Brushing Your Teeth: Fingerplay

Brush Your Teeth
Author unknown: Compiled on 1,2,3 Learn Curriculum
To the tune of: Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Brush, Brush, Brush Your Teeth,
AS IF INDEX FINGER IS A TOOTHBRUSH, IN FRONT OF TEETH
’til they‘re shiny bright.
SMILE WIDE AND POINT TO TEETH
They’ll be healthy, they’ll be strong,
FLEX ARMS IN A MUSCLE POSE
if you treat them right.
SHAKE FINGER

Source: “Dental Health: Songs Poems and Fingerplays.” (n.d.): 241-42. 123 Learn Curriculum. Jean. Web. 16 Mar. 2017.

Participation Age Range: Ages 6 months to 5 years old

Alligator : Fingerplay

I’m an Alligator
Words and Actions by CK Emanuel
To the tune of: I’m a Policeman Dress in Blue

I’m an alligator, yes it’s true;
PUT PALMS TOGETHER AND OPEN AND CLOSE
With skin of a greenish hue.
STROKE ALONG ARM
I swim softly in my swamp,
MOVE HANDS TOGETHER AS IF GATOR IS SWIMMING
Til’ I see dinner– then I chomp!
OPEN AND THEN CLOSE HANDS TOGETHER LIKE MOUTH

Down in the water, look for me.
CUP EYES LIKE BINOCULARS
I could be a branch of a tree!
ARMS TO SIDES LIKE A LOG
Its my trick and its works great–
FINGER TO MOUTH IN “SHH”; THEN GIVE A “THUMBS UP”
Ask the meal I just ate!
RUB STOMACH

Participation Age Range: Ages 2 to 7 years old

Dancing Monster: Puppet

Story: Frank Was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance by Keith Graves

Need:
– Foam: green, white, black, orange or blue
– Straw (to use as ‘bones’  to give structure to the pant legs and arms)
– Yarn (for puppet strings)
– Doll Rod – Puppet handle
– Wooden Clothes Pin (to be able to release secondary string attached to head)
– Various fabric for clothes (shirt and pants)
-Velcro

Participation Age Range: 3 to 8 years old

A Bicycle Built for Two: Fingerplay

A Bicycle Built for Two
Traditional American Folk Song; Actions by CK Emanuel

Daisy, Daisy,
WAVE HELLO
Give me your answer do;
HAND IN FRONT AND THEN  BRING IT TO CHEST AS IF TAKING SOMETHING
I’m half crazy
TOUCH FINGERTIPS TO TEMPLES, MOVE AWAY FROM HEAD AND SPREAD OUT FINGERS LIKE EXPLOSION
All for the love of you.
PLACE HANDS OVER HEART;
POINT TO SOMEONE
It won’t be a stylish marriage,
PRETEND TO PUT A RING ON FINGER
I can’t afford a carriage;
SHOW EMPTY PALMS
But you’ll look sweet upon the seat
POINT TO SOMEONE;
EXTEND TWO FINGERS FLAT, THEN “SIT” TWO FINGERS FROM OPPOSITE HAND UPON IT.
Of a bicycle built for two!
MOVE HANDS IN A CIRCLE AS IF
PEDALING A BIKE;
HOLD UP TWO FINGERS

Source: “American Folksongs.” Children’s Stories. Ed. S.E. Schlosser. AmericanFolklore.net, n.d. Web. 07 Jan. 2017.

Humpty Dumpty: Fingerplay

Humpty Dumpty And His Brother
Text traditional as attributed to Somerset; Actions by CK Emanuel

Humpty Dumpty and his brother
HOLD UP 1 FIST THEN THE OTHER
Were as like as one another
EXAMINE FISTS CLOSELY
Couldn’t tell one from t’other
HOLDS HANDS OUT TO SIDES AND SHAKE HEAD.
Humpty Dumpty and his brother.
HOLD UP 1 FIST THEN THE OTHER

Source of Rhyme: Opie, Iona, and Peter Opie, comps. A Family Book of Nursery Rhymes. New York: Oxford UP, 1964. Print.

Unicorn: Fingerplay

Why Does the Unicorn Have One Horn?
Words and Actions by CK Emanuel

Oh, why does the unicorn have one horn,
BOTH HANDS, PALMS TOGETHER AT FOREHEAD; HOLD UP 1 FINGER
Only one that gleams with gold?
WAG UP ONE FINGER
Oh, why does the unicorn have one horn,
AS BEFORE
When five would be a sight to behold?
HOLD UP FIVE FINGERS; POINT TO EYES

I suppose that the horse is still jealous,
CROSS ARMS, AND FROWN
for the horse has none, its true!
TOUCH FINGERTIPS TO THUMB TO MAKE A “0”
And the zebra might wish harder for one
BRING FISTS TO CHEST; HOLD UP 1 FINGER
Than unicorn wishes for two.
BOTH HANDS, PALMS TOGETHER AT FOREHEAD; HOLD UP 2 FINGERS

Farmer: Fingerplay

10 Little Farmers
Text and Actions by CK Emanuel
To the tune of the traditional rhyme: 10 Little Indians

OPENING ACTIONS: HOLD UP APPROPRIATE NUMBER OF FINGERS
One little, two little, three little farmers
Four little, five little, six little farmers
Seven little, eight little, nine little farmers,
Ten little farmers …

ENDING PHRASE MAY INCLUDE:
… on the tractor
MOVE HANDS AS IF DRIVING
… sowing the fields
AS IF SPRINKLING SEEDS
… growing food
START HAND FLAT ON GROUND THEN MOVE IT VERTICAL TO SHOW GROWTH
… milking the cows
MOVE HANDS AS IF MILKING
… shearing the sheep
MOVE HANDS AS IF SHEARING SHEEP
… gathering eggs
MOVE HANDS AS IF PLACING EGGS IN BASKET