Finger and hand
play T1 (19) 2
Last updated: 1/16/2023 10:58 AM
Tea for two
The apple tree / Here is a tree with leaves so green
The bird’s nest
The birds’ and squirrels’ tea
The busy little worm
The earth needs the raindrops
The friendly little worm
The fairy mouse
The fairies’ wash day
The golden sun is shining
The oak tree
The owl and the brownies
The rainbow
The snake charmer
The sun it rises
The turtle went up the hill
The waves on the sea
The wide-eyed owl
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 🔊
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author sing a song click on the title at:
© Dany Rosevear 2013 All rights reserved
You are free to copy, distribute, display and perform these
works under the following conditions:
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Tea for two
A teatime
hand play. Drinking
tea was the favourite non-alchoholic beverage of choice for adults when I was
a child long before the popularity of coffee. There was always a pot of tea
on the table covered with a handknitted cosy to keep it warm, as was also the
case in Ireland where I believe this little hand rhyme originated. There are
many types of tea available nowadays; my favourite tipple is ‘redbush’ tea. 1. Make a fist with your left hand. 2. Make a fist
with your right hand. 3. Lift up the thumb of your right hand to make a
spout. 4. Pour the ‘spout’ into the cup of your left hand. 5. Repeat with the
left hand ‘spout’ 6. Make left hand into a saucer and place your cupped right
hand on top, ‘drink’ your cup of tea. |
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Here’s a cup, And here’s a cup, And here’s a pot of tea. Pour a cup, And pour a cup, And drink it up with me |
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The apple tree / Here is a tree 🔊
A simple hand play for Autumn for
the very young. 1. Put forearms together and spread hands. 2. Make hands into fists. 3.
Move hands like the wind and fists tumble down with rolling arms. 4. Make a
basket with hand, pick up apples and put them in the basket. |
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Here is a
tree with leaves so green. Here are
the apples that hang in between. When the
wind blows the apples will fall, And here
is a basket to gather them all. |
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The birds’ and squirrels’ tea 🔊
A hand play. We all get thirsty but not all of us have such
dear little drinking vessels . From the Primer, Modern Music Series, published 1901 by
Silver, Burdett Company. Second verse by Dany Rosevear. Verse 1. Put up arm
and hand with fingers spread. Cross wrists to make birds. Make sqirrel from
both hands. Pretend to sip from a cup with little finger out. Make a circle
with thumb and forefinger. Verse 2. Scamper fingers around tree. Cup hand on
thumb. Put crossed hands to heart. Open and close beaks then wave. |
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‘Neath a tall and spreading tree, Birds and squirrels drink their tea; Each one takes a dainty sup, From a tiny acorn cup. Watch the squirrels having fun, About the old oak tree they run; The birds sing oh, so merrily To thank them kindly for their tea. |
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The bird’s nest 🔊
A Froebel hand play for Spring. Music arranged by Dany Rosevear to
a German nursery tune, ‘Little John’. 1. Palms up. 2. Open and close thumb and forefinger, cup palms. 3. Hold
up two fingers put in nest. 4. Hands to cheek. 5. Thumb up, hand to ear. 6. Two
fingers poke through curled fist. 7. Hand to ear, open and close forefingers and thumbs. 8. Hands to
heart, open and close forefingers and thumbs. |
Here upon
the leaves at rest,
A little
bird has built her nest.
Two tiny
eggs within she’s laid,
And many
days beside them stayed.
Now she’s
happy; listen well!
Two baby birds
break through the shell.
Don’t you
hear them? “Peep! Peep! Peep!
We love you, mother, “Cheep! Cheep! Cheep!”
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The fairy
mouse 🔊
This song is from ’60 songs for little children’ 1933,
words byFrances B. Wood. The melody is a Spanish folk tune ‘De los alamos
vengo’ arranged by Dany Rosevear. Verse 1. Thumb and
finger make a house shape. Wiggle finger through hole. Thumb and forefinger
nibble at palm of hand. 2. Wiggle forefinger and fingers of other hand. Make
hand scurry. Wiggling fingers move down for rain, shape sun and move fingers
up. |
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In a dear
little house, There
lives a fairy mouse And he
feeds on cream cheese And honey. And he
feeds on cream cheese And honey. From his
tail to his toes, In velvet
grey he goes, Be the weather
what it may, Wet or
sunny. Be the
weather what it may, Wet or
sunny. |
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The friendly little worm 🔊
A friend or not? A hand play. Words and melody by Dany Rosevear. 1. Make finger wiggle. 2. Enclose finder in fist and move upwards. 3.
