Finger plays: bridges to language development

When singing these songs with your toddlers,

1.Have them sit in your lap or on the floor facing you. Encourage your child(ren) to imitate your hand movements and body movements.

2.Look at their faces and get them to look at yours by smiling and kissing them. They will love this attention and begin to imitate you. That's what you want, because later, they will begin to imitate your words and phrases.

3.Use alot of intonation and rhythm even if you can't sing in key. It doesn't matter. The child will respond to the rhythm and repetition of familiar songs. As the child gets to know the songs and fingerplays, you can begin to leave out the last word of the phrase to see if your child will begin to "fill in" the blank. Sing the songs slowly.

There are many books on nursery rhymes and fingerplays, but here are a few of the words printed below to get you started:

Eesy Weensy Spider

The eensy weensy spider

Went up the water spout

Down came the rain and washed the spider out

Out came the sun and dried up all the rain

And the eesy weensy spider went up the spout again

Open shut them(open and shut your hands)

Open shut them, open shut them

Give a little clap clap clap

Open shut them, open shut them

Put them in your lap lap lap

Creep them, creep them, slowly creep them

Right up to your chin

Open WIDE your little mouth

But do not let them in!

By the Sea (good practice for vowel sounds and blowing bubbles in the bathtub or at the beach)

(*watch your child at all times while in the bath or near water)

By the sea, by the sea , by the beautiful sea

You and me, you and me, oh how happy we'll be

When each wave comes a rollin' in

We will duck and swim, and we'll roll around and around in the water

Over and Under and Up for some air,

Ma is rich, Pa is rich, so now what do we care?

I want to be beside the sea, beside the sea, beside the sea side, by the beautiful sea!

With any of your favorite songs, use your child's hands and love of being held by you that makes this activity a real favorite amongst toddlers.