Finger and
hand play O-S
Octopus can wiggle
Old Tom Tomato
Once a little apple seed
Once I saw a bunny
Once I saw a little bird
Once I saw a little shell
Once I saw an octopus
One little finger
Open,
shut them
Papiyon
volé / Butterfly fly, fly
Pea
pods
Piggie
Wig and Piggie Wee
Pit-pat
Plant
a little seed
Put your finger on your head
Right hand, left hand
Roll your hands so slowly
Roly-poly
caterpillar
Run little crab on the sandy
beach
See my fingers merrily dancing
See my fingers walking walking
See, see, see, three birds are
in a tree
See the carrots
See the little caterpillar
Six little pigs
Something in my pocket
Sometimes my hands are by my
side
Sparrows in a nest
Stars are twinkling in the sky
Sunflower, sunflower
Last updated: 8/21/2023
10:31 AM
These
songs are nursery rhymes and other traditional songs compiled,
illustrated
and music arranged by Dany Rosevear.
Return to the ‘Singing
games for children’ home page
To listen to music from these
songs click on 🔊
To watch the
author sing a song click on the title at:
© Dany Rosevear 2013 All rights reserved
You
are free to copy, distribute, display and perform these works under the
following conditions:
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you must give the original author credit
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you may not use this work for commercial purposes
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for any re-use or distribution, you must make clear to others the
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any of these can be waived if you get permission from the copyright
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Your
fair use and other rights are no way affected by the above.
|
Octopus can wiggle 🔊
A hand play to count and practice
dexterity. Younger chidren can join in with the clapping. Line 1. Wiggle four fingers on each hand with thumbs linked. Open and
close hands. 2. Place one hand on top of the other and with thumbs out make a
swimming motion. Cross hands at wrists and flap. 3. Raise thumbs. Tap fingers
together. 4. Hold up hands and clap three times. |
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Octopus can wiggle, crocodile snaps, Fish swim, birds flap, Two thumbs up!, Eight fingers tap, My two hands can, “Clap, clap, clap!” |
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Old Tom Tomato O
For a gardening or fruit focus. 1-3. make fist into a ball. 4. Open mouth and put fingers in. 5--7.
Stroke throat. 8. hold out hand. |
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Old Tom Tomato, like a red ball, Basked in the sunshine by the garden wall. Along came … with his mouth open wide And old Tom Tomato popped inside. Down, down, down, down the red lane - We won’t see old Tom Tomato again. But … just chuckled and said ‘Ha ha! I like red tomatoes, please give me some more.’ |
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Once a little apple seed 🔊
Demonstrate the wonder of new life
burgeoning from the tiny to the large. Talk about how other things grow from
tiny beginnings. This song can also be sung to ‘Incy
wincy spider’. Music arranged by Dany Rosevear. ‘Plant’ seed in the palm. Fingers moving downwards indicate rain
falling. Draw a big circle to make the sun, wiggle fingers to make rays. Tap
palm then place hands together and move them upwards and out to ‘grow’ the
apple tree. |
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Once a little apple seed, was planted in the ground, Down came the raindrops, falling all around. Out came the big sun, as bright as bright could be, And that little apple seed grew up, to be an apple tree! |
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Once
I saw a bunny 🔊
Play this as a game with a baby’s fist or by demonstrating the hand
play to young children to copy. 1. Make bunny ears with index
and middle finger. 2. Make baby’s fist, or fist or other hand, to be the
cabbage. 3. Nibble fingers on baby’s or the other hand. 4. Make finger bunny
ears as before. 5. Tap head, tap wrist. Bounce baby on knees or make hand hop
away. |
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And a green, green cabbage head. “I think I’ll have some cabbage,” The little bunny said. So he nibbled and he nibbled, And he pricked his ears to say, “Now I think it’s time that I should be hopping on
my way!” |
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Once I saw a little bird O
A Mother Goose nursery rhyme and
hand play game. 1. Make thumb and forefinger open and close. 2. Forefinger hops on
palm of hand. 3. Hold up palm of hand. 4. Make window shape then wave hand.
