Fingerplays for young children include nursery rhymes, actions, singing, and dancing. These activities help boost their fine and gross motor skills, support language growth, and enhance social skills. The activities are enjoyable and simple for preschoolers to understand.
10 Finger Activities for Preschoolers and Toddlers
Finger-plays for toddlers are great for keeping kids busy during car rides or waiting in lines. These activities help young children use their imagination, learn new things, and discover the world around them while having a good time.
- Five little ducks
- Itsy bitsy spider
- Head and shoulders
- Five speckled frogs
- Hickory dickory dock
- Wind the bobbin up
- Round and round the garden like a teddy bear
- Wheels on the bus
- Pitter patter
- Two little eyes
This is a fun finger-play song for young children. Hold up all the fingers on one hand and one finger on the other hand. Begin singing:
Five little ducks went out one day (sway or wave the five fingers)
Over the hills and far away (draw a hill in the air with your fingers)
Mumma Duck said, “Quack, quack, quack!”
But only four little ducks came back! (fold down one finger)
Sing this song again, each time folding down one more finger to show a missing duck. At the end, have Mumma Duck go and find all the little ducks!
Get your child interested in storytelling by starting with the Itsy Bitsy Spider. This fun tale will catch their attention and show them the value of not giving up. It is about a spider trying to climb a water spout until it finally makes it.
The rhyme is:
Itsy Bitsy Spider climbed up the water spout
Down came the rain and washed the spider out
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
Then Itsy Bitsy Spider climbed up the spout again
You can make a little spider by wiggling your fingers and acting out the song.
“Heads, shoulders, knees, and toes” is a fun rhyme where kids touch each body part as they say it. Get involved to make it more interactive.
The rhyme is:
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes
And eyes and ears and mouth and nose
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes
This activity helps kids learn about different body parts. You can also explain what each part does to make it even more engaging.
This is a silly rhyme about frogs that love to munch on bugs. It will make your kids giggle and keep them interested in the story.
The rhyme goes like this:
Five little spotted frogs
Sat on a spotted log
Eating tasty little bugs
Yum yum!
One leapt into the pool
Where it felt so cool
Then there were four spotted frogs
Glub glub!
Start with five fingers and fold one down each time a frog jumps in. Keep going until there are no frogs left. You can rub your tummy when you say “Yum yum!” and hold your nose while saying “Glub glub!”
This well-known rhyme is frequently taught to young children because it includes fun finger actions and body movements that keep them engaged.
The rhyme is:
Hickory Dickory dock
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck one
The mouse ran down
Hickory Dickory dock
Kids raise one finger for one o’clock, two fingers for two o’clock, and so forth. They can also use their index and middle fingers to mimic the mouse climbing up and down the clock.
Here is a fun finger-play activity for your little one to enjoy.
The rhyme goes like this:
Wind the bobbin up, wind the bobbin up
Pull pull
Clap clap clap
Wind it back again, wind it back again
Pull pull
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 on your knees
Use your fists to mimic winding the bobbin up and down in circles. For “pull-pull,” pull your fists apart, and clap during the “clap…” part. Point to the ceiling, floor, or any other place mentioned in the rhyme, then repeat the first six lines with the actions.
Enjoy this playful finger game to make your child giggle a lot.
The rhyme is:
Round and round the garden like a teddy bear (move one hand in a circle with the index finger of the other hand)
One step
Two-step
Tickle you there!
Use your index finger to follow the steps and start tickling as you say the rhyme.
“Wheels on the Bus” has everything kids enjoy. It has a catchy beat, fun sounds, and a bright bus!
The song goes like this:
The wheels on the bus go round and round (make fists with both hands and move them like steering a wheel)
Round and round, round and round
The wheels on the bus go round and round
All day long
You can also join in with other lines like “The doors on the bus go open and shut,” “The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish,” “The engine of the bus goes vroom, vroom, vroom,” and more. You can even let kids pretend to be passengers and the driver.
When it is raining and your kids can not play outside, give this finger-wiggling game a try.
The rhyme is:
Pitter patter, pitter patter (wiggle fingers to mimic falling rain)
Hear the rain
Pitter patter, pitter patter
Falling on my pane (lightly tap fingers on the table or counter)
Just a heads up, your kids might end up loving the rain after this fun activity!
This is a fun finger play for children that helps them learn about body parts.
Two tiny eyes to see what is near (use your index fingers to show the eyes)
Two tiny ears to catch a sound (point to the ears)
One tiny nose to smell the treats (point to the nose)
One tiny mouth that loves to eat (pretend to eat all the fingers)
Yum, yum, yum! (rub your belly with both hands and sway your body and head side to side).
Finger plays are a great way to keep toddlers busy and happy while helping them grow their thinking and movement skills. Fun songs like “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “Five Little Monkeys” boost their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and language skills. These activities also make learning about order, rhythm, and stories enjoyable.
At Mother’s Pet Kindergarten, we offer different activities into kids’ daily schedules to make sure they are having fun while learning important skills. Our teachers create a happy and exciting space where every child can thrive. By including so many activities in our curriculum, we help kids develop a lifelong love for learning.