Cross fingers at wrists and flap hands. 4. Rub tummy, make finger disappear
into fist. |
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One fine day,
a friendly little worm, Popped up
its head with a wiggle and a squirm. Down came
a blackbird with a very hungry stare. “I’d
really like to mmm-eat you.” The worm
said, “Don’t you dare!” |
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The fairies’
wash day 🔊
One of Maud Burnham’s wonderful hand plays. Tune by Dany Rosevear. 1. Cup hands. 2. Show
palms and rub together.3. With hands face down, spread apart. 4.Wiggle fingers of
one hand then roll hands to make spinning movement. 5. Stretch an imaginary
string. 6. Thumb up. |
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This is
the fairies' wash day With acorn
cups for tubs, And tiny leaves
for washboards, Each fairy
rubs and rubs. The fairy
sheets so white and fine Upon the
grass are lying; The spider
spins a line for them, And now
the clothes are drying. |
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The golden
sun is shining 🔊
An early morning hand
play to remind us to look up and appreciate the wonders of our world. Music and second verse
by Dany Rosevear. Verse
1. Draw a large circle with hands, wiggle fingers. Raise upturned hands to
the sky and look up. Put hands together and bow, draw smiling mouth. Point to
audience. Verse
2. With circled thumb and forefingers make moon rise up. Hands to face draw
apart and look through. Put hands together and bow. Hand to forehead, hands
to cheek. |
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The golden
sun is shining, Up in the
sky so blue; Good
morning, happy morning, Good
morning, sun, to you. The pale
moon is a-rising, Up in the dark
it peeps; Good
evening moon, good evening, Keep
watch, the world’s asleep. |
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The oak tree
🔊
This song can be found in ‘Sing a
song’ published in 1978. Written by David Dyer, I have accompanied it with a
simpler tune and slightly adapted the words to accommodate the new music. Verse 1. Show small
with thumb and forefinger, point to another child and self. Repeat. Fingers
fall downwards. Lift up arms, hold hand above head. 2. As before. Put finger
through hand and grow into a tree. 3. Hold hand above head, point to another
child and self. Repeat. With hands stretch move as on a windy day. |
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Smaller
than you, smaller than me, Smaller
than you, smaller than me, The tiny
acorn falls from the oak tree, Great big
oak tree, so much bigger than me! Smaller
than you, smaller than me, Smaller
than you, smaller than me, The tiny
acorn grows into an oak tree, Great big
oak tree, so much bigger than me! Bigger
than you, bigger than me, Bigger
than you, bigger than me, Now
there’s a great big spreading oak tree, Great big
oak tree, so much bigger than me! |
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The owl and
the brownies 🔊
How quiet can you be? Written by Maude Burnham from ‘Rhymes for little hands’ published 1906.
The music is by Lucille F. Wood and can be found in the classic ‘Singing Fun’
published in 1966. Here it is adapted and arranged by Dany Rosevear. Line 1. Place two
fingers thumb of hand. 2. Put finger to lips. 3. Place thumb and forefingers
round eyes. 4. Look around then shake finger. 5. Fingers run up arm. 6. Put
finger to lips 7. Two forefingers make beak. 8. Fingers jump off arm, fly and
hide behind back. 9. Place two fingers on the other arm. 10. Put finger to
lips. |
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An owl sat
alone on the branch of a tree, He was as
quiet as quiet could be; ‘Twas
night and his eyes were open like this! He looked
all around; not a thing did he miss! Some
brownies crept up to the branch of the tree, And sat
there quietly as still as could be; Said the
wise owl, “Too-whoo, Too-whoo!” Then up
jumped the brownies and away they all flew! An owl sat
alone on the branch of a tree, He was as
quiet as quiet could be. |
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The rainbow 🔊
Appreciate the wonder of our
world - how a rainbow is made. Sing cheerfully. Another from the words of Emilie Poulsson, music by Eleanor Smith. Line 1. Make a big
round shape, wiggle fingers downward. 2. Put hand to mouth. 3. Point upwards.
