Nursery Rhymes, Songs, and Fingerplays for Kids
Open them. Shut them.
Open them. Shut them.
Give a little clap.
Open them. Shut them.
Open them. Shut them.
Place them in your lap.
Then creep them, creep them,
Creep them, creep them
Right up to your chin
Open wide your little mouth,
But do not let them in!
I’m a little teapot short and stout
Here is my handle. Here is my spout.
When I get all steamed up then I shout
Tip me over and pour me out.
{Stand with knees bent and arms at your side}
{Put one hand on your waist. Put the other in the air with arm bent upwards}
{Rock back and forth}
{Bend over to one side}
Download this instrumental version of I’m a Little Teapot here.
Five little squirrels are sitting in a tree
The first squirrel said, “These nuts are for me.”
The second squirrel said, “I like to eat!”
The third squirrel said, “Nuts are a treat.”
The fourth squirrel said, “Do you want some?”
The fifth squirrel said, “You may have one.”
The five little squirrels went bob, bob, bob.
{jump}
The five little squirrels went nod, nod, nod.
{nod head}
The five little squirrels went patter, patter, patter.
{wiggle}
The five little squirrels went chatter, chatter, chatter.
{open and close fingers in a talking motion}
The five little squirrels scolded you and me
{shake head and wag finger}
As they sat and ate the nuts on the big, tall tree.
{pretend to eat nuts}
Tickle the clouds
Tickle your toes
Turn around and tickle your nose
Reach down low
And reach up high
Story time’s over —
Wave good-bye!
The words are pretty clear on the actions that go along with the rhyme.
This is a great rhyme for the end of a storytime or laptime
Variation: Change “Story time” to “Laptime”
Wee Willy Winkie runs through the town
Upstairs, downstairs in his nightgown
Rapping on the window and crying through the lock,
“Are your children in their beds? For now it’s eight o’clock!”
Interactive idea: Run your fingers up and down the child’s back as Willy goes up and down the stairs. Knock on a hard surface then put had around mouth to emphasize crying through the lock.
| Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate | {Hold up five fingers and sit hand on opposite are, like it’s a gate} |
| The first one said, “Oh my, it’s getting late.” | {Hold one finger up. Put hands on cheeks and make a surprised face} |
| The second one said, “There are witches in the air.” | {Hold two fingers up. Move hands around like they are flying in the air} |
| The third one said, “But we don’t care!” | {Hold up three fingers. Shrug shoulders} |
| The fourth one said, “Let’s run and run and run.” | {Hold up 4 fingers. Move arms in a running motion. If standing, run in place} |
| The fifth one said, “I’m ready for some fun.” | {Hold up 5 fingers. Nod head with a bigger than life motion} |
| Oooo went the wind | |
| And OUT went the light | {Clap hands on “OUT”} |
| Five little pumpkins rolled out of sight. | {Roll hands} |
As soon as our little ones could clap, they loved to clap with this rhyme. The same thing with rolling hands. Older kids like to practice holding up different numbers of fingers.
Five little ducks went out one day
{Hold up 5 fingers}
Over the hill and far away.
{Move hand like a snake moving up and down.}
When the mama duck said:
“Quack. Quack. Quack!”
{Form hand like a beak. Open and close beak fingers.}
Four little ducks came waddling back.
{Hold up 4 fingers and move hand in a waddling motion.}
Four little ducks went out one day
{Hold up 4 fingers}
Over the hill and far away.
{Move hand like a snake moving up and down.}
When the mama duck said:
“Quack. Quack. Quack!”
{Form hand like a beak. Open and close beak fingers.}
Three little ducks came waddling back.
{Hold up 3 fingers and move hand in a waddling motion.}
Three little ducks went out one day
{Hold up 3 fingers}
Over the hill and far away.
{Move hand like a snake moving up and down.}
When the mama duck said:
“Quack. Quack. Quack!”
{Form hand like a beak. Open and close beak fingers.}
Two little ducks came waddling back.
{Hold up 2 fingers and move hand in a waddling motion.}
Two little ducks went out one day
{Hold up 2 fingers}
Over the hill and far away.
{Move hand like a snake moving up and down.}
When the mama duck said:
“Quack. Quack. Quack!”
{Form hand like a beak. Open and close beak fingers.}
One little duck came waddling back.
{Hold up 1 finger and move hand in a waddling motion.}
One little duck went out one day
{Hold up 1 finger}
Over the hill and far away.
{Move hand like a snake moving up and down.}
When the mama duck said:
“Quack. Quack. Quack!”
{Form hand like a beak. Open and close beak fingers.}
No little ducks came waddling back.
{Make hand a fist or form fingers into a zero.}
But when the Daddy duck said:
“Quack! Quack! Quack!”
{Use two hands to make a big beak and clap them together}
Five little ducks came waddling back.
{Hold up 3 fingers and move hand in a waddling motion.}
Five little monkeys jumping on the bed.
{Hold up 5 fingers and bounce hand like the fingers are jumping.}
One fell off and bumped his head.
{Hold up one finger. Then pat head.}
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said:
{Hold fingers like a phone and put to face as though talking on the phone.}
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed.”
{Wag one finger back and forth r up and down.}
Four little monkeys jumping on the bed.
{Repeat actions for each verse changing the number of fingers to match the verse.}
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said:
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed.”
Three little monkeys jumping on the bed.
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said:
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed.”
Two little monkeys jumping on the bed.
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said:
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed.”
One little monkey jumping on the bed.
He fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said:
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed.”
The eensy weensy spider crawled up the water spout
{Walk fingers up your little one’s arm}
Down came the rain and washed the spider out
{Fingers wiggle down from above and then spread hands apart from center}
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
{Make a circle with arms overhead to represent the sun}
Then the eensy weensy spider climbed up the spout again
{Climb fingers back up your little one’s arm}
This song is also known as the Itsy Bitsy Spider, Incy Wincy Spider, Ipsy Wipsy Spider.
For newborns or infants, lay them in your lap and do the actions for them to see. You can hold their arms for the rain and sun.
For toddlers and preschoolers, they can use their own fingers to climb the spider and do the other actions themselves.
Twinkle twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Twinkle twinkle little star
{Hold hands up about shoulder height. Open and close hands}
How I wonder what you are
{Raise shoulders and hold hands out}
Up above the world so high
{Raise hands high in the sky and open and close them again}
Like a diamond in the sky
{Form forefinger and thumb from each hand in a diamond shape}
Twinkle twinkle little star
{Hold hands up about shoulder height. Open and close hands}
How I wonder what you are
{Raise shoulders and hold hands out}