Touch your nose, Touch your chin. That's the way This game begins.
Touch your eyes, Touch your knees. Now pretend You're going to sneeze (Aaaa-choo!).
Touch your ears, Touch your hair. Touch your lips, Just right there (Smack a kiss).
Touch your elbows, Where they bend. Jump right up and say THE END!!!!!
I like this one because it has an awful lot of body parts crammed in. They also show up quite randomly, so it is a little harder for kids. They really have to pay attention in order to follow along and "play the game."
I usually end all of my storytimes with this little gem. Early learning research shows that kids respond positively to repetition and regularity. Routines let your child focus more on the task at hand instead of worrying about what is going to happen next. Check out this wonderful article from Zero to Three on Love, Learning, and Routines for more information.
Here's a fun game that you can stretch on and on, to help kids burn off some of that extra holiday season sugar: Green Says Go!
Green Says Go!
Green says, Go!
Go! Go! Go!
Yellow says, Slow!
Slow! Slow! Slow!
And red says, STOP!
Go! Go! Go!
Slow! Slow! Slow!
and STOP!
This one works best if you have a lot of room to move around in. Start by practicing the three different motions: Go, Slow and Stop. Slow and Stop can be especially challenging for little kids who just want to run around. When kids play at slowing down and stopping, it helps them to build important self-regulation skills that allow them to focus when the learn. Drag out the Slow and Stop parts to add an extra challenge.
If you have some colored construction paper, cut out big green, yellow and red circles and hold them up while you share the activity. After your child has practiced the game a few times, try to see if they can Go, Slow and Stop just by looking at the color (without any speaking). Doing activities like this helps kids understand that symbols can have meaning outside of themselves. This is the basis of print awareness, one of the six critical pre-reading skills that contribute to early reading success.
I'm a little snowman Short and fat, Here are my buttons, Here is my hat.
When the sun comes out, I can't dare stay If I do, I'll melt away!
This rhyme is perfect for starting a conversation about snowmen and how they melt if it's too warm. We call a child's understanding of how things in the world work their background knowledge. When kids have a thorough understanding of the world, it is easier for them to make sense of what they read.
Not everyone can build a snowman in the winter. For all the kids who live in warm places, here is a fun snowman activity: The Life Cycle of a Snowman (from www.frugalteacher.com)
By placing water balloons in your freezer over night, you can create your very own snowman! Use a basin to catch the water as the ice melts and expose your children to a real life experiment in melting. Try creating multiple snowmen and placing them in different locations (inside & outside) to see which snowman melts first. When you share experiences like this with your child you are helping them to understand concepts like melting in a fun and meaningful way!
There's something about the holiday season and trains. They seem to go hand-in-hand. Here's a fun update to the familiar "The Wheels On the Bus": The Wheels On the Train
The Wheels On the Train
The wheels on the train go clickety-clack, Clickety-clack, clickety-clack. The wheels on the train go clickety-clack, All along the track!
The station master shouts "All aboard!" "All aboard!" "All aboard!" The station master shouts "All aboard!" All along the track!
The conductor says "Tickets please!" "Tickets please!" "Tickets please!" The conductor says "Tickets please!" All along the track!
The whistle on the train goes "Choo-choo!" "Choo-choo!" "Choo-choo!" The whistle on the train goes "Choo-choo!" All along the tracks!
The people on the train go bumpity-bump, Bumpity-bump, bumpity-bump. The people on the train go bumpity-bump, All along the track!
The kids on the train say "Are we there yet?" "Are we there yet?" "Are we there yet?" The kids on the train say "Are we there yet?" All along the track!
The brakeman on the train says "Slow 'er down!" "Slow 'er down!" "Slow 'er down!" The brakeman on the train says "Slow 'er down!" All along the track!
"The Wheels On the Bus" is a massively popular children's song. It has been regularly sung in nurseries and classrooms for the last 50 years or more. This general familiarity makes it easy for kids to get on board with "The Wheels On the Train."