5. Wag first two fingers up and down. 6. Cross wrists and flap hands. |
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Once I saw a little bird Come hop, hop, hop; So I said, "Little bird, Won’t you stop, stop, stop?" I was going to the window To say, "How do you do?” But he shook his little tail, And away he flew. |
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Once I saw a little shell 🔊
A simple garden handplay. A very
wet May this year has produced legions of snails in the gardens here. Good
for badger perhaps, not so much the young plants, Music by Dany Rosevear. 1. Place fist on the back of the other hand. 2. Knock on ‘shell’,
shake finger. 3. Turn head. 4. Make snail again, one hand covers fist and
first two fingers peep out. 5. Wag first fingers up and down.. |
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Once I saw a little shell Upon a garden wall, I tapped upon the little door; No answer came at all. But as I turned to go away, A snail crept out to see Who tapped upon his little door, And waved his horns at me. |
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Once I saw an octopus 🔊
A number hand play with an ocean
life theme. Music by Dany Rosevear. 1. Link thumbs and curl fingers into fists, make wavy sea with hands.
2. Put hand to mouth and call, make a swimming motion. 3. With thumbs linked
extend fingers. 4. Starting with little finger count them. |
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In the deep blue sea. I called, "Hey, Mr. Octopus, Won't you swim with me?" Then out came his tentacles, So very long and straight. I counted them, “One, two, three, four, Five, six, seven, eight!” |
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This is the version I sang in the 1980s. The most recent ones have a
different tune and words. Make the movements suggested by the
words.
|
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You can find many versions of this
on the internet but this one works for me. The words tell you what to do! |
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Open, shut them, open, shut them, Give a little clap, clap clap! Open, shut them, open, shut them, Lay them in your lap, lap, lap. Creep them, crawl them, creep them, crawl them, Right up to your chin, chin chin. Open up your little mouth, But do not let them in, in, in! Open, shut them, open, shut them, To your shoulders fly, fly, fly! Now like all the little birdies, Fly up in the sky, sky, sky. Roll them, roll them, roll them, roll them, Roll them just like this, this, this. Wave them, wave them, wave them, wave them, Blow a little kiss, kiss, kiss. |
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Papiyon volé / Butterfly fly, fly 🔊
A Créole Carnival song from Antilla. English translation by Dany
Rosevear. Get everyone up on their feet and
dancing to the carnival rhythm. Accompany this music with
percussion and whistles. Cross arms at the wrist and flap hands up down and around as you
dance. |
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Papiyon volé, Cé volé nou ka volé! (cevo lenoo kavole) Papiyon volé, Cé volé nou ka volé! Butterfly, fly, fly, You do nothing else but
fly! Butterfly, aye, aye, You do nothing else but
fly! Papiyon volé, Cé volé nou ka volé! Papiyon volé, Cé volé nou ka volé! Butterfly, why why, You do nothing else but
fly? Butterfly, goodbye, You do nothing else but
fly! Papiyon volé, Cé volé nou ka volé! Papiyon volé, Cé volé nou ka volé! |
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Pea pods
Harvest time is soon on its way. This simple hand play is inspired
by a Spanish rhyme ‘El Frijolito’ Unas vainitas muy lindas de una plantita corte. Despues abrf las vainitas, y frijolitos halle. Translation and hand play by Dany
Rosevear. 1. Hold up four fingers. 2. Raise hand with thumb up and tug each
finger. 3. Place fists together with thumbs pointing forward. 4. Open them up
to expose thumb tips pointing and finger ‘peas’ curled inside. |
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Look at the lovely green peapods, Picked from a tall, tall vine; Open them up and what can you see? Little peas sleeping in line! |
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Piggie Wig and Piggie Wee 🔊
Another classic from Emilie
Poulsson’s ‘Finger Plays’ originaly published 1889. 1. Raise one thumb then the other, raise fingers and thumbs hide
behind them. 2. Wiggle thumbs then peep through fingers. 3. Hands swing
apart, thumbs run in. 4. Thumbs run forward. 5. Pigs / thumbs fall into open hands. |
