Finger and hand play S-Z

See, see, see, three birds are in a tree

Something in my pocket

Stars are twinkling in the sky

Tiptoeing in the dark

The earth needs the raindrops

Tiny little bird

Tommy Thumb

Tommy Thumb is up

Two fat gentlemen

Two little blackbirds sitting in the snow

Two little blackbirds sitting in the sun

Two little dickie birds

Two little feet go tap tap tap

Up the tall white candlestick

Up to the ceiling, down to the floor

Wiggle them, wiggle them

Last updated: 3/28/2017 8:18 PM

These songs are nursery rhymes and other traditional songs compiled,

illustrated and music arranged by Dany Rosevear.

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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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Your fair use and other rights are no way affected by the above.


 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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.

 

 


 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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!

 


 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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.

 

 


 

 

The earth needs the raindrops 🔊

 

 


A hand play to remind us we are all dependent on each other and the world around us.

Words by J. Kartsch and music by A. Wagner .

 

Verse 1. Draw a large circle with hands, make rain fall with fingers. Shade eyes. Hands open and close. Put hands to cheek. Verse 2. Arm and hand make a tree. Cup hand on thumb. Put crossed hands to heart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The earth needs the raindrops,

The day needs a light,

And heaven needs little stars

When the day turns to night.

 

The tree needs a little branch

Where the bird builds her nest,

And we need a little heart

To love and to trust.

 


 

 

 

 

Tiny little bird O

 

 


A Turkish song for winter, ‘Mini Mini Bir Kus’, melody and words by Saip Eguz.

 

Move thumb and forefinger like beak. Perch bird on other hand. Cup hands. Cover hand and open and close beak. Cross hands to make wings, flap and move upwards and away.  Throw out hands and look sad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Tiny, little bird was frozen stiff,

Sitting on my window sill.

Gently did I cradle him,

To make him warm and hear him sing.

Suddenly he flapped his little wings,

Off he flew in the wind and snow.

Mini Mini Bir Kus Donmustu

Pencereme konmustu

Aldim onu iceriye

Cik cik cik cik otsun diye

Pir pir ederken canlandi

Ellerim bak bos kaldi…

 

 


 

 

Tiptoeing in the dark  🔊

 

 


This spooky hand play would work well at Halloween!

It could also be played as an action rhyme; pairs of children holding hands creep in and out of each other, when the candle is blown out they huddle together for reassurance.

 

The words came from a collection of nursery rhymes.

Music and game by Dany Rosevear.

 

Point up, point down, place finger to mouth – Shhh! Fingers creep forward, finger moves round, make a roof shape. Fingers creep forward and about. Move hands like the wind and shake head, put finger up like a candle, blow out flame – Phwooh!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Upstairs, downstairs, quiet as a mouse; Shhhh!

Tiptoe, tiptoe, all around the house.

Tiptoe, tiptoe, creep and creep about;

I hope the wind won't come along and blow my candle out! Phwooh!

 


 

 

Tommy Thumb O

 

Hide hands behind the back and bring them out with thumbs upright. Wiggle thumbs to the music and bow on the last line.

Bring out fingers in sequence for the subsequent verses; fore fingers, middle fingers, ring fingers and little fingers and make them move too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Tommy Thumb, Tommy Thumb,

Where are you?

Here I am. here I am,

How do you do?

 

Peter Pointer, Peter Pointer…

Toby Tall, Toby Tall…

Ruby Ring, Ruby Ring…

Baby Small, Baby Small…

Fingers all, Fingers all…


 

 


 

 

Tommy Thumb is up O

 

Learn to identify and move each finger.

 

Make the thumb move as directed. On the last line tuck the thumb into the fist. Do the same with each of the other fingers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Tommy Thumb is up and Tommy Thumb is down,

Tommy Thumb dancing all around the town.

Dancing on my shoulders, dancing on my head,

Dancing on my knees and then tucked up in bed!

 

Peter Pointer’s…

Toby Tall…

Ruby Ring…

Baby Small… (quietly)

 

(loudly)

Finger Family’s up and Finger Family’s down,

Finger Family’s dancing all around the town.

Dancing on my shoulders, dancing on my head,

Dancing on my knees and then tucked up in bed!

 


 

 

Two fat gentlemen O

 

Have fun singing each voice in character.

 

In the first verse bend thumbs each time ‘bowed’ and ‘How do you do?’ is sung.

Bend fingers in sequence for the subsequent verses; fore finger, middle finger, ring finger and little finger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Two fat gentlemen met in a lane,

Bowed most politely then bowed once again.

How do you do?

How do you do?

And how do you do again!

 

Two thin ladies met in a lane...

 

Two tall policemen met in a lane...

 

Two school children met in a lane...

