Laptime Songs

Nursery Rhymes, Songs, and Fingerplays for Kids

5 Little Fish Finger Puppet Free Printable

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My new favorite fingerplay is 5 Little Fish (Teasing Mr Shark) that I discovered via Pinterest on Developing the Whole Child. I always love ocean-themed programs as there are just so many variations. 5 Little Fish is a variation on one of our all-time favorites 5 Little Monkeys (Teasing Mr. Alligator). As I was trying to get my boys as excited about the little fish as I was, they were just not interested.

5 Little Fish Finger Puppet Printable

Problem solving how I could spark their interest in this fun and engaging poem, I thought of the finger puppets I made of snowmen for a few winter poems. I designed the little fish and then turned to my talented husband to create a shark. I printed off a practice sheet to make sure they were the right size. My boys immediately gave their full attention to the little fish and shark as I cut them out. They could hardly wait for me to finish taping the puppets. They each chose one fish as their own and I was allowed to be the shark.

5 Little Fish Finger Puppets

We spent the next 30 minutes playing with the finger puppets and repeating over and over the poem. Success! We took turns being the fish and or the shark. They loved it so much they brought it back out to show their sisters when they got home from school. These little finger puppets were the ticket to engage them! (This time, at least)

5 Little Fish Finger Puppet Printable

There are two versions of the 5 Little Fish printable, a color version and a black and white version. These versions are combined into one printable which contains the fish, the shark and a reminder card with instructions and the lyrics for the poem. You can also find the lyrics here.

5 Little Fish finger puppet printable color version

5 Little Fish finger puppet printable black and white version

Enjoy your 5 Little Fish (Teasing Mr Shark) finger puppet printable. I hope it sparks the enthusiasm of the little ones in your life.

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5 Spring Fingerplays

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Spring is bursting with new energy. I can feel it, and I can see my little ones are feeling it, too. We all get a little restless during spring. After months of cold winter stillness, spring is a time to get active. These five spring fingerplays will help busy hands connect with spring.

5 Spring FingerplaysAll around our neighborhood we are watching bunnies, squirrels and birds come out of their winter hiding. I picked fingerplays that match and will build on the experiences of little ones. A spring nature walk or scavenger hunt would be a great activity to introduce these spring fingerplays.

5 Spring Fingerplays

As little ones learn these spring fingerplays and songs, they are building emergent literacy skills. Learning rhyming sounds and rhythm from these fingerplays helps build phonological awareness. We can also build vocabulary by using new words within a familiar context; for example, 5 Little Bunnies includes the words “hop” “grass “lawn.” Children develop a deeper understanding of words when they can place them in context and associate them with other words.

Suggestions for Play

Create a pond: Lay a blue blanket down and have little ones jump onto it pretending it is the pond that the speckled frogs jump into.

Make a kite: These lunch sack kites are easy to make for little fingers and use common materials. Check out Lovely Commotion for the full list of materials and her tutorial.

Lunch sack Kite

Wooden Spoon Bee Craft: This bee craft is so simple and darling. Find the full tutorial on Easy Peasy and Fun.

Wooden Spoon Bee Craft

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5 Spring Songs for Toddlers

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Toddlers and spring are a perfect match! Watching a toddler discover the newness of spring growth is so inspiring. To help little ones connect to the world around them and build literacy skills, these spring songs for toddlers will get you started.

5 Spring Songs for Toddlers

Toddlers, an all young children, learn best through repetition. The more you sing these spring songs for toddlers, the more they will learn about spring, about music, and about language. Don’t be afraid to repeat the same song several times in a row. Even when adults begin to tire of a song or think it might be getting boring for a toddler, toddlers are usually just figuring it out and ready to participate themselves.

These Spring songs for toddlers are all action songs. Toddlers love actions and usually learn them faster than the words. I love seeing toddlers at play spontaneously remember actions to a song and incorporate the song and the actions into their play.

