A Random, Brief Anthology of Fingerplays

(*This picture really freaks me out, but I think I like it better than having no picture, as that makes me feel like my post is naked.)


I came across a small collection of fingerplays compiled by my predacessors, in a drawer that had long gone untouched. I picked a few of them to share with you as a resource for you to use with your children, and because I wanted a handy place to store them so I would remember to use them during my storytimes.



The Bear and the Bees
The honey drip-dripped from a honeybee tree     (slowly wave fingers)
Along came a bear, as hungry as can be                (stomp feet)
He sniffed that honey and it smelled so sweet!     (sniff)
He thoruhg he'd found a treat to eat                    (pat stomach & smile)
But the bees buzz-buzzed                                   (fold fists under arms as wings)
"Bear go away! Don't you steal our honey today!"  (shake finger)

A Bird in a Nest
A bird in a nest              (cup hand)
Laid an egg with care    (put fist in "nest")
When the egg hatched   (open fist)
a baby was there
He ate and he ate
He grew and he grew     (spread hand)
Then one day                 (interlock thumbs)
away he flew!               (make flying motion with hands)


Elephant
My little elephant swings his trunk
picking up peanuts to eat for lunch
He swings it up!
He swings it down!
Left side, right side, round and round


I Went to School (to the tune of Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush)
I went to school and walked like this, walked like this, walked like this
I went to school and walked like this so early in the morning
repeat with:
I saw a bird and he flew like this
I saw a frog and he hopped like this
I saw a bus and it rolled like this
I heard the bell and ran like this


Quack, Quack
Now I'm up
Now I'm down
See me waddle all around
Put my hands behind my back
Like a duck I say "quack, quack"


Raindrops Are Falling
Raindrops are falling from the cloudy sky
I'll button up my raincoat, it will keep me dry
I'll wear my new galoshes and put my rain hat on
Then I'll splash in all the puddles on my front lawn

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground
Teddy bear, teddy bear, reach up high
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the sky
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch your shoe
Teddy bear, teddy bear, I love you.

Ten Red Apples
Ten red apples growing on a tree
five for you and five for me
Help me shake the tree just so
Ten red apples fall down below
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10


Houses
This is a nest for a bluebird   (cup hand to form nest)
This is a hive for a bee         (close fist for hive)
This is a hole for a bunny      (form circle with both hands)
and this is a house for me!    (fingers form roof over head)


Clap Your Hands
Clap your hands, clap your hands, clap them just like me
Touch your shoulders, touch your shoulders, touch them just like me
Tap your knees, tap your knees, tap them just like me
Shake your head, shake your head, shake it just like me
Clap your hands, clap your hands, now fold them quietly.


Hands on Shoulders
Hands on Shoulders, hands on knees
Hands behind you, if you please
Touch your shouldsers, now your nose,
now your hair and now your toes
Put your hands up in the air, give one great big clap!
Put your hands back down again and fold them in your lap


I Wiggle
I wiggle, wiggle, wiggle my fingers
I wiggle, wiggle, wiggle my toes
I wiggle, wiggle, wiggle my shoulders
I wiggle, wiggle, wiggle my nose
Now no more wiggles are left in me,
so I will sit as still as I can be


My Hands
My hands upon my head, I place
On my shoulders, on my face
I place them on my hips just so
and I bend and touch my toes
Now I clap them 1-2-3
and I fold them silently


Riding the Bumps
Let's ride the bumps as we drive in the car
Let's stand up and touch a star
Let's all be jumping jacks
Let's all stand still and sit down again


Ten Little Fingers
I have ten little fingers, and they all belong to me
I can make them do things, would you like to see?
I can close them tight
I can open them wide
I can put them together
I can make them hide
I can make them jump high
I can make them jump low
I can fold them together and rest them just so


We Can Jump
We can jump, jump, jump
We can hop, hop, hop
We can clap, clap, clap
We can stomp, stomp, stomp
We can nod our heads "yes"
We can shake our heads "no"
We can bend our knees a little bit and sit down slow


As you can probably tell, I really like fingerplays that ultimately have the children sit down ready for story time. If you have suggestions of other fingerplays like these, or would just like to share your favorite, please feel free to post them!