 

Two little babies met in a lane...


 

 


 

 

Two little blackbirds sitting in the snow 🔊

 

 


A seasonal alternative to the classic nursery rhyme and an opportunity to encourage an understanding of opposites. Encourage children to make up more rhyming verses.

 

Stick a little blackbird on each forefinger. 1. Move fingers fast or slow each time emphasising opposite pairs by motion. 2. Make voice appropriately quiet or loud. 3. Move fingers high or low each time it is mentioned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Two little blackbirds, sitting in the snow,

One named Fast and the other named Slow.

Fly away Fast and fly away Slow,

Come back Fast and come back Slow.

 

Two little blackbirds, sitting on a cloud,

One named Quiet and the other named LOUD!

Fly away Quiet and fly away LOUD!

Come back Quiet and come back LOUD!

 

Two little blackbirds flying in the sky,

One named Low and the other named High.

Fly away Low and fly away High,

Come back Low and come back High!

 


 

 

Two little blackbirds sitting in the sun 🔊

 

 


This can be chanted as a rhyme or sung to the little tune I wrote. It is a classic from ‘This little Puffin’

 

Use forefingers for the birds and folded arms for the wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Two little blackbirds sitting in the sun,

One flew away and then there was one.

One little blackbird feeling very small,

She flew away and then there was the wall.

One little brick wall lonely in the rain,

Waiting for the blackbirds to come and sing again.

(Here they come, here they come!)

 


 

 

Two little dickie birds 🔊

 

 


This rhyme is mostly heard as a chant but there are also many tunes written for it. I think the one below is the one I have used in the past.

You could easily make up your own verses using different names.

Find out more about these two rhymes at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_Little_Dickie_Birds It has a Roud number of 16401.

 

Mark the index nail of one hand and the middle finger of the second. If you are feeling creative stick a little bird picture on the nails!

Hold your fists up and wiggle marked fingers to show the birds. On the 5th line throw one hand past head and put the marked finger down replacing it with the one next to it and then bring the hand back. Do the same with the other hand. On the last two lines swap the unmarked finger for the marked on.

It is a wonderful way to puzzle children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Two little dickie birds,

Sitting on a wall;

One named Peter,

And one named Paul.

Fly away Peter,

Fly away Paul!

Come back Peter,

And come back Paul![

 

Two little blackbirds,

Sitting on a hill;

One named Jack,

And one named Gill.

Fly away Jack,

Fly away Gill!

Come again Jack,

And come again Gill!


 

 


 

 

Two little feet go tap tap tap O

 

This song is usually chanted but the tune below seems to go well with the words.

 

Move as the words suggest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Two little feet go tap, tap, tap,

Two little hands go clap, clap, clap,

A quick little leap up from my chair,

Two little hands reach high in the air.

 

Two little fists go bump, bump, bump,

Two little feet go jump, jump, jump,

One little body turns round and round,

And one little child sits quietly down.

 


 


 

 

Up the tall white candlestick O

 

An action song.

My class would chant this one while waiting to dip their wicks in hot wax to make candles. Have a go – it is great fun to see the candle grow with each dip!

 

1. Make arm into a candlestick. 2. Run two fingers up the arm. 3. Sit mouse on the candlestick and shake head. 4. Cup hands to mouth and shout. 5. Curl fists and roll them downwards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Up the tall white candlestick

Crept little Mousie Brown,

Right to the top but he couldn’t get down.

So he called for his grandma,

‘Grandma, grandma!’

But grandma was in town.

So he rolled himself into a ball –

And came tumbling down!


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

Up to the ceiling, down to the floor  🔊

 

 


Learn the difference between right and left hands.

 

1.  Raise both hands up, then put them down.2. Point left with the left hand, then right with the right hand. 3. Raise right hand, then raise left hand, keeping the right hand up. 4. Twirl both hands round. 5. Hit fists on top of the other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Up to the ceiling,

Down to the floor,

Left to the window,

Right to the door.

This is my right hand,

Raise it up high,

This is my left hand,

Reach for the sky.

Right hand, left hand,

Twirl them both around.

Left hand, right hand,

Pound, pound, pound.

 


 

 

 

Wiggle them, wiggle them midi

 

 


Hand gymnastics for youngsters. Use this finger play to release wiggles and calm children.

Chant as a rhyme or sing to the melody by Dany Rosevear

 

The words suggest what you need to do.

For fun do the same movements with the feet, sitting down of course!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Wiggle them, wiggle them,

Wiggle them so;

Wiggle them up high,

And wiggle them low.

Wiggle to the left

And wiggle to the right.

Wiggle them, wiggle them,

Out of sight!

 

Shake them…

Squeeze them …

Wave them…

 

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