My little one loves hand games and songs! They're easy and convenient for me as they only require my hands. So it's a win-win for both of us. I thought I'd put together a quick list of our tops choices along with the lyrics and motions for each song so you can try them too if you like :).
Song Lyrics
The itsy-bitsy spider went up the water spout (place the index finger of one hand to the thumb of other hand and vice-versa, rotate one finger and thumb pair upwards to meet again and then rotate the other pair up and repeat to imitate spider climbing)
Down came the rain (flutter fingers and bring hands down in rain motion)
And washed the spider out (move hands away from each other in a wiping motion)
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain (raise both hands and move back and forth)
And the itsy-bitsy spider went up the spout again (repeat climbing motion from the first line)
Song Lyrics
Twinkle twinkle little star (lift hands up and flutter fingers)
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high (move hands back and forth)
Like a diamond in the sky (make a diamond shape with your index fingers and thumbs)
Twinkle twinkle little star (lift hands up and flutter fingers)
How I wonder what you are
1. Itsy Bitsy Spider
This song has been my little one's favorite since he was about 2 months old! He loves watching me do the motions.Song Lyrics
The itsy-bitsy spider went up the water spout (place the index finger of one hand to the thumb of other hand and vice-versa, rotate one finger and thumb pair upwards to meet again and then rotate the other pair up and repeat to imitate spider climbing)
Down came the rain (flutter fingers and bring hands down in rain motion)
And washed the spider out (move hands away from each other in a wiping motion)
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain (raise both hands and move back and forth)
And the itsy-bitsy spider went up the spout again (repeat climbing motion from the first line)
2. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
We use this one when baby goes to bed. I've also seen lots of other babies ask for this song by lifting their hands above their head!Song Lyrics
Twinkle twinkle little star (lift hands up and flutter fingers)
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high (move hands back and forth)
Like a diamond in the sky (make a diamond shape with your index fingers and thumbs)
Twinkle twinkle little star (lift hands up and flutter fingers)
How I wonder what you are
3. Peek-a-boo
This is a classic game and is pretty self-explanatory! However, if you're having a mind-blank (don't worry I definitely mind blank all the time), here's an explanation. You can play it with your hands or with anything around the room. Just hold up your hands or the object to cover your face and then pop your head out at random intervals saying 'peek-a-boo!'. You can also do play this game by covering baby's face with your hands and then moving your hands and saying peek-a-boo!
4. Guess which hand
This is another good one, especially for babies learning about object permanence. You take a small object, say a cheerio and show baby. You then put your hands together with the cheerio between the two, make some tricky motions with your hand and grab the cheerio into one hand. You then hold out both your hands to baby and ask them to guess which hand. Baby may point to your hand or grab your hand at which point you open your hand to show baby if they've guessed the correct hand. Our baby loves this game. He's usually pretty good at guessing the correct hand and loves to eat the food inside the hand!
5. Patty Cake
This is a classic rhyme that has been around for a long time! In case you've forgotten the lyrics they go:
Pat-a-cake pat-a-cake baker's man (clap your hands or baby's hands)
Bake me a cake as fast as you can
Pat it, roll it and mark it with a b (patting motion, rolling motion, mark out a B with your finger)
And put it in the oven for baby and me! (point to baby and point to self)
6. Five Little Ducks
This is a great one for counting especially.
Lyrics:
Five little ducks went out one day (hold up five fingers)
Over the hill and far away (make and over motion with hand and then hold up your hand to your forehead as if looking for something)
Mother duck said 'Quack, quack, quack, quack' (make wings with your arms and flap)
And only four little ducks came back (hold up four fingers)
1-2-3-4 (count out using fingers)
(Repeat all the way down to zero then)
Sad mother duck went out one day (make a sad face with crying hand)
Over the hill and far away (repeat motions as before for rest of verse)
Mother duck said 'Quack, quack, quack, quack'
And all of the five little ducks came back!
1-2-3-4-5!
7. Open Shut Them
This is a great rhyme for teaching baby to place his or her hands into his lap. It may take awhile for baby to get the hang of it, but it's still fun to do!
Lyrics
Open shut them, open shut them (open and shut hands)
Give a little clap (clap)
Open shut them, open shut them (open and shut hands)
Place them in your lap. (place hands in lap)
Creeping creeping, creeping creeping (use hands in crawling motion up to baby's chin)
Right up to your chin
Open wide your little mouth (point to baby's mouth)
But do not let them in. (shake head)
Shake them shake them, shake them shake them (shake your hands)
Shake them just like this
Roll them roll them, roll them roll them (roll your hands)
Blow a little kiss. (blow a kiss)
8. Yogi Bear
Lyrics
I know someone you don't know (point to self, point to baby)
Yogi, Yogi (lift one of your hands in a fist to your head like making a bear ear, lift the other hand in fist to your head for other bear ear)
I know someone you don't know (repeat motion line one)
Yogi, Yogi Bear (repeat motions line two)
Yogi, Yogi Bear, Yogi, Yogi Bear (repeat motions line two twice)
I know someone you don't know (repeat motions line one)
Yogi, Yogi Bear (repeat motions line two)
Yogi's got a best friend
Boo boo, Boo Boo, (pat the air twice)
Yogi's got a best friend Boo Boo, Boo Boo Bear (pat the air twice and then hold up both of your hands in fists to each side of your head as if making bear ears)
Boo Boo, Boo Boo Bear, Boo Boo, Boo Boo Bear (repeat patting air and bear ear motions)
Yogi's got a best friend
Boo Boo, Boo Boo Bear (repeat patting air and bear ear motions)
Yogi's got a girlfriend
Cindy Cindy (hold up your hand as though swishing hair back, do on both sides)
Yogi's got a girlfriend
Cidy Cindy Bear (hold up your hand as though swishing hair back, do on both sides and repeat then do the bear ear motion)
Cindy Cindy Bear Cindy Cindy Bear (hold up your hand as though swishing hair back, do on both sides and repeat then do the bear ear motion)
Yogi's got a girlfriend
Cindy Cindy Bear (hold up your hand as though swishing hair back, do on both sides and repeat then do the bear ear motion)
They all live in Jelly Stone
Jelly, Jelly (hold up hands with open palms outwards, bring down in a swishing motion like jelly, continue doing for rest of verse)
They all live in Jelly Stone
Jelly Jelly Stone
Jelly Jelly Stone, Jelly Jelly Stone
They all live in Jelly Stone
Jelly Jelly Stone
9. Little Green Frog
This one I learned ages ago at a summer camp. It's a little morbid when I actually think about the words, but still pretty fun!
Lyrics
Mmm-ah went the little green frog one day (raise your hands in air, close them on the 'mmm' and then pop them open on the 'ah')
Mm-ah went the little green frog (repeat line one)
Mm-ah went the little green frog one day (repeat line one)
And his eyes went mm-mm-ah (repeat line one)
Beep beep went the little black truck one day (beep a horn motion)
Split splat went the little green frog (clap hands together in split splat motion)
And his eyes didn't go mm-ah anymore (raise your hands in air, close them on the 'mm' and pop them open on the 'ah')
Cause he got eaten up by a dog, woof woof (put one hand down like a paw on the ruff and the other hand down like a paw on the other ruff)
Not included on this list is Baby Shark, but your baby is bound to love that song as well! If you haven't already heard of it check out this video by Pink Fong!
What hand games does your little one love? Were any of these games new to you? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
What hand games does your little one love? Were any of these games new to you? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
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