Finger and hand play S-Z
See, see, see, three birds are in a
tree
The apple tree / Here is a tree with
leaves so green
The earth needs the raindrops
There was a hungry hunter
This little tiger is very wild
Tiny little bird
Tiptoeing in the dark
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
Wiggle them, wiggle them
Last updated: 10/10/2017 4:46 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 O
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:
· you must give the original author credit
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· any of these can be waived if you get permission from the
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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. |
Here is a tree with leaves so green / The apple tree 🔊 A simple hand play
for Autumn for the very young. 1. Put forearms together and spread hands. 2. Make hands
into fists. 3. Move hands like the wind and fists tumble down with rolling
arms. 4. Make a basket with hand, pick up apples and put them in the basket. |
Here is a tree with leaves so green. Here are the apples that hang in between. When the wind blows the apples will fall, And here is a basket to gather them all. |
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. |
There was a hungry hunter 🔊 This humorous and
alliterative hand play is from ‘Acting rhymes’ by Clive Sansom published in the
1960s where it is suggested that a bear speaks line 5 and 6. The author is
unknown. Dany Rosevear added the tune and the handplay below. 1-4. Rub tummy, put circled thumb and forefingers to eyes.
Hold up fore finger and middle to make ears. 5-6. Rub tummy and look fierce.
7-8. Roll arms over each other and make two fingers run. |
Went hunting for a
hare, But where he hoped the
hare would be He found a hairy bear! “I’m very very hungry: I get hungry now and then.” The hunter turned
head-over-heels And hurried home
again. |
This little tiger is very wild 🔊 Not too scary! Tune by Dany Rosevear. Start with the thumb and touch each finger in sequence. 1.Growl like a
tiger. 2. Kiss second finger. 3. Draw stripes on middle finger. 4. Bend finger
down. 5. Wiggle finger, circle round the palm of the other and sniff. Bite
left hand with right. |
This little tiger is very
wild, This little tiger is a
loving child. This little tiger has
big black stripes, This little tiger is
tucked up for the night. This little tiger
likes to prowl and smell, But his teeth are too
small to bite quite well. |
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 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.
|
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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