Fingerplays are used often in early learning classrooms because they are so stinking fun and engaging. It’s a great way to get and keep a child’s attention.
(And sometimes prevent a meltdown!)
With this post, I hope to get you hooked on fingerplays.
I’m sure many of you have already tried fingerplays with your kids. Let’s dive in a little deeper today.
At the end of the post, I’ll include our top 12 favorite fingerplays and 3 additional resources for you to check out.
What Is a FingerPlay?
A fingerplay is a short song, chant, or rhyme that has hand or finger motions to act out the words.
Toddlers and preschoolers are the target audience for fingerplays, but babies can get into it, too. A grown up can help babies do the motions, or baby can just watch.
Benefits of FingerPlays
There are also so many benefits to doing this simple activity with young kids.
- keeps kids entertained (#1!!)
- builds vocabulary
- builds listening skills
- good practice in following directions
- works hand-eye coordination
- strengthens fine motor muscles
- activates short-term memory
- helps kids learn to sequence events and retell stories in correct order
- increases awareness for sounds in language (rhymes and rhythm)
When to Use FingerPlays
Fingerplays are helpful basically any time you need a quick, free, zero-setup activity to keep your toddler entertained.
(Which is always, am I right?)
I find them most helpful in the car, when we’re waiting in line, and at the restaurant.
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Props and More
Props are both totally unnecessary to do fingerplays, yet they are also so much fun, especially if you have a group of kids you’re doing fingerplays with.
We recently bought these little finger puppets for our youngest daughter. They run a bit small. My husband can barely get them on, but they’re perfect for me. 😉
A DIY option would be to take a glove and glue faces on each finger like this simple tutorial for Five Little Frogs from Wendys Hat.
Orrr…. just draw faces on your fingers with a pen. 🙂
Our Top 12 Favorite FingerPlays
Some of these are ones Ben and I knew as kids, and others we learned at storytime at our local library. If your library has storytime for little ones, try it out! You might find your family’s next favorite book or fingerplay.
Finger Family
Daddy Finger, Daddy Finger, where are you?
Here I am! Here I am! How do you do? (hold up thumb)
Mommy Finger, Mommy Finger, where are you?
Here I am! Here I am! How do you do? (hold up index finger)
Brother Finger, Brother Finger, where are you?
Here I am! Here I am! How do you do? (hold up middle finger)
Sister Finger, Sister Finger, where are you?
Here I am! Here I am! How do you do? (hold up ring finger)
Baby Finger, Baby Finger, where are you?
Here I am! Here I am! How do you do? (hold up pinky)
Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes
For this nursery rhyme, point to each body part as you say it.
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes, knees and toes,
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes, knees and toes,
Eyes and ears and mouth and nose,
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes, knees and toes.
Wind the Bobbin Up
This is our youngest daughter’s #1 favorite fingerplay. Lyrics are below.
Wind the bobbin up, wind the bobbin up (make fists and circle them around each other)
Pull, pull, (pull fists apart)
Clap, clap, clap (clap…)
Wind it back again, wind it back again,(make fists and circle them around each other)
Pull, pull, (pull fists apart)
Clap, clap, clap (clap…)
Point to the ceiling,
Point to the floor,
Point to the window,
Point to the door.
Clap your hands together, one, two, three,
Put your hands upon your knees.
*Repeat the first two verses again.
Where Is Thumbkin?
(Tune of Frere Jacques)
Where is Thumbkin?
Where is Thumbkin?
Here I am! (wiggle left thumb)
Here I am! (wiggle right thumb)
How are you today, Sir? (wiggle left thumb at right thumb)
Very well. I thank you! (wiggle right thumb at left thumb)
Run away! (hide left hand behind your back)
Run away! (hide right hand behind your back)
Where is Pointer?
Where is Pointer?
Here I am. (wiggle left index finger)
Here I am. (wiggle right index finger)
How are you today, sir? (wiggle left index finger at right index finger)
Very well, I thank you. (wiggle right index finger at left index finger)
Run away! (hide left hand behind your back)
Run away! (hide right hand behind your back)
Five Little Speckled Frogs
Five little speckled frogs (hold up five fingers)
Sat on a speckled log,
Eating the most delicious bugs,
Yum, yum! (rub tummy with other hand)
One jumped into the pool (tuck one finger down)
Where it was nice and cool,
Then there were four speckled frogs,
Glub, glub! (pinch nose with fingers and sink down)
*Repeat with four, three, two, and one speckled frogs
… Then there were NO speckled frogs!
