Finger and hand play R-S

Right hand, left hand

Roly-poly caterpillar

Run little crab on the sandy beach

See me make a blackbird’s nest

See my fingers merrily dancing

See my fingers walking walking

See, see, see, three birds are in a tree

See the carrots

See the little caterpillar

Six little pigs

Something in my pocket

Sometimes my hands are by my side

Sparrows in a nest

Stars are twinkling in the sky

Sunflower, sunflower

Last updated: 5/17/2021 11:12 AM

These songs are nursery rhymes and other traditional songs compiled,

illustrated and music arranged by Dany Rosevear.

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To listen to music from these songs click on 🔊

To watch the author sing a song click on the title at:

You are free to copy, distribute, display and perform these works under the following conditions:

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Your fair use and other rights are no way affected by the above.

Right hand, left hand 🔊

Learn to identify left and right hands.

Music by Dany Rosevear.

1. Raise left hand. 2. Show right palm and then left. 3. Roll hands around. 4. Show left palm and then right. 5. Pound fists together.

This is my right hand,

I'll raise it up high.

This is my left hand,

I'll touch the sky.

Right hand, left hand,

Roll them around,

Left hand, right hand,

Pound, pound, pound!

Roly-poly caterpillar

This can also be played with a baby creeping fingers down arms.

Roly-poly caterpillar into a corner crept,

(creep finger down arm to the palm)

Spun himself a blanket

(roll arms)

And for a long time slept.

(lay hands to cheek)

Roly poly caterpillar woke up by and by;

(open fists and stretch arms)

Found himself with pretty wings,

Changed to a butterfly!

(hook thumbs and flutter fingers)

Run little crab on the sandy beach 🔊

A hand play for holiday time. From ‘Songs from the nursery school’ published 1937, written by Roberta Whitehead to a French folk tune. Second two verses by Dany Rosevear.

Verse 1. Cross left hand over the other, wiggle finger of right hand. Flap hands then as before. 2. Place one hand on top of the other with thumbs out. Make hand ‘swim’. Make shark jaws with forearms and finger teeth. Open and close ‘mouth’. 3. Cross hands at wrist and flap upwards. Open and close hands. Fly as before.

Run, little crab, on the sandy beach,

Scuttle and scurry and hide out of reach,

The children are coming with pattering feet,

Run for they think you are good to eat!

Swim, little fish, in the deep blue sea,

Hurry and scurry and swim wild and free,

A great shark is coming with sharp, sharp teeth,

Swim for it thinks you are good to eat!

Fly, little bird, where you can’t be reached,

Up in the sky and away from the beach,

Crocodile’s coming with scampering feet,

Fly for it thinks you are good to eat!

See me make a blackbird’s nest 🔊

The birds are nesting, time for a hand play.

This simple rhyme comes from “Rhythms, rhymes, games and songs for the lower school” selected by Christoph Jaffke.

Music and second verse by Dany Rosevear.

Verse 1. Interlock fingers with palms up to make a nest. Make fingers open and shut like birds beaks. Verse 2. Thumbs are mother and father bird, wiggle each in turn. Put up one thumb and then cross wrists and flap hands to make bird fly away. Open thumb and forefinger of left hand for baby birds beak. Insert ‘worm’, forefinger of right hand.

Close thumb and fore finger, rub tummy.

See me make a blackbird’s nest

With baby birds inside;

Now watch me make these blackbird beaks

Open very wide! x2

Mother bird and father bird

Take turns to watch their brood;

The other then flies off to find

Wiggly worms for food! x2

Mmmmmh!

See my fingers merrily dancing 🔊

It’s time for tea.

1. Wiggle fingers. 2. Join thumbs then forefingers to make a triangle. 3. Look through the triangle at little fingers. 4. Wave little fingers. 5. Make a fist with one hand and put it on the palm of the other. 6. Pretend to drink from fist. 7. Place knuckles together with thumbs for handle and pinkies extended for spout. 8. Pretend to pour into partner's 'cup' with other hand.

See my fingers merrily dancing,

I can see a window frame.

I peep through it and I see

Two little fingers wave to me.

Here's a cup and here's a saucer

Now some water I will drink.

Here's a teapot with a spout,

Hold your cup and I'll pour it out.

See my fingers walking, walking 🔊

A finger play for the nursery.

1.- 2. Fingers of right hand walk on table. 3.-4. Place left hand upright on table with thumb for chimney pointing upwards. Knock on the table three times. Lift left hand and fingers of right hand walk underneath. Do the same with other movements.

See my fingers walking, walking, altogether in a row!

See my fingers walking, walking, altogether to and fro!

Here is a big house tall and wide,

Knock at the door and walk inside!

See my fingers running, running…

See my fingers jumping, jumping…

See my fingers sliding, sliding…

See, see, see, three birds are in a tree 🔊

A Dutch nursery classic. I have been unable to find the original Dutch version of this song – let me know if you have this information.

Make up your own rhyming verses; I made up the third verse.

1. Shade eyes with hands. 2. Hold up three fingers. 3. Point to thumb, index finger and middle finger, then rock baby bird in arms. 4. As before.

Verse 2. And 3. Turn hand upside down for third

See, see, see,

Three birds are in a tree;

One can chirp

And one can sing

One is just a tiny thing.

