet of paper. Add legs and other details.

Turkey Glyph
What a fun math project for a small group of a center. Each child will need a cut out of a turkey's body. Provide them with paper feathers in the following colors. Children can add feathers to their turkey according to the foods they plan to eat for their Thanksgiving Dinner:
green – beans or peas
yellow – corn
white - mashed potatoes
orange – pumpkin pie
red – cranberries
purple – gravy
blue – dressing
brown – turkey
black – roll

*Challenge children to identify what their friends will eat from their turkeys.

HALLOWEEN FINGER PLAYS

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.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljWmZCbk1sWk1vSWs/view?usp=sharing

Five Little Pumpkins
(Tune: “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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvRPuN3g2ic

How about a play dough mat where children can make their own pumpkins for the rhyme?



*What? You never heard of a blue pumpkin? It's all I had, but I kind of like it, don't you?

PD at Home- FINGERPLAYS

Here are some "timeless" finger plays that will have those little fingers and hands totally engaged. Don't worry about age, language or mobility issues, these songs work with everyone. Try these during cooldown or on a scheduled basis. 

Click to View

Finger Play Ring

Punch a hole in the index card and insert it on a book ring. In several months you will have a ring of rhymes that you can use to entertain the children.

Finger Play Juke Box

Glue finger plays to 6” circles and place them in a gift bag. Write “Juke Box” on the front of the bag. When you have a few extra minutes hand a child a pretend quarter. Tell the child to, “Put it in the juke box and pull out a rhyme.” That child can lead the class in the finger play.

Finger Play Book

Get a pocket folder and invite the children to help you decorate it. Each week as you learn a new rhyme put a copy of the words in the book. (Clear sheet protectors work well for this.) During transitions use the book to entertain the children. (And when I say "entertain" there's more going on here because finger plays really do make children smarter!)

PD at Home - IMPORTANCE OF NURSERY RYMES AND FINGER PLAYS

It's important for early childhood educators to understand how nursery rhymes and finger plays help children develop language skills and small motor skills. It's also important to help families understand the value in these simple rhymes so they can reinforce them at home.

Click to View

What skills can children develop by saying nursery rhymes and finger plays?

Engagement – Doing a finger play is a natural way to engage children’s attention and help them focus.

Oral language – Repetition of finger plays and nursery  rhymes builds oral language skills.

Auditory memory – Children activate their short term memory as they memorize rhymes.

Comprehension – Most finger plays and nursery rhymes have a simple story plot for children to follow.

Imagination – With so much time spent in front of a screen, finger plays and nursery rhymes encourage children to make pictures in their brains.

Sequence – Remembering the sequence in finger plays can help children retell stories.

Phonological awareness – Nursery rhymes and finger plays build a foundation for rhyme, rhythm and alliteration.

Eye-hand coordination – Visual connections with finger plays are important for writing and reading.

Small motor skills – Doing finger plays is like sending the fingers to the gym to exercise.

Active Learning - Multiple senses are engaged as children watch and wiggle their fingers and repeat rhymes.

Purposeful Practice for Automaticity (aka repetition) - Children will enjoy saying these rhymes over and over.

Brain Breaks - Children will be oxygenating the brain and crossing the midline as they do finger plays. Memorizing poems and rhymes is also good for short term memory.

Executive function – Children develop self-regulation and impulse control when they participate in finger plays.

Social skills – All children can be successful with finger plays with this group experience.

Transitions - Finger Plays can be used to entertain children during transitions or any time you’ve got a minute or two.