One Finger, Two Finger…Fingerplay Fun!

Here is an simple activity designed to entertain and to teach a baby or a child. It requires no sophisticated tools, equipment,  or technology…only one’s two hands and some time to devote to the exercise.

Did you ever notice that a baby is fascinated with his or her hands once he discovers them?  The baby will watch the hands; curl them around each other; wiggle his fingers, and reach out and try to grasp things.The baby is also somewhat mesmerized when watching others move their fingers in front of him, especially when the movement is combined with song and/ or music. Hence, the fingerplay activity is a way of getting and holding the baby’s attention.

A fingerplay then is an intentional manipulation of the fingers to act out a sequence in accordance with a rhyme or musical story. The lilting words in song format also help to make this shared experience enjoyable, as a an infant or child hears language that goes along with the “finger show.” In this way, the fingerplay activity it facilitates the development and understanding of new words and their meanings. Also, all the while the fingerplay exercise is enhancing a child’s memory through relating to the song and the coordinating finger movement.

Fingerplays are multi-sensory activities that also help babies to develop eye hand coordination as he watches carefully and later tries the finger actions himself. The fingerplay activity helps a child to develop their the gross as well as their fine motor skills as they use their fingers to express actions.

The fingerplay sets forth a shared pattern of song and activity that can be replicated often. In this way, the baby begins to remember it. As a baby develops, the adult may lead the babies fingers to follow the actions. A child will also begin to copy the actions of the fingerplays he has become familiarized with.

Many fingerplays have been passed down through generations. I remember doing “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “This Little Finger Went to Market” with my own children (we also did toe plays of this later one!)

…so learn some fingerplays , and share them with your baby or child. You will be delighted by the twinkle in his or her eyes and the smiles you will receive. You will find that the shared activity helps ito create a stronger bond between you and your baby or child. Moreover, you will be giving your child the gift of language, as he sees, hears and learns to move his fingers to the delightful music or the sound of your voice.

Marsha K Britton, Ed.D.
Reading and Language Arts

Additional Notes:
There are many books for purchase that have compilations of fingerplays with illustrations. One title is The Complete Book of Rhymes, Songs, Poems, Fingerplays: Over 700 Selections. This book, by Jackie Silberg and Pam Schiller and illustrated by Debbie Wright, is in paperback format. There is also Totline 100 Rhymes and Fingerplays illustrated by Gary Mohrmann. In addition, a list of books providing fingerplays can be found at the following link:

http://www.unc.edu/~sllamber/pathfinder/fingerplays.html

Here are some websites with fingerplays to share with your baby and /or child:

http://www.fun-baby-games-online.com/preschool-fingerplays-and-songs.html
This site lists a starter kit for baby fingerplays, animal fingerplays for babies, and counting and number rhyme fingerplays ..

http://www.naturallearning.com/fingerplays.html
At this site, you can select a letter of the alphabet, and there is a corresponding fingerplay (ex. B is for bears).

http://www.thebestkidsbooksite.com/fingerplays-for-kids.cfm
You can chose from many fingerplays from a list in alphabetical order.

http://www.parentingtoddlers.com/childfingerplays.html
This site presents some common well known fingerplays for children.

http://library.missouristate.edu/meyer/crc/fingerplays.pdf
From a university, some favorite fingerplays and “bouncing rhymes.”

http://picklebums.com/2008/05/05/crazy-baby-songs-and-finger-plays/
This site lists crazy songs and fingerplays to make your baby giggle!

http://www.cantonpl.org/youth/parents/poems/fingerplays/s-z
Here are some poems and fingerplays from a public library.
http://www.nncc.org/Curriculum/fingerplay.html

This site has more fingerplays and rhymes for children.

http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/preschool-rhymes.htm
This website includes counting and number rhyme fingerplays for babies through preschool children.

http://www.head-start.lane.or.us/education/activities/music/songs-fingerplays.html
This website contains a dozen popular fingerplay rhymes.

http://www.songsforteaching.com/fingerplays/index.htm
This site has fingerplays, songs and chants for young children.