When we take familiar songs and add new verses or update using a variant theme we are exposing kids to new vocabulary. In this particular case, we are introducing kids to many of the people who are involved with railroads:
Each person has a very particular job to help make sure the train runs smoothly and efficiently. When you share rhymes like this, you can take a moment to have a conversation with your child about how things in the real world work. You can talk about how a Station Master makes sure the train station runs correctly, how the Conductor makes sure the train runs correctly and the Brakeman helps slow down the train when it stops. Your child will be building vocabulary in the process. This, in turn, will help your child recognize words when they begin reading!
Ok. This one is totally wild, but super-fun! I like it because it gets kids up and really moving. Few rhymes are as great for getting the wiggles out.
Focusing on multiple body parts at the same time is extremely difficult. Repeating back the sequence of body parts adds an extra level of complexity to this rhyme. When kids play with rhymes and games like Jellyfish, they are building their memories. The ability to recall helps kids understand content once they begin reading.
Just then, an old man passes... The mosquito hides... Then he jumps outside!!
Who doesn't love a rhyme where you get to jump a lot?! I have modified the last few lines of the rhyme, turning it into a fun "jump" surprise (the last lines of some of the original versions are a little naughty).
I love the repetition of the word "jump" throughout this rhyme. Kids quickly learn that they will be jumping into each new place. The final big jump is delayed with a slight shift in the narrative. This delay builds suspense. When kids play and practice at waiting, they are developing important self-regulation skills. The ability to quiet your internal urges is very challenging for lots of kids. Self-regulation is a skill that many Kindergarten teachers want to see in new students. Playing waiting and anticipating games can help grow this skill in a fun and meaningful way!!
Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes
(touch appropriate body parts while reciting)
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, Knees and toes Head, shoulders, knees and toes, Knees and toes And eyes and ears and mouth and nose, Head, shoulders, knees and toes, Knees and toes!
I love the sequences in this one. It can be really challenging for kids to recite the rhyme while touching their body parts at the same time. This takes some serious practice (it took me more than a few times to get it right when making the video).
Children who are able to combine spoken language with body movements will have an easier time learning to write. When we write, we must unite our inner voice with our hand, finger and arm movements to create shapes on a page. This is a very complex interplay of functions. This is a great rhyme for letting kids practice these skills in a fun and meaningful way!!
I can make a circle, a circle, a circle
I can make a circle, would you like to see
(bring hands together in shape of a circle)
Here is my circle, my circle, my circle
Here is my circle, it is pretty neat!
Repeat with Triangle and Square
I like this one because it give kids a chance to play with shapes in a fun, hands-on way. Using hands and bodies to make shapes can let little kids experience shapes in a meaningful and tactile way.
Learning to read is all about learning to recognize shapes. Words are made up of letters. Letters, in turn, are made up of shapes. An "o" is a circle. A capital "A" is a triangle with legs. A square can be made using capital "L". When children have a strong understanding of shapes, it is much easier for them to recognize letters. We call a child's ability to recognize letters: Letter Knowledge. This is a critical pre-reading skill!
Here is one last slightly spooky rhyme for the spooky time of year: Open Shut Them
Open Shut Them
Open, shut them (open hands then shut hands)
Open, shut them (repeat)
Give a little clap-clap-clap (clap hands three times)
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Rest them in your lap-lap-lap (pat your lap three times)
Creep them, crawl them (creep hands up tummy)
Creep them, crawl them (creep hands up chest)
Right up to your chin (creep hands up to rest on chin)
Open up your little mouth... but DO NOT LET THEM IN!! (open mouth.. pause.. then quickly hide hands behind back)
I like this one because it involves simple motions that toddlers and preschoolers can quickly learn. By repeating and speeding up the rhyme, you can insert a playful element while also letting kids practice remembering the words.
