Songs, Finger Plays & Activities for Infants & Toddlers

That precious little person in your life is definitelyglideMice creepDeer leapPuppies bounceKittens
the cutest thing on the planet earth, and positivelypounceLions stalk-But-I walk!~~~by EVELYN
the most intelligent! Why, he was born speakingBEYER~~~WHISKY FRISKYWhisky
Greek, and you don't even know any foreignfrisky,Hipperty hop,Up he goesTo the tree
languages!But seriously, language is one of the firsttop!Whirly, twirly,Round and round,Down he
ways developmental growth in children is noticedscampersTo the ground.Furly, curly,What a tail,Tall
by the general population. Mom and Dad andas a feather,Broad as a sail.Where's his supper?In
Grandma and Grandpa know this baby is the nextthe shell.Snappy, cracky,Out it fell.ANONTHINKING
Baseball Hall of Famer or Albert Einstein, but theSKILLS AND SELF-CONCEPT BODY AWARENESS
cashier at the supermarket won't know diddlyFOR TODDLERS:Counting repetitively to two with
squat about that adorable big blue eyed babya toddler gives him a boost in premath skills. Have
unless she can speak intelligently while strappedyour child point to his ears, eyes, hands, feet,
safely in the shopping cart.So how can one helplegs, knees, cheeks, elbows, thumbs, big toes, or
promote language skills besides reciting the abc'sheels, and count each one with him: One, two,
and Mary Had a Little Lamb and Twinkle Twinkleone, two, one, two...Progress to 5 fingers or
Little Star over and over again?Starting withtoes.FUN HUGGING CUDDLING GIGGLY TIME
finger plays, action rhymes, and songs to sing,WITH YOUR TODDLER OR CHILD OF ANY
there will be numerous activities listed. Each willAGE:The following rhyme is a favorite with kids of
explain the multi purposes of and the age of theall ages.Round and round the garden runs the little
child for which the activity is intended. More will bemouse. (Hold your child's hand palm up, running
added over time as they are found.FOR MOTORyour finger in circles very lightly on his palm.)Up,
SKILLS WITH TODDLERS:Start with clapping andup, up he scampers, (Touch your child's arm on
tapping your hands and feet. Let your toddlerwrist, inside of elbow, and upper arm on each
mimic your actions.Read the following rhyme,"up".)Into his little HOUSE! (Tickle your child's
clapping and tapping when indicated:I have twounderarm on HOUSE!) This is almost guaranteed
little hands that clap, clap, clap.I have two littleto be a favorite of both you and your child!Fun
feet that tap, tap, tap.Clap, clap, clap.Tap, tap,TICKLY KNEE Activity:All ages of my daycare
tap.Clap, clap, tap.Encourage your child to SAYkids have loved this over the years. Very simple
"Clap" and "Tap" as you say the rhyme.FORfor people who don't memorize things well, it's a
SELF-CONCEPT BODY AWARENESS WITHgreat standby for just about any child! Just tickle
TODDLERS:Sing the following song to the tune ofthe child's knee above and to the outside of his
"The Farmer In The Dell."Where are your piggyknee while reciting the following, and be almost
toes?Where are your piggy toes?Oh no, where100% guaranteed that squeals of delight will
have they gone,(pull off socks)I see your piggyfollow, along with constant begging for MORE, and
toes.Pulling off socks is one of the first skills aDO IT AGAIN!Tickly knee, tickly knee, if your
toddler learns. Sing this song while pulling off yourlaugh, you don't love me! (That's it! See, I told you
child's socks, then let your child pull them off byit was simple!)FUN SEASONAL FINGERPLAYS
himself. Encourage your child to pull off the socksAND ACTIVITIES:Tune-The Mulberry BushJumping
without any help while you sing thein the pumpkin patch, (jumping through the whole
song.SELF-CONCEPT AND MOTOR SKILLS FORverse)Pumpkin patch, pumpkin patch,Jumping in
TODDLERS:One of the most challenging things athe pumpkin patch,So early in the
toddler is learning is how to dress herself.morning.**Substitute clapping, stomping, flying,
Somehow it always seems the diapers come offswaying, winking, etc.SIMON SAYS FOR
easier than the shoes go on!Encourage your childHALLOWEEN:1. Fly like a bat.2. Stomp like a
to practice motor skills and begin recognizingmonster.3. Walk like a skeleton.4. Hop like a
opposites by giving her a hat that fits easily onbunny.5. Pounce like a cat.6. Dance like a ballerina.7.
