Rhymes and Fingerplays

I use rhymes and fingerplays in storytime to add variety to the program, stimulate involvement, stretch and get rid of wiggles after we’ve been sitting for a while, and generally refocus attention. Many include actions which further add to accomplishing these objectives. Music is often added as the rhymes are set to familiar tunes. It is fun to build a collection of rhymes and fingerplays that you like to use, and obviously the more often you use them, the better you will know them.

A wide variety of rhymes and fingerplays, many of them categorized by theme, can be found at the following sites:

Buddy Pages Themes
This is a collection of themes for preschool learning. Among other activities, fingerplays and songs are included with each theme. These can be easily incorporated into theme-based storytimes.

Childfun.com: Activity Themes — Free Crafts for Kids, Preschool Themes, Songs, Poems, Fingerplays, Flannelboard Activities, Art Activities
This is a large site with a great many themes. For each theme, there are craft, songs, poems, fingerplays, and flannelboard activities. The number of activities is so great that finding just the right one may take some time.

Dreamhouse: Nursery: Bookcase: Rhymes
An extensive list of rhymes are grouped by theme. A couple of themes unique to this site include, "not politically correct," and "riddle rhymes."

Early Childhood — Preschool and Kindergarten Educational Teaching Activities
Rhymes and fingerplays are listed in five categories: animals, people, counting, seasons, and miscellaneous.

ESL/EFL Chants for Young Learners
As a resource for ESL/EFL teachers of young learners, the EFL Playhouse notes that chants can be a fun way for students to acquire new vocabulary and use the language in proper syntax. Rhymes, with accompanying brief descriptions are presented.

ESL/EFL Fingerplays and Action Rhymes for Young Learners
The EFL Playhouse also presents fingerplays and rhymes. A brief description accompanies each fingerplay and rhyme covering the concepts which can be taught. Several even include teaching strategies.

Ginger Bear’s Educational Activities, Crafts, Lessons Songs, and Fun for Preschool and Elementary Education: Fingerplays
A few of the standard fingerplays are included. Many of these involve actions other than just with the fingers.

Hummingbird’s Lotsa Lesson Plans Page
Rhymes, many of them set to music, are interspersed with theme-based activities, crafts and a book suggestions. There are more rhymes than other items at this site. Frequent updates make this an extremely useful resource.

Internet School Library Media Poetry Page: Fingerplays Index Page
Fingerplays listed here are described as a fun way of introducing poetry to children. They are also recognized as useful tools for practicing fine motor skills.

Kids Page~Resources for Finger Plays and Movement Activities
At the Womenofwonder.com site, stories and fingerplays are identified as a way to touch children of all ages and circumstances. A collection of fingerplays and activities which can be used for all seasons — spring, summer, fall, and winter — is provided.

Members.spree.com: Songs and Fingerplays
Songs and fingerplays at this site come from experience of the author, sites on the Internet, friends, books, etc. They are grouped under a lengthy alphabetical listing of themes.

Nuttin’But Kids Main Page
This site was designed for childcare providers to develop lesson plans. It is included because each thematic lesson includes many rhymes and songs along with books, some crafts, a few flannelboard and other activities. The lessons are extensive resources applicable to the storytime as well as the daycare.

101 Activities to Do With Your Toddler
Fingerplays, rhymes and songs can all be accessed from this site. The knee bouncing rhymes included look particularly fun for the very young child accompanied by an adult.

OVAL Products: Reading & the Young Child Kit Content
The Ohio Valley Area Libraries circulates 59 kits among participating member libraries which in turn distribute the kits to child care centers or family day care homes. At this site, the themes of the kits are listed. Links to the individual kits provides access to the titles of books contained along with a few activity ideas and fingerplays related to the themes.

Preschoolrainbow.org: Preschool Fingerplays, Action Plays, Nursery Rhymes and Songs
Numerous preschool fingerplays, action plays, nursery rhymes and songs are listed in each of eight categories. The author of this site attributes preschoolers’ development of memory and recall skills to singing and reciting the songs and poems in this collection.

Pathfinder prepared June 23, 2000 by Terry Rabideau

Please send suggestions and comments to rabideau@advinc.com