Round and Round the Garden Like a Teddy Bear
Kids can tickle themselves, or you can do the motions on them and tickle them!
Round and round the garden like a teddy bear, (make circles around your hand with one finger)
One step, (take a step with your fingers up your arm)
Two step, (take another step with your fingers)
Tickle you there! (tickle your shoulder)
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One, Two Buckle My Shoe
One, two buckle my shoe (pretend to tie shoe)
Three, four knock on the door (pretend to knock on door)
Five, six pick up sticks (pretend to pick up sticks)
Seven, eight lay them straight (pretend to lay sticks down)
Nine, ten a big fat hen! (flap arms like a hen)
Baby Shark
If you don’t know this one yet, you’re in for a treat.
Baby shark (pinch index finger and thumb together)
Do, do, do, do, do, do
Baby shark (pinch index finger and thumb together)
Do, do, do, do, do, do
Baby shark (pinch index finger and thumb together)
Do, do, do, do, do, do
Baby shark
*Repeat above with:
Mommy shark (make a snapping shark mouth motion with two hands close together)
Daddy shark (make a snapping shark mouth motion with two hands far apart)
Grandma shark (same as Mommy shark but with fingers curled under)
Grandpa shark (same as Daddy shark but with fingers curled under)
Let’s go hunt (both hands in prayer position on top of your head)
Run away (jog in place)
Safe at last (wipe brow with hands)
The Itsy Bitsy Spider
The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout (make a spider with your hands going up)
Down came the rain (wiggle hands in a downward motion)
And washed the spider out (make sweeping motion with both hands)
Up came the sun and dried up all the rain (touch fingertips above your head)
And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again (make a spider with your hands going up)
Five Currant Buns
Five currant buns in a baker’s shop (hold up five fingers)
Big and round with a cherry on the top (draw a circle in the air)
Along came (child’s name) with a penny one day, (point to child)
Bought a currant bun and took it away (tuck one finger down)
Four currant buns in a baker’s shop (hold up four fingers)…
*Repeat until all the currant buns are gone
Wheels on the Bus
Make up your own verses with animals and silly animal noises! Each motion here is done continuously throughout the verse.
The wheels on the bus go round and round, (make fists and circle them around each other)
Round and round, round and round,
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
All through the town.
The doors on the bus go open and shut, (hold hands in front of face and open and close them)
Open and shut, open and shut,
The doors on the bus go open and shut,
All through the town.
*Repeat with any or all of these verses
The babies on the bus go wah, wah, wah (pretend to cry)
The mommies/daddies on the bus say shh, shh, shh (hold index finger to lips)
The mommies/daddies on the bus say “I love you, I love you, I love you” (hug yourself)
The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish (move hands back and forth rhythmically)
The driver on the bus says “Move on back, move on back, move on back” (gesture back with thumb)
The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep (pretend to honk bus horn)
The money on the bus goes clink, clink, clink (pretend to put coins in a bank)
Little Bunny Foo Foo
(Tune of Alouette)
Little bunny Foo Foo (hold up two fingers)
Hopping through the forest (bounce fingers up and down like a bunny)
Scooping up the field mice (make scooping motion)
And boppin’ ’em on the head! (tap fist with hand)
(spoken) Down came the fairy and she said…
(sing) “Little bunny Foo Foo, I don’t wanna see you (shake head no)
Scooping up the field mice (make scooping motion)
And boppin’ ’em on the head!” (tap fist with hand)
(spoken) “I’m gonna give you three chances, (hold up three fingers)
Then I’ll turn you into a goon!”
*Repeat with two chances, one chance, and then no more chances
…”Now I’ll turn you into a goon!” (make a silly face)
More FingerPlays Resources
There are lots of fingerplays and nursery rhymes out there. If you’re looking for more, here are a few of the resources I’ve found.
Alina Celeste: Bilingual? Check out Alina Celeste on YouTube! She has a number of both English and Spanish fingerplays, rhymes, and songs on her channel.
Jbrary: Dana and Lindsey are two librarians who’ve created a great website full of children’s storytime resources. Check out their website here. Below is their Fingerplays and Tickles playlist.
Dr. Jean’s fingerplays: Dr. Jean does tons of simple, fun fingerplays. To get you started, here’s one YouTube video with 10 different fingerplays.
Your Turn for Fingerplays
Hope you’ve found some great new fingerplays and resources to try out!
Which was your favorite?
If you have a different fingerplay resource you love, share it below!