Well I think we have all decided fingerplay is important to child development. Can we start a fingerplay category and make some exciting readers for the kids. If these are done really nice it would be a great tool to teach to read that the kids would love. It also would help kids with disabilities.
I would like to help make these. If we work together and make these really good I think it would benefit all the kids. These are just some of the more popular ones. I have some others. What do you think?
Where is Thumbkin? Where is Thumkin?
(Hide hands behind back)
Here I am! Here I am!
(Show L thumb, then R thumb)
How are you today, sir?
(Wiggle L thumb)
Very well, I thank you.
(Wiggle R thumb)
Run away, run away.
(Hide LH behind back, then RH)
2. Where is Pointer?....
3. Tall man?....
4. Ring man?....
5. Little man (or Pinkie)?....
6. Where is family? Where is family?....
(Hide hands behind back)
Here we are! Here we are!
(Show LH, fingers erect, then RH)
How are you today, sirs?
(Wiggle fingers of LH)
Very well, we thank you,
(Wiggle fingers of RH)
Run away, run away.
(Hide LH behind back, then RH)
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Open, shut them
Open, shut them, (open and close hands in front of you)
Open, shut them,
Give a little clap clap clap. (clap 3 times as you say “clap” )
Open, shut them, open, shut them,
Lay them in your lap lap lap. (fold hands in lap)
Creepy crawly, creepy crawly,
Right up to your chin chin chin. (fingers crawl up chest to chin)
Open up your little mouth, (open mouth)
But do not let them in in in. (quickly put hands behind you)
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The Grand Old Duke of York (Gymboree does a cute version of this where you sit
the kids on your legs move them up and down on your knees while sitting with legs stretched out.
Stand. March in place to the beat.
Oh, the... grand old Duke of York
He had ten thousand men,
Stop marching.
And he marched them up to the top of the hill,
Wiggle your fingers and "march" them as high as you can.
And he marched them down again.
Wiggle your fingers as you "march" them down.
And when they were up, they were up,
And when they were down, they were down,
And when they were only half-way up,
Hold your arms at waist level. Cross and uncross them.
They were neither up
nor down.
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Here are the bee hives
(left hand cupped downward)
Where are the bees?
Hidden away where nobody sees.
(hide fingers of right hand under it)
Soon they'll come creeping
(fingers come out one by one)
Out of the hives
One, two, three, four, five Buz-zz.
(hand circles around)
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Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man.
(Clap hands together)
Bake me a cake as fast as you can.
Roll it,
(Roll hands over each other)
And pat it,
(Pat hands together)
And mark it with B,
(Draw a B in the air)
And put it in the oven for baby and me.
(Touch tummy)
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Here's the church,
(fingers interlocked; fingers inside)
And here's the steeple.
(index fingers rise to a point)
Open the door
(keep fingers interlocked but turn palms up)
There are all the people.
(wriggle fingers)
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5 little monkey’s swinging in the tree
teasing Mr. Alligator can’t catch me….can’t catch me
along came Mr. Alligator quiet as can be
and snapped that monkey out that tree
4 little monkey’s swinging in the tree
teasing Mr. Alligator can’t catch me….can’t catch me
along came Mr. Alligator quiet as can be
and snapped that monkey out that tree
3 little monkey’s swinging in the tree
teasing Mr. Alligator can’t catch me….can’t catch me
along came Mr. Alligator quiet as can be
and snapped that monkey out that tree
2 little monkey’s swinging in the tree
teasing Mr. Alligator can’t catch me….can’t catch me
along came Mr. Alligator quiet as can be
and snapped that monkey out that tree
1 little monkey’s swinging in the tree
teasing Mr. Alligator can’t catch me….can’t catch me
along came Mr. Alligator quiet as can be
and snapped that monkey out that tree
No more monkey’s swinging in the tree!
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Stand up high,
Spread your arms wide,
Fly like the birdies fly,
Bend down low
Touch your toes,
Waddle like the old duck goes.