fingerplays

Fingerplays and Songs

Fingerplays and songs are great for early literacy development. Rhyming helps children hear that words are made up of parts and being able to hear different parts of words will help them sound out words when they start to learn to read. Repetition is important because it strengthens connections in the developing brain, so repeat rhymes and songs with your children at home or in the car. [Learn more].

Try these songs and fingerplays with your child!

Apples and Bananas

Find it on a CD!

I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas
I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas

Now change the vowel sound to A

I like to ate, ate, ate ay-pples and ba-nay-nays
I like to ate, ate, ate ay-pples and ba-nay-nays

Change the vowel sound to E

I like to eat, eat, eat ee-pples and bee-nee-nees
I like to eat, eat, eat ee-pples and bee-nee-nees

Change the vowel sound to I

I like to ite, ite, ite i-pples and bi-ni-nis
I like to ite, ite, ite i-pples and bi-ni-nis

Change the vowel sound to O

I like to oat, oat, oat oh-pples and bo-no-nos
I like to oat, oat, oat oh-pples and bo-no-nos

Change the vowel sound to U

I like to oot, oot, oot oo-pples and boo-noo-noos
I like to oot, oot, oot oo-pples and boo-noo-noos

Apple Tree

Find it on a CD!

Way up high in the apple tree

(stretch both arms above your head, hands open)

One little apple smiled at me

(keep arms above head, close one hand into a fist)

I shook that tree as hard as I could

(keep arms above head, "shake" tree)

Down came the apple

(bring fists down to the ground)

Mmmm, it sure looks good!

(rub stomach)

(repeat with 2 apples)

Two little apples under the tree

One for you and one for me

Two little apples, crunch crunch crunch!

Two let apples, let's eat them for our lunch! YUM!

Autumn Leaves

Leaves are floating softly down.

(flutter fingers downward)

They make a carpet on the ground.

(ground motion)

Then whoosh, the wind comes whistling by,

(move fingers from one side to the other)

And sends them dancing to the sky.

(flutter fingers upward)

Bananas

Bananas unite!

Bananas split!

Peel bananas

Peel peel bananas

Peel bananas

Peel peel bananas

You peel it to the left

You peel it to the right

You peel it down the middle,

And YUM! Take a bite

Go bananas

Go go bananas

Go bananas

Go go bananas

Cup of Tea

Here's a cup

(form a cup with one hand)

And here's a cup

(form a cup with the other hand)

And here's a pot of tea.

(form a pot with both hands)

Pour a cup,

(pretend to pour)

And pour a cup,

And have a drink with me.

(pretend to drink)

Drums

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Goes the big bass drum.

Rat-a-tat-tat goes the little one.

And down the street in line we come

To the boom, boom, boom

Of the big bass drum,

And the rat-a-tat-tat of the little one.

Here is Bunny

Here is bunny

(make fist with right hand)

With ears so funny.

(hands make ears above head)

This is his home in the ground.

(make hole with hands)

When a noise he hears,

(cup hands by ears)

He perks up his ears,

(perk up fingers)

And jumps into the ground.

(jump right hand into hole in left hand)

I Have Ten Fingers

I have ten little fingers,

(hold up fingers)

And they all belong to me.

(point to self)

I can make them do things.

Do you want to see?

(point to a friend)

I can close them up tight.

(make fists)

I can make them wide.

(spread fingers)

I can put them together.

(clap)

I can make them hide.

(hands behind back)

I can hold them up high.

(raise hands high in the air)

I can hold them down low.

(touch floor)

I can put them together,

(fold hands)

And fold them just so.

(place hands on lap)

Little Turtle

There was a little turtle.

(make small circle with thumb and finger)

He lived in a box.

(cup hands to form box)

He swam in a puddle.

(swimming motions)

He climbed on the rocks.

(climbing motion with hands)

He snapped at a mosquito.

(clap hands)

He snapped at a flea.

(clap hands)

He snapped at a minnow.

(clap hands)

He snapped at me.

(clap hands)

He caught the mosquito.

(catching motion with hands)

He caught the flea.

(catching motion with hands

He caught the minnow.

(catching motion with hands

But he didn't catch me!

(point to self and shake head, "no!")

Open, Shut Them

(hands act out words)

Open, shut them. Open, shut them.

Give a little clap.

Open, shut them. Open, shut them.

Put them in your lap.

Creep them, creep them,

Slowly creep them, right up to your chin.

Open wide your little mouth,

But do not put them in.

Open, shut them. Open, shut them.

Give a little clap.

Open, shut them. Open, shut them.

Put them in your lap.

Tall as a Tree

Tall as a tree,

(raise arms high)

Big as a house.

(arms out wide)

Thin as a pin,

(hold arms at sides)

Tiny as a mouse.

(make self small)

Ten Little Fingers

(hands act out words)

Ten little fingers,

We raise them up high.

Ten little fingers,

We wave them goodbye!

There's a Spider on the Floor

There's a spider on the floor, on the floor.

(walk fingers around on floor)

There's a spider on the floor, on the floor.

Who could ask for any more

Than a spider on the floor?

There's a spider on the floor, on the floor.

There's a spider on my leg, on my leg.

(walk fingers up leg)

There's a spider on my leg, on my leg.

Oh it's really really big

This old spider on my leg.

There's a spider on my leg, on my leg.

Now the spider's on my stomach, on my stomach.

(walk fingers on stomach)

Now the spider's on my stomach, on my stomach.

Oh he's just a dumb old lummock

This old spider on my stomach.

Now the spider's on my stomach, on my stomach.

Now the spider's on my head, on my head.

(walk fingers on head)

Now the spider's on my head, on my head.

Oh, how I'm filled with dread,

I've got a spider on my head!

Now the spider's on my head, on my head.

And he jumps off! ...

(jump fingers off head)

Now there's a spider on the floor, on the floor.

(walk fingers around on floor)