5 Spring Songs for Toddlers

  1. Five Green and Speckled Frogs
  2. Rain, Rain, Go Away
  3. Here Is the Beehive
  4. Five Little Ducks
  5. I’m a Puff of Wind

Click on each song for the full lyrics and ideas for actions to do with these spring songs for toddlers. Below you will find some resources to accompany these songs.

Featured Albums

These albums contain songs that are a great fit for spring and the above spring songs for toddlers.

Sundrops by Harmonica Pocket includes the song Raindrops and is a perfect partner for Rain, Rain Go Away.

Rock and Roll Garden by Bari Koral includes the song Hey Ducky and is a darling companion to 5 Little Ducks.

Featured Crafts

Handprint frog craft

This easy to make recycled CD frog craft from Fun Handprint Art pairs well with 5 Green and Speckled Frogs.

Spring Showers Umbrella Craft

This spring showers umbrella craft from No Time For Flashcards is a great choice to go with Rain, Rain, Go Away.

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10 Preschool Spring Songs

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Spring is such a fun season! Preschool spring songs are a great way to celebrate the warmer weather and the new growth of spring. From rainstorms and rainbows to baby birds and bunnies, these preschool spring songs will definitely have the little ones noticing all the beauty of spring.

Preschool Spring SongsThis list of preschool spring songs can be used in several ways to build early literacy skills. For including reading, you could write the lyrics on a chart to hang to use as you learn the words. To incorporate reading and writing, you could choose just one song and pair it with a book and craft. Another option would be to focus on playing by making up actions with the kids for each song.

Click on the title of each of the preschool spring songs to find the full lyrics. Some rhymes are set to traditional tunes. You will find an instrumental version of the tune to practice singing the new rhyme to the familiar tune.

10 Preschool Spring Songs

  1. I’m a Little Jumpy Frog
  2. Robin’s Nest
  3. I’m the Easter Bunny
  4. Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary
  5. Five Little Chickens
  6. Pitter-Patter, Pitter-Pat
  7. Little Ducks Go Quack
  8. The Rainbow Song
  9. Five Little Bunnies
  10. There Once Was a Turtle

Book Suggestions

My Spring Robin by Anne Rockwell

Nest by Jorey Hurley

And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano

Craft Suggestions

Make a rock garden to go along with Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary
from Because Babies Grow Up.

Rock Garden

This bunny hiding in the grass craft is simple and adorable! What a great craft to go with the 5 Little Bunnies rhyme. From Crafty Morning

Bunny hiding in the grass

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5 Little Bunnies

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Five Little Bunnies

5 little bunnies sitting on my grass
The first one said, “I’ll hop away fast”
The second little bunny said, “I’ll hop away now.”
The third little bunny said, “But I don’t know how!”
The fourth little bunny said, “I’ll show you the way.”
And the fifth little bunny followed after them to play.

As five little bunnies hopped across my lawn,
I watched from the window till they were all gone.

Actions for Five Little Bunnies

  • Start with 5 fingers from one hand sitting on opposing arm held in front of you.
  • For each bunny, hold up the number of fingers for each bunny (first one hold up one finger, second little bunny hold up two fingers, etc.)
  • As you say the line for each bunny, hop your fingers down your arm toward your hand, except the third bunny.
  • For the third bunny, shake your three fingers back and forth to show not knowing how.
  • For the final refrain, hop all five fingers down your arm and hide them behind your back for “all gone.”

Where is Thumbkin?

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Where is Thumbkin?

(Tune: “Frere Jacques“)

Where is Thumbkin*?
Where is Thumbkin?
Here I am!
HereI am!
How are you today, Sir?
Very well I thank you.
Run away.
Run away.

*Repeat for each verse replacing Thumbkin with another fingers name: Pointer, Middle Man, Ring Finger, Pinky.

Download this instrumental version of Frere Jacques (Are You Sleeping?) to listen and practice offline.