Opening and shutting hands, patting laps and creeping hands are all great ways for kids to practice hand-eye coordination. This is an important skill that kids will need to master before learning how to write with a pencil or pen.
Halloween is less than a week away! Here is a slightly scary fingerplay to help get your kiddos in the mood: Five Little Pumpkins
Five Little Pumpkins
Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate,
The first one said: "Oh, my it's getting late."
The second one said: "There are witches in the air."
The third one said: "But we don't care."
The fourth one said: "Let's run and run and run."
The fifth one said: "Let's have some fun."
Ooooo! Went the wind, and out went the light.
And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight!
I like this one because you can make it as scary as you want. If you play up your delivery, the "Oooooo!" can be extremely chilling. Or you can sing it and make it fun and friendly. Experiencing emotions is a very important part of early childhood development. Kids need to feel comfortable and loved before they can successfully focus on learning. Please follow your child's cues and be ready to offer comfort if they get a little too scared.
When we allow kids the opportunity to explore emotions in a safe and caring environment, we help them practice coping and self-regulation skills that will be of benefit as they learn to read.
Here is a less supernatural version of Five Little Pumpkins:
Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate,
The first one said: "Oh, my it's getting late."
The second one said: "The moon is shining bright."
The third one said: "The bats are out tonight."
The fourth one said: "Let's run and run and run."
The fifth one said: "Let's have some fun."
Oooooo! Went the wind, and out went the light.
And five little pumpkins rolled out of sight!
Here's an old hand clapping rhyme that isn't too difficult for little hands to master: Miss Mary Mack
Miss Mary Mack
Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack
All dressed in black, black, black
With silver buttons, buttons, buttons
All down her back, back, back
She asked her mother, mother, mother
For fifty cents, cents, cents
To see the elephants, elephants, elephants
Jump the fence, fence, fence
They jumped so high, high, high
They touched the sky, sky, sky
And they never came back, back, back,
'Til the Fourth of July, 'ly, 'ly!
I love hand clapping rhymes! The rhythm is always bouncy and infectious. Unfortunately, many of the motions associated with hand clapping rhymes are way too complicated for toddlers and preschoolers. Nevertheless, it isn't too difficult to simplify clapping patterns to make the rhyme appropriate for young kids.
For Miss Mary Mack, I alternate patting myself and clapping (it works great if you slap your thighs when in a seated position). The motion that goes along with the final word in each line gets repeated three times.
Here is the basic pattern: Pat, Clap, Pat, Clap-clap-clap!
If you have a young toddler, you may simplify the pattern even more.. like this: Pat, Pat, Pat, Clap-clap-clap!
Recognizing patterns and making predictions about what comes next are very important skills for kids to master. Playing with hand clapping rhymes is a great way for kids to develop important skills that will eventually help them learn how to read, do math and even play music.
Once your kids have learned the pattern, encourage them to come up with a new one!
Five little monkeys swinging in a tree
Teasing Mr Crocodile
"You can't catch me! You can't catch me!"
Along came Mr Crocodile as quite as can be ...
And snatched a monkey right out of the tree!!
Four... Three... Two... One...
No more monkeys swinging in a tree
And away swims Mr Crocodile as full as he can be!
I like to do this one with puppets. You can make a crocodile puppet really easy by taking an old green sock and simply pasting on a couple of googly eyes. Take a piece of felt and cut out some monkey shapes and you're good-to-go. If you are feeling especially crafty, try using this finger puppet pattern from Homemade By Jill.
Counting backwards is a fun challenge for little kids. The ability to count forward and backwards is an important early numeracy skill. Early numeracy is what kids know about math concepts before they begin school. When kids practice making meaningful one-to-one correspondence between real objects like monkeys/fingers and abstract concepts like numbers they are getting valuable early math experience that will help them once they begin doing real math later on.
First you take the peanuts and you dig them,
You dig them, you dig them, dig them, dig them.