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Piggy Wig and Piggy Wee, Hungry pigs as pigs could be, For their dinner had to wait, Down behind the garden gate. Piggy Wig and Piggy Wee, Climbed the barnyard gate to see, Peeping through the gate so high, But no dinner could they spy. Piggy Wig and Piggy Wee, Got down, sad as pigs could be; But the gate soon opened wide And they scampered forth outside. Piggy Wig and Piggy Wee, What was their delight to see Dinner ready, not far off – Such a full and tempting trough! Piggy Wig and Piggy Wee, Greedy pigs as pigs could be, For their dinner ran pell mell; In the trough both piggies fell. |
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Pit-pat 🔊
A classic from A.W.I. Chitty’s
‘Finger Play songs for the nursery class’ originally published 1949. 1. Tap lightly on the floor / table/ palm of the hand. 2. Rap rhytmn
with knuckles as before. 3. Clap hands to rhythm. 4. Flap elbows. |
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Pit-pat, pit-pat, Listen to the raindrops, Pit-pat, pit-pat, On a rainy day. Pit-pat, pit-pat, Listen to the raindrops, That’s what my fingers say. Rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat, Listen to the Postie, Rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat, What a busy day! Rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat, Listen to the Postie That’s what my knuckles say. Clap, clap, clap, clap, Listen to the children, Clap, clap, clap, clap, Happy all the day! Clap, clap, clap, clap, Listen to the children, That’s what my hands both say. Flip-flap, flip-flap, Listen to the birdies. Flip-flap, flip-flap, Fluttering away! Flip-flap, flip-flap, Listen to the birdies, That’s what my elbows say. |
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Plant a little seed 🔊
This dear little song and game was
written by Nancy
Stewart a children's singer-songwriter based in Seattle, Washington. http://www.nancymusic.com/index.htm . Great for identifying, describing
and sorting vegetable and fruits. 1. Cup hand to make a pot, thumb and forefinger push seed into the pot
three times in time to the music. 2. The other hand ‘grows’ up from the pot.
3. Place one fist on top of the other upwards in time to the music. |
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Plant a little seed, Watch it grow, Soon we will have a vegetable. Plant a little seed, Watch it root, Soon we will have a piece of fruit. Plant a little seed, Watch it sprout, Let’s all try to figure it out. (Is it a fruit, or a vegetable?) |
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This song was written for children by Woody Guthrie; inevitably
through the folk process in the classroom words have changed slightly. Make the movements suggested by the
words.
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Right hand, left hand 🔊
Learn to identify left and right
hands. Music by Dany Rosevear. 1. Raise left hand. 2. Show right palm and then
left. 3. Roll hands around. 4. Show left palm and then right. 5. Pound fists
together. |
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This is my right hand, I'll raise it up high. This is my left hand, I'll touch the sky. Right hand, left hand, Roll them around, Left hand, right hand, Pound, pound, pound! |
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Roll your hands 🔊
A classic hand play for the very
young to demonstrate opposites: fast and slow, soft and loud. Add other
pairings to this simple song. Music by Dany Rosevear. Actions are as suggested! |
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Roll your hands so slowly, As slowly as can be. Roll your hands so slowly, And fold your arms like me. Roll your hands so quickly, As quickly as can be. Roll your hands so quickly, And fold your arms like me. Clap your hands so softly, As softly, as can be. Clap your hands so softly, And fold your arms like me. Clap your hands so loudly, As loudly as can be. Clap your hands so loudly, And fold your arms like me. |
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Roly-poly caterpillar
This can also be played with a baby
creeping fingers down arms. |
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Roly-poly caterpillar into a corner crept, (creep finger down arm to the palm) Spun himself a blanket (roll arms) And for a long time slept. (lay hands to cheek) Roly poly caterpillar woke up by and by; (open fists and stretch arms) Found himself with pretty wings, Changed to a butterfly! (hook thumbs and flutter fingers) |
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Run little crab on the sandy beach 🔊
A hand play for holiday time. From
‘Songs from the nursery school’ published 1937, written by Roberta Whitehead
to a French folk tune. Second two verses by Dany Rosevear. Verse 1. Cross left hand over the other, wiggle finger of right hand.