See, See, See

Three birds are in a tree

Look, look, look,

Three ducks are in a brook;

One is white, and one is brown,

One is swimming upside down,

Look, look, look

Three ducks are in a brook.

Hey, hey, hey,

Three monkeys out at play,

One can bounce and one can swing

One can do most anything.

Hey, hey, hey,

Three monkeys out at play.

See the carrots 🔊

A simple hand play to support gardening and healthy eating topics.

Music by Dany Rosevear.

1. Make hands form a carrot and point to the ground. 2. Tug to pull them out.

3. Scrub up and down using the palms of your hands. 4. Pretend to eat carrots.

See the carrots in the ground,

I pull them hard without a sound,

I wash and clean them up and down,

I love to eat them all year round!

See the little caterpillar 🔊

Changing times, the life cycle of the caterpillar.

An opportunity for silly noises.

Words and music by Dany Rosevear.

1. Wiggle finger on palm. 2. Rub tummy. Open and close hands. 3. Move one forefinger round the other, sigh. 4. Hands to cheek, snore, shout ‘Wakey, wakey!with hand to mouth. 5. Cross hands at wrists and flap.

See the little caterpillar eating leaves for lunch,

What a greedy little thing,

“Gobble, gobble! Munch! Munch! Munch!”

Now it spins a chrysalis, with a soft and careless sigh,

A little sleep, a little snore,

“Wakey, wakey!”

It’s a beautiful butterfly!

Six little pigs (2) 🔊

A farmyard 'please' and 'thank you' hand play.

Words and melody by Helen Call and published around 1923 in ‘Songs of Childhood’.

1. Hold up six fingers. 2. Put hand to eyes, wiggle little finger. 3. Roll fists round each other. 4. Make arm and hand into a tree. 5. Put hand to ear. 6. Put hand to mouth.

Six little pigs in the straw with their mother,

Bright eyes, curly tails, tumbling on each other.

Bring them apples from the orchard trees,

And hear those piggies say, "Please, please, please!"

Six little pigs in the straw with their mother,

Bright eyes, curly tails, tumbling on each other.

Bring them apples from the orchard trees,

But instead of “Thank you!” they’ll go, "Wee! Wee! Wee!"

Something in my pocket 🔊

Ready to put on your smile – what a difference it makes!

1. Point to pocket on chest. 2. Tap cheeks. 3. Place hands on pocket. 4. Nod.

5. Shake finger. 6. Take out smile and put it on face.

I’ve got something in my pocket

That belongs across my face,

I keep it very close at hand,

In a most convenient place.

I know you couldn’t guess it

If you guessed a long, long while.

So I’ll take it out and put it on,

It’s a great big friendly SMILE!

Sometimes my hands are at my side 🔊

A calming down song. Change the last line to describe next quiet activity.

Tune by Dany Rosevear.

Make actions to suit the explicit words.

Sometimes my hands are at my side;

Then behind my back they hide.

Sometimes I wiggle my fingers so,

Shake them fast, Shake them slow.

Sometimes my hands go

“Clap, clap, clap!”

Then I rest them in my lap.

Now they’re quiet as quiet can be,

For now it’s storytime, you see.

Sparrows in a nest 🔊

A poem, hand play and lullaby for the nesting season. Written by Alexander John Ellis, a mathematician and philologist and published in a book of nursery rhymes that he wrote for his own children in the 1860s.

Music by Dany Rosevear.

Verse 1. and 2. Cup hands, one inside the other. Raise one finger at a time. Move elbow wing up and down. Wiggle ‘worm’ finger over ‘beak’ thumb and forefinger of other hand. Hands on heart.

Verse 3. and 4. Shake finger. Make nest as before. Shake head. Cross hands at wrist and flap. Nod. Draw sun. Flap hands. Open and close thumb and forefinger.

Sparrows in a nest,

One and two and three;

Under mother's breast,

Warm as warm can be!

Mother keeps you warm,

Father brings you food,

Troubles you have none,

Happy little brood!

Mind you do not fall

From your nest on high,

You've no feathers yet,

So you cannot fly.

When your feathers grow,

On a sunny day,

You shall learn to fly,

Chirp, chirp away!

Stars are twinkling in the sky 🔊

Words and melody by Alice Olsen.

Verse 1. Make fingers ‘twinkle’. Move hands up as the music gats higher and ‘over’ as they shine down. Verse 2. As before. Put hands to cheek and close eyes. Make hands twinkle. Cover eyes then peep.

Stars are twinkling in the sky,

Way up high, way up high.

Stars are twinkling in the in sky,

Shining down on me.

We can see them twinkling bright,

Through the night, through the night.

We can see them twinkling bright,

In the dark night sky.

Sunflower, sunflower 🔊

Words by Sanford Jones who also wrote a melody I was unable to find; the tune below is by Dany Rosevear.

1. Stand tall with hands to face, fingers outstretched, draw a circle. 2. Point then put circled thumb and forefinger to eyes. 3. Stand tall and sweep hands fown and out like leaves. 4. Hand to heart then put hands to face and wiggle fingers.

Sunflower, sunflower, yellow and round.

You are the prettiest flower I've found.

Tall, straight, full of grace.

I love the light in your bright yellow face.

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