Then you smash them,
You smash them, you smash them, smash them, smash them.
Then you spread them,
You spread them, you spread them, spread them, spread them.
Then you take the berries and you pick them,
You pick them, you pick them, pick them, pick them.
Then you smash them,
You smash them, smash them, smash them, smash them.
Then you spread them,
You spread them, spread them, spread them, spread them.
Then you take the sandwich and you bite it,
You bite it, bite it, bite it, bite it.
Then you chew it,
You chew it, chew it, chew it, chew it.
Then you swallow it,
You swallow it, swallow it, swallow it, swallow it.
This rhyme has been sung and chanted with kids for years and years. Sadly, I was not able to find a substitute for peanuts to help make it more fun and inclusive for kids with allergies.
This rhyme is great because it goes through the whole process of making and eating a sandwich step by step. It is great when paired up with the actual hands-on process of making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Of course, you probably won't be digging up peanuts and picking berries. But, maybe you will!
Rhymes can tie-in with real-life processes to help make meaningful connections. This contributes toward building a child's background knowledge of the world and the way things work. Once they begin to learn how to read, these past experiences will help them to make sense of the stories and texts that they decipher.
Chicken in the barnyard,
Staying out of trouble,
Along came a turkey... and... (pause)
GOBBLE, GOBBLE, GOBBLE!!!
There is nothing quite like a fun surprise for engaging children in rhyme sharing. The ending of this rhyme has a lot in common with your typical peek-a-boo game. There is a pause and a wait... and then a fun resolution. The first time kids hear this one, they will jump out of their seats! The second time, they will anticipate the GOBBLE, GOBBLE, GOBBLE!
When you repeat this rhyme, try to lengthen the pause a little each time. Your child will most likely jump in an provide the final line because they just can't wait. Let them practice waiting. Self-regulation (or being able to keep calm and wait) is a very important skill that kids need to master before they begin school. Kids who are able to stay focused and wait will have a much easier time learning to read once the rubber hits the road!
We have been on a major train kick over here at the WCCLS Kids Blog... here's another traintastic rhyme for all the loco locomotive fans out there: Little Red Caboose
Little Red Caboose
Little red caboose,
Chug, chug, chug,
Little red caboose,
Chug, chug, chug,
Little red caboose
Behind the train, train, train, train.
Smokestack on its back, back, back, back,
Coming around the track, track, track, track,
Little red caboose
Behind the train, choo, choo!
I like this one because it has such a bouncy and upbeat rhythm. It sounds just like a train rolling down the track. It is very simple and quick, too. This makes it a great rhyme to share with busy little kids who don't want to slow down.
Rhymes that are very upbeat and rhythmic are great for drawing the attention of distracted children. They show how fun language and music can be when they are joined together. Research shows that kids who enjoy and are motivated by language are more likely to stick with the process of learning how to read.
For older preschoolers and elementary age kids, I highly recommend this brand new book all about the early days of transcontinental train travel in America:
Hop aboard a train heading out of Omaha, bound for San Francisco. You will make the trip in about four days, thanks to the brand new transcontinental railroad! This gorgeous book is packed full of picture after picture showcasing the early days of the American railways.
Our good friends at the Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy (CLEL) are gearing up for the inaugural year of their brand new Bell Picture Book Awards. These awards will be given out yearly to honor five picture books from the previous year that provide excellent support of children's early literacy development around five key practices:
1) Read 2) Talk 3) Sing 4) Write 5) Play
Each winner will exemplify one of these five practices. For example, the Sing picture book will provide parents and caregivers with great and enriching opportunities for singing with their children. The awards will be announced on February 5, 2014.
In the meantime, CLEL has just announced 25 books that they consider their Silver Bells. These are books from the past 25 years that they consider great representations of what the Bell Awards are aiming toward.
Check one out today and get ready to engage in an awesome early-literacy-building time with your little one!