her head. Have her put the hat on and take it off,Roll like a pumpkin...COUNTING FIVE LITTLE
saying Hat on, hat off, hat on, hat off as shePUMPKINS:Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate.One
does.SELF-CONCEPT AND BODY AWARENESSfell down and broke his plate.Four little pumpkins
FOR TODDLERS:Sing the following to the tune ofsitting on a gate.One fell down and lost his
"Are You Sleeping?"Head and shoulders,Head andskate.Three little pumpkins sitting on a gate.One
shoulders.Knees and toes,Knees and toes.Eyesfell down and lost some weight.Two little
and ears,Eyes and ears.Mouth and nose,Mouth andpumpkins sitting on a gate.One fell down and said
nose.Have your child touch each body part as it is"Don't be late!"The littlest pumpking sitting on a
sung, then repeat the song naming different partsgateFell down and said, "No more pumpkins sitting
of the body.THINKING SKILLS FORon the gate!"FIVE LITTLE OWLS:The first little owl
TODDLERS:Recognizing that an object is still therehas great, round eyes. (Point to one finger at a
though it can't be seen is a significant milestonetime.)The second little owl is of very small
for toddlers. Play peek-a-boo often with yoursize.The third little owl can turn her head.The
child, and play games where an object is hiddenfourth little owl likes mice, she said.The fifth little
with a blanket, scarf or bandana, or inside anotherowl flies all around,And her wings make hardly a
object.MOTOR SKILLS FOR TODDLERS:Recitesingle sound.FOUR SEASONS POEM:Spring is
the following rhyme with your toddler sitting onshowery, bowery, flowery.Summer is hoppy,
your knees. Move your knees and toddler up andchoppy, poppy.Autumn is wheezy, sneezy,
down following the lyrics.Marching, marching,Up wefreezy.Winter is slippy, drippy, nippy.ANONMUD
go.Marching marching,Nice and slow.Marching,poem:Mud is very nice to feelAll squishy-squash
marching,Down, down, down.Marching,between the toes!I'd rather wade in wiggly
marching,Through the town.Let your child standmudThan smell a yellow rose.Nobody else but the
and stretch up high and bend down low, or berosebush knowsHow nice mud feels between the
lifted high or put down low as you recite thetoes.by Polly Chase BoydenThunder Finger
poem.MOTOR SKILLS, LISTENING, ANDPlay:Thunder crashes. (Clap hands.)Lightning flashes.
EXERCISE FOR TODDLERS:Large motor skills are(Move hands with zigzag motion.)Rain makes
needed in order to develop as well. Sing thepuddles. (Flutter fingers.)So I can make splashes.
following song to the tune of "The Farmer In The(Jump.)Fun, new words, even if they're not real,
Dell" and let your child giggle and wiggle as youcan be a great way to get a baby or toddler
both do the movements to the song. Substituteexposed to different sounds. The earlier a child is
different body parts and actions.Shake your armsexposed to the sounds of different languages, the
like this,Shake your arms like this,Clap your handseasier it will be for him to pick up on them and
and turn around,Shake your arms like this.MOTORlearn them more fluently. Here are some fun
& THINKING SKILLS, EXERCISE FOR TODDLERSpoems with silly words to share with your
AND ALL AGES:This is a great one to do whenchild:The Cow Poem:The cow mainly moos as she
you're super busy, yet your child is demandingchooses to mooand she chooses to moo as she
your attention. It is also a great activity to do forchooses.She furthermore chews as she chooses
transition times such as after story time gettingto chewand she chooses to chew as she
ready for lunch, after playtime getting ready tomuses.If she chooses to moo she may moo to
go to the store, and other difficult times whenamuseor may moo just to moo as she chooses.If
you just HAVE to do something else besides holdshe chooses to chew she may moo as she
your toddler on your hip.Recite the followingchewsor may chew just to chew as she
actions, doing the motions slowly at first, thenmuses.by Jack PrelutskyAnd a silly one for an
quickly. The kids will dissolve into peals of laughterolder child, Eletelephony:Once there was an
and free you up to get a few things done.Clap,elephant,Who tried to use the telephant--No! no! I
clap, clap your hands as slowly as you can.Clap,mean an elephoneWho tried to use the
clap, clap your hands as quickly as you can.Rub,telephone--(Dear me! I am not certain quiteThat
rub, rub your hands as slowly as you can.Rub, rub,even now I've got it right.)Howe'er it was, he got
rub your hands as quickly as you can.Roll yourhis trunkEntangled in the telephunk;The more he
hands...Wiggle your fingers...(sometimes I wiggletried to get it free,The more buzzed the
my fingers accidentally on their ribs!)Twiddle yourtelephee--(I fear I'd better drop the songof
thumbs...Stomp your feet...Wiggle yourelephop and telephong!)Songs and fingerplays are
body...Wiggle your eyebrows...Slap your knees...Blinkso much fun, and are a great bonding activity
your eyes...ACTION AND LANGUAGE BUILDINGbetween a child and her parents, grandparents,
POETRY FOR THE YOUNG CHILD:Poetry is aand other caregivers.More songs, poetry, and
clearly delightful way to introduce children to newfingerplays will be added to this guide over time
words and language skills. Here are a couple ofas I run across them and as I myself have time.
poems that have not only lots of fun words toThanks for looking, and be sure to mark this as
learn, but to act upon, too!JUMP OR JIGGLEFrogsone of your favorites for easy
jumpCaterpillars humpWorms wiggleBugsreference!eviews.ebay.
jiggleRabbits hopHorses clopSnakes slideSeagulls