Flap hands then as before. 2. Place one hand on top of the other with thumbs
out. Make hand ‘swim’. Make shark jaws with forearms and finger teeth. Open and
close ‘mouth’. 3. Cross hands at wrist and flap upwards. Open and close
hands. Fly as before. |
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Run, little crab, on the sandy beach, Scuttle and scurry and hide out of reach, The children are coming with pattering feet, Run for they think you are good to eat! Swim, little fish, in the deep blue sea, Hurry and scurry and swim wild and free, A great shark is coming with sharp, sharp teeth, Swim for it thinks you are good to eat! Fly, little bird, where you can’t be reached, Up in the sky and away from the beach, Crocodile’s coming with scampering feet, Fly for it thinks you are good to eat! |
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See my fingers merrily dancing 🔊
It’s time for tea. 1. Wiggle fingers. 2. Join thumbs then forefingers
to make a triangle. 3. Look through the triangle at little fingers. 4. Wave
little fingers. 5. Make a fist with one hand and put it on the palm of the
other. 6. Pretend to drink from fist. 7. Place knuckles together with thumbs
for handle and pinkies extended for spout. 8. Pretend to pour into partner's
'cup' with other hand. |
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See my fingers merrily dancing, I can see a window frame. I peep through it and I see Two little fingers wave to me. Here's a cup and here's a saucer Now some water I will drink. Here's a teapot with a spout, Hold your cup and I'll pour it out. |
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See my fingers walking, walking 🔊
A finger play for the
nursery. 1.- 2. Fingers of right hand walk on table. 3.-4. Place left hand upright on table with
thumb for chimney pointing upwards. Knock on the table three times. Lift left
hand and fingers of right hand walk underneath. Do the same with other
movements. |
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See my fingers walking, walking, altogether in a
row! See my fingers walking, walking, altogether to and
fro! Here is a big house tall and wide, Knock at the door and walk inside! See my fingers running, running… See my fingers jumping, jumping… See my fingers sliding, sliding… |
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See, see, see, three birds are in a
tree 🔊
A Dutch nursery classic. I
have been unable to find the original Dutch version of this song – let me
know if you have this information. Make up your own rhyming
verses; I made up the third verse. 1. Shade eyes with hands. 2. Hold up three fingers.
3. Point to thumb, index finger and middle finger, then rock baby bird in
arms. 4. As before. Verse 2. And 3. Turn hand upside down for third |
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See, see, see, Three birds are in a tree; One can chirp And one can sing One is just a tiny thing. See, See, See Three birds are in a tree Look, look, look, Three ducks are in a brook; One is white, and one is brown, One is swimming upside down, Look, look, look Three ducks are in a brook. Hey, hey, hey, Three monkeys out at play, One can bounce and one can swing One can do most anything. Hey, hey, hey, Three monkeys out at play. |
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See the carrots 🔊
A simple hand play to
support gardening and healthy eating topics. Music by Dany Rosevear. 1. Make hands form a carrot and point to the ground.
