Activity Tuesday

On Tuesdays I'm going to start featuring fun, developmentally appropriate activities for young children. They will be geared more towards infants and toddlers but some activities may also be appropriate for preschoolers.

Before I became a SAHM, I worked in Early Childhood education as a Teacher/Caregiver. Part of my job was to plan and implement developmentally appropriate activities for children in my care. I still use these activities with my own daughter and want to share with other moms!

This being my first week doing this, I'm going to keep it simple by posting some fingerplays that E and I enjoy. Fingerplays are children’s songs that are accompanied by hand movements and are developmentally appropriate for all young children, Whether you have an infant or preschooler, either will enjoy! Fingerplays promote social and emotional development as well as language development.

E loves when I sing and make the hand motions, It's one of my favorite things to do with her! Here are two of my favorite classic fingerplays:

Where is Thumkin?

Where is Thumbkin? Where is Thumkin?
(Hide hands behind back)
Here I am! Here I am!
(Show left thumb, then right thumb)
How are you today, sir?
(Wiggle left thumb)
Very well, I thank you.
(Wiggle right thumb)
Run away, run away.
(Hide one hand behind back, then the other)

Where is Pointer?....
Tall man?....
Ring man?....
Pinkie?....

Where is family? Where is family?
(Hide hands behind back)
Here we are! Here we are!
(Show left hand, fingers erect, then right hand)
How are you today, sirs?
(Wiggle fingers of left hand)
Very well, we thank you,
(Wiggle fingers of right hand)
Run away, run away.
(Hide left hand behind back, then right hand)

The Itsy Bitsy Spider

The Itsy, Bitsy Spider went up the water spout
(alternate thumbs to index fingers walking the "spider" upwards) 
Down came the rain and washed the spider out
(wiggle fingers down and wave hands back and forth to "wash the spider out") 
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
(place arms overhead making a circle for the sun)
And the Itsy, Bitsy Spider walked up the spout again.
(alternate thumbs to index fingers walking the "spider" upwards) 

This next one is also one of my favorites. Instead of describing the hand movements, I'm attaching a link to a video on YouTube of Sharon, Lois & Bram preforming the movements on Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show, a show I watched as a little one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEEsX69iIxY

Skinamarinkadink

Skinnamarinky dinky dink
Skinnamarinky do,
I love you!

Skinnamarinky dinky dink
Skinnamarinky do,
I love you!

I love you in the morning,
And in the afternoon
I love you in the evening,
Underneath the moon…

Skinnamarinky dinky dink
Skinnamarinky do,
I love you!

Does your child have a favorite fingerplay? I'd love for you to share in the comments below! Also, I'd like your feedback on this new feature, Please email me at MommaTBlog@gmail.com with any suggestions!