Finger rhymes for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers
Five newly written finger rhymes to say together, from a tickle rhyme for babies through an autumn rhyme to a bee with a finger puppet. Plus pointers on which rhymes suit which age.
Five finger rhymes to say together
Every rhyme is short and has a movement for each line. The rhyme is in bold, followed by what your hands do.
Little beetle – for babies
A tickle rhyme for your lap or the changing table. Two of your fingers are the beetle and slowly walk up the baby’s body.
“Creepy, crawly, beetle small, Start two fingers crawling at the foot.
up your leg it starts to crawl, Walk your fingers slowly up the leg.
over tummy, safe from harm – Draw little circles on the tummy.
tickle, tickle, up your arm!” Give a gentle tickle under the arm.
Five little mice – for toddlers
A counting rhyme for one hand: each finger is a mouse. The other hand plays the cat.
“Five little mice live in a house, Hold up your hand with all your fingers spread.
the first one peeps out, a curious mouse, Wiggle your thumb.
the second one nibbles cheese, Move your index finger.
the third one starts to sneeze, Brush your middle finger past your nose.
the fourth one dances round and round, Wiggle your ring finger and turn your hand.
the fifth one falls asleep on the ground. Fold down your little finger.
Then along creeps the cat so sly – Let your other hand creep closer.
whoosh! Into the hole they fly!” Hide the mouse hand behind your back.
The apple – for pre-schoolers
A finger rhyme for autumn, when the apples are ripe outside. One hand is the apple with the worm, the other is the hedgehog.
“An apple’s hanging on the tree, Make a ball with your hands above your head.
the wind comes by and swings it – whee! Sway your arms from side to side.
Plop! It’s lying in the grass. Let your hands drop onto your knees and make one into a fist: the apple.
Hedgehog sniffs it, walking past. Let the fingers of your free hand patter over to the fist.
Out of the apple, round and red, Hold up the apple fist.
a little worm pokes out its head!” Poke your index finger out of the fist and wiggle it.
Rain – getting louder
A weather rhyme that grows louder and louder, from the first drops to the thunderstorm. Play it on a table or on your knees.
“First it’s dripping: drip, drip, drip. Tap the table or your knees with your fingertips.
Then it’s faster: drip, drip, drip, drip, drip! Tap faster.
Now the rain comes pouring down, Drum with flat hands.
boom, boom, thunder shakes the town! Knock twice with your fists.
Frog is happy: splash, splash, splash, Hop one hand along.
he hops through puddles in a flash! Keep hopping.
Then the sun comes, big and bright, Make a big circle with your arms.
and gives us all a hug so tight.” Give yourself a hug.
The bee – with a finger puppet
A rhyme for pre-schoolers: a bee finger puppet sits on your finger, and the children hold out their hands as flowers.
“The bee flies out in the summer sun Fly the bee over the children’s heads.
to every flower, one by one. Fly the bee to the outstretched hands.
Here she sips: buzz, buzz, buzz, Land the bee on one hand.
there she sips: buzz, buzz, buzz – Land it on another hand.
and now … she lands on the tip of your nose!” Wait a moment, then land the bee gently on the tip of a nose.
Tips for finger rhymes
Speak more slowly than usual and make every movement big and clear. At first the children just watch. Each time you repeat the rhyme, they join in a little more, first with the movements, later with the words too.
Leave a short pause before the last line. That is exactly where the children wait for the tickle, the hiding or the bee’s landing. A rhyme the children know can come back every day; add a new one once the old one has stuck.
Finger puppets for the pre-school rhymes
The hedgehog, worm, frog and bee from the apple, rain and bee rhymes.
Finger rhymes by age
Which rhyme suits a child depends less on their exact age than on what they can already join in with.
Finger rhymes for babies
With babies, touch, voice and repetition matter more than the words. Rhymes that travel along the body and end with a tickle, like the little beetle, work well. The baby doesn’t have to copy anything; they listen, watch your face and look forward to the end.
Finger rhymes for toddlers
Toddlers begin to do some of the movements themselves. Counting rhymes in which each finger is a character, such as the five little mice, suit them well. Often just one movement works at first, for example hiding the hand from the cat. The words come later.
Finger rhymes for pre-schoolers
For pre-schoolers, rhymes can tell a little story, like the apple or the rain rhyme. Finger rhymes also help with transitions during the day: before a meal, after tidying up or to round off circle time. Older children enjoy making up verses of their own.
Finger rhymes with finger puppets
A finger puppet gives a rhyme a character the children can look at and say hello to, as in the bee rhyme. The bee really does land on their hand, and the hedgehog really does sniff the apple. The Folkmanis mini hedgehog, frog and bee are modelled on the real animals. For a whole group, it is worth having several characters so that every child gets a turn.
Folkmanis finger puppets →Advice and paying on invoice
We are happy to answer questions about finger puppets and finger rhymes by phone or through our contact form. Nurseries, schools, medical and therapy practices and care homes can also order on invoice; this payment option is activated once we have checked the customer account.
Explore more
Characters for new rhymes and stories.