2. Tug to pull them out. 3. Scrub up and down using the palms of your hands.
4. Pretend to eat carrots. |
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See the carrots in the ground, I pull them hard without a sound, I wash and clean them up and down, I love to eat them all year round! |
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See the little caterpillar 🔊
Changing times, the life
cycle of the caterpillar. An opportunity for silly
noises. Words and music by Dany
Rosevear. 1. Wiggle finger on palm. 2. Rub tummy. Open and
close hands. 3. Move one forefinger round the other, sigh. 4. Hands to cheek,
snore, shout ‘Wakey, wakey!with hand to mouth. 5. Cross hands at wrists and
flap. |
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See the little caterpillar eating leaves for
lunch, What a greedy little thing, “Gobble, gobble! Munch! Munch! Munch!” Now it spins a chrysalis, with a soft and careless
sigh, A little sleep, a little snore, “Wakey, wakey!” It’s a beautiful butterfly! |
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Six little
pigs (2) 🔊
A
farmyard 'please' and 'thank you' hand play. Words
and melody by Helen Call and published around 1923 in ‘Songs of
Childhood’. 1. Hold up six fingers. 2. Put hand to
eyes, wiggle little finger. 3. Roll fists round each other. 4. Make arm and
hand into a tree. 5. Put hand to ear. 6. Put hand to mouth. |
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Six little pigs in the straw with their mother, Bright eyes, curly tails, tumbling on each other. Bring them apples from the orchard trees, And hear those piggies say, "Please, please,
please!" Six little pigs in the straw with their mother, Bright eyes, curly tails, tumbling on each other. Bring them apples from the orchard trees, But instead of “Thank you!” they’ll go, "Wee!
Wee! Wee!" |
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Something in my pocket 🔊
Ready to put on your smile
– what a difference it makes! 1. Point to pocket on chest. 2. Tap cheeks. 3. Place
hands on pocket. 4. Nod. 5. Shake finger. 6. Take out smile and put it on
face. |
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I’ve got something in my pocket That belongs across my face, I keep it very close at hand, In a most convenient place. I know you couldn’t guess it If you guessed a long, long while. So I’ll take it out and put it on, It’s a great big friendly SMILE! |
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Sometimes my hands are at my side 🔊
A calming down song. Change
the last line to describe next quiet activity. Tune by Dany Rosevear. Make actions to suit the explicit words. |
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Sometimes my hands are at my side; Then behind my back they hide. Sometimes I wiggle my fingers so, Shake them fast, Shake them slow. Sometimes my hands go “Clap, clap, clap!” Then I rest them in my lap. Now they’re quiet as quiet can be, For now it’s storytime, you see. |
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Sparrows in a nest 🔊
A
poem, hand play and lullaby for the nesting season. Written
by Alexander John Ellis, a mathematician and philologist and published in a
book of nursery rhymes that he wrote for his own children in the 1860s. Music by Dany Rosevear. Verse 1. and 2. Cup hands, one inside the other.
Raise one finger at a time. Move elbow wing up and down. Wiggle ‘worm’ finger
over ‘beak’ thumb and forefinger of other hand. Hands on heart. Verse 3. and 4. Shake finger. Make nest as before.
Shake head. Cross hands at wrist and flap. Nod. Draw sun. Flap hands. Open
and close thumb and forefinger. |
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Sparrows in a nest, One and two and three; Under mother's breast, Warm as warm can be! Mother keeps you warm, Father brings you food, Troubles you have none, Happy little brood! Mind you do not fall From your nest on high, You've no feathers yet, So you cannot fly. When your feathers grow, On a sunny day, You shall learn to fly, Chirp, chirp away! |
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Stars are twinkling in the sky 🔊
Words and melody by Alice
Olsen. Verse 1. Make fingers ‘twinkle’. Move hands up as
the music gats higher and ‘over’ as they shine down. Verse 2. As before. Put
hands to cheek and close eyes. Make hands twinkle. Cover eyes then peep. |
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Stars are twinkling in the sky, Way up high, way up high. Stars are twinkling in the in sky, Shining down on me. We can see them twinkling bright, Through the night, through the night. We can see them twinkling bright, In the dark night sky. |
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Sunflower,
sunflower 🔊
Words
by Sanford Jones who also wrote a melody I was unable to find; the tune below
is by Dany Rosevear. 1. Stand tall with hands to face, fingers
outstretched, draw a circle. 2. Point then put circled thumb and forefinger
to eyes. 3. Stand tall and sweep hands fown and out like leaves. 4. Hand to
heart then put hands to face and wiggle fingers. |
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Sunflower, sunflower, yellow and round. You are the prettiest flower I've found. Tall, straight, full of grace. I love the light in your bright yellow face. |
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