4. Make rain as before and wiggle fingers up for the sunshine. 5. Hands move
outwards. 6. Sweep hands overhead. |
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Sun
shining, rain falling, And
everyone calling, Oh! Look
at the glorious sky! For shower
and shining, In beauty
combining, A rainbow
have painted on high. |
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The snake
charmer 🔊
This familiar piece of
musicis associated with belly dancing and
has a number of titles including ‘The streets of Cairo’; you can also find
children’s verses with inappropriate words! These words come from flute and
piano tutors. 1.
Hand and arm make a basket. 2. The other hand rests on arm through hole made.
3.Play pretend flute. 4. Snakes head rises, looks around, bends and sways. |
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In a place
I know, A magician
has a show; In his
basket deep Lies a
cobra fast asleep. When the master
plays a haunting sound, It rises
up and looks around, It bends
and sways While the
master’s music plays. |
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The sun it
rises 🔊
A gentle had play to calm
everyone or before bedtime. Discuss where the sun rises. Can also be sung as a round. Line 1. and 2. While
sitting lift arms from lap in a rounded shape and move slowly from low left,
overhead and then gently down on the right side. 3. and 4. Bring rounded arms
up in front, open arms and wiggle fingers downwards in front to settle in
lap. |
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The sun it
rises in the day, And in the
evening slips away. The moon it
comes up in the night, And fades
away in the morning light. |
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The waves on
the sea 🔊
All at sea. A great one for
accompanying with percussion as well as for actions, and you can easily add
your own marine verses. Line 1. Wave hands up
and down. 2. Place hands together and swish from side to side. 3. Open and
close hands. 4. Roll arms round each other. 5. With hands face down wiggle
fingers. 6. Hands and arms make a leaping motion. 7. Pull an imaginary lever
for each toot. |
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The waves
on the sea go up and down, Up and
down, up and down. The waves on
the sea go up and down, All day
long. The fish
in the sea go swish, swish, swish, Swish,
swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, The fish
in the sea go swish, swish, swish, All day
long. The sharks
in the sea go snap, snap, snap, Snap,
snap, snap, snap, snap, snap, The sharks
in the sea go snap, snap, snap, All day
long. The seals
in the sea roll round and round, Round and
round, round and round, The seals
in the sea roll round and round, All day
long. The jellyfish
in the sea go wibble, wobble, wibble, Wibble,
wobble, wibble, wibble, wobble, wibble, The
jellyfish in the sea go wibble, wobble, wibble, All day
long. The
dolphins in the sea they dip and dive, Dip and
dive, dip and dive, The
dolphins in the sea they dip and dive, All day
long. The boats
on the sea go toot, toot, toot, Toot,
toot, toot, toot, toot, toot, The boats
on the sea go toot, toot, toot, All day
long. |
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The turtle
went up the hill 🔊
A rhyme to play with a toddler. Older children can do it on their own
arm. 1. Walk up arm with two fingers. 2. One finger slithers up the arm. 3.
Raise two fingers from fist and jump up arm. 4. Curl fingers into a fist and
thud each hand. 5. Show rock with hands and fingers spread. 6. Roll arms
round each other. 7. Clap hands loudly. |
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The turtle
went up the hill: Creepy,
creepy, creepy, The snake
went up the hill: Slither,
slither, slither, The rabbit
went up the hill: Boing!
Boing! Boing! The
elephant went up the hill: Thud,
thud, thud, And then a
great big rock came DOWN the hill! Bumpity,
bumpity, bumpity, bumpity, Bumpity,
bumpity, CRASH! |
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The
wide-eyed owl 🔊
Whoo-whoo’s looking? A
traditional rhyme set to the tune of ‘Simple gifts’. 1. Make circles around eyes with fingers. 2. Hook fore finger to make
nose. 3. First two fingers to side of head. 4. Curl fingers like claws in
front of chest. 5. Hold hands fingers spread high above head. 6. Make circles around eyes with fingers. 7.
Bend elbows and flap. 8. Make owl sounds . |
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There’s a
wide-eyed owl With a
pointed nose, Two pointy
ears And claws
for its toes, It sits
high in a tree Looking
down at you, Flaps its
wings and says, “Too-whit-to-whoo!” |
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