Toddler Fingerplays,
Rhymes, and Songs
AEYC-Missouri State Conference
Cherri Jones, CRC,
Meyer Library, MSU
When Ducks Get Up In
the Morning
When ducks get up in the morning
They always say “good day.”
When ducks get up in the morning
They always say “good day.”
“Quack, quack. Quack, quack.”
That is what they say.
“Quack, quack. Quack, quack.”
That is what they say.
(Repeat, using different animals.)
Animal Sounds
getreadykids.com – puppet and CD
Animal sounds. Animal sounds.
Let’s make some animal sounds.
A pig says “Oink, oink”. A dog says “Bow wow”
A cow says “Moo moo”. A cat says “Meow”
A bird says “Tweet tweet”;A sheep says “Baa baa”
A horse says “Neigh neigh”.
A duck says “Quack quack”
Snow Is Falling Down
Lapsit Services for the Very Young II by Linda L. Ernst
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Snow is falling down, shhhh.
Snow is falling down, shhhh.
Slowly, slowly, very slowy,
Snow is falling down, shhhh.
Building a Snowman
Sing a Song of Storytime by Susan M. Dailey
Take some snow and roll it around (roll hounds around
each other)
Around, around, around, around, around, around, around
(repeat this verse two more times)
‘Til you have a huge ball. (show LARGE circle with hands)
Then take some snow and roll it around (roll hands)
Around, around, around, around, around, around, around
Around, around, around, around, around, around, around
‘Til you have a big ball. (show BIG circle with hands)
Then take some snow and roll it around (roll hands)
Around, around, around, around, around, around, around
‘Til you have a SMALL ball. (show SMALL circle)
Now add two eyes, a nose and a hat. (point)
And wrap around a scarf and that is that! (pretend)
The Bear
Toddle On Over by Robin Works Davis
Here is the cave, (bend fingers on one
hand)
Inside is a bear. (pub thumb inside
fingers)
Now he comes out,
To get some fresh air. (pop out thumb)
Round and Round the Garden
Music for Very Little People by John M. Feierabend
Round and round the garden (tickle a circle
on tummy)
Goes the teddy bear. (keep tracing a circle)
One step, two step (take “steps” with your
fingers)
Tickle you under there! (Tickle under her
arm)
Arabella Miller
Little Arabella Miller had a fuzzy
caterpillar.
First it climbed up on her mother,
Then up on her baby brother.
They said, “Arabella Miller! Put away
your caterpillar!”
Beehive
Here is the beehive,
where are all the
bees?
Hidden inside where
nobody sees.
Here they come,
creeping out of the
hive
1, 2, 3 4 5! Buzzzzzzzz
(Use Bee finger
puppets.)
Clap, Tap, Bend (From It's Toddler Time by
Carol Hammett & Elaine Bueffel)
I take my little hands and go clap, clap, clap (gently clap
hands)
I take my little hands and go clap, clap, clap
I take my little hands and go clap, clap, clap
Clap, clap, all day long.
I take my little feet and go tap, tap, tap (tap feet)
I take my little feet and go tap, tap, tap
I take my little feet and go tap, tap, tap
Tap, tap, all day long.
I take my little knees and go bend, bend, bend (bend and
straighten knees alternately)
I take my little knees and go bend, bend, bend
I take my little knees and go bend, bend, bend
Bend, bend all day long.
A Rom Som Som
Songs & Games for Toddlers/McGrath & Smithrim
A rom som som (pound fists together)
A rom som som
Gooly gooly gooly gooly gooly (spread fingers out)
Rom som som (pound fists) REPEAT
A rob bee (wave hands above head)
A rob bee
Gooly gooly gooly gooly gooly (spread fingers out)
Rom som som (pound fists) REPEAT
The Flea
(From Music for Very Little
People by John Feierabend)
On my toe there is a flea,
(“climb” fingers up,
tap top of head)
Now he’s climbing on my knee,
Past my tummy, past my nose,
On my head where my hair grows.
On my head there is a flea,
Now he’s climbing down on me,
Past my tummy, past my knee,
On my toe TAKE THAT YOU FLEA! (tickle foot or
shake finger on toe)
Handy Dandy
(Hide an object in one hand. Have
children choose which hand to open to
find object.)
Handy Dandy,
Riddledy ro.
Which hand will you have?
High, or low?
Knock on the Door
Knock on the door (tap forehead)
Ring the bell (pull ear gently)
Lift the latch (tweak nose)
And walk in (“walk” fingers on lips)
Go down to the cellar (“walk”
fingers to tummy)
And EAT UP ALL THE APPLES!
(tickle tummy)
Let’s Go to the Wood
(Traditional, Great
Britain)
“Let’s go to the wood,” said this
little pig. (wiggle wrist)
“What to do there?” said this
little pig. (wiggle other wrist)
“Find our mother,” said this
little pig. (wiggle ankle)
“What to do with her?” said this
little pig. (wiggle other ankle)
“Kiss her all over!” said this little
pig. (make kisses)
Moses Supposes
(Traditional, England)
Moses supposes his toeses are roses,
(wiggle toes one by one with fingers)
But Moses supposes erroneously;
For nobody’s toeses are posies of roses
As Moses supposes his toeses to be.
Rain is Falling Down (The
Baby Record by Bob McGrath
and Katharine Smithrim)
Rain is falling down. (wiggle fingers high,
then “rain” down)
Rain is falling down. (repeat)
Pitter, patter, pitter, patter (tap
fingers together)
Rain is falling down (wiggle fingers down)
Splash! (hit hands on ground)
Round and Round the Haystack
Music for Very Little People by John Feierabend
Round and round the haystack (make a
circle on palm)
Went the little mouse.
One step, two steps, (“walk” fingers up
arm)
In his little house. (tap top of head).
Shoe a Little Horse
Music for Very Little People by John Feierabend
Shoe a little horse (tap lightly on
feet)
Shoe a little mare.
But let the little colt
Go bare, bare, bare!
(Teach children to tap the feet of
a favorite stuffed animal, doll,
or friend!)
Tommy Thumbs Up
Songs and
Games for Toddlers by Bob McGrath
Tommy Thumbs Up and Tommy Thumbs down,
(thumbs up, thumbs down)
Tommy Thumbs dancing all around the town.
(“dance” around)
Dance them on your shoulders (tap shoulders)
Dance them on your head. (tap head)
Dance them on your knees then (tap knees)
Tuck them into bed. (tuck under arms)
Where Is Thumbkin?
Where is Thumbkin, where is Thumbkin?
Here I am, Here I am.
How are you today, sir? Very well I thank
you.
Run away, run away.
Where is Pointer, Long Man, Ring Man, Little
Man? Etc.
(Good to use with finger puppets.)