Fingerplays for Toddlers: 10 Action Rhymes to Try at Home

The days are getting shorter, the rain keeps you indoors, and fall break is just around the corner. It is the perfect season to bring back one of the oldest and simplest ways to play with little ones: fingerplays. These short rhymes and songs, acted out with hands and fingers, need no toys, no batteries and no screens. You can use them in the car, in a waiting room or on the living room rug, and they work just as well with a six-month-old baby as with a busy five-year-old.

In this guide you will find 10 classic fingerplays for toddlers and preschoolers, sorted by age, practical tips to make them come alive, a quick age chart and a simple plan for a rainy day at home.

What are fingerplays and why do toddlers love them?

A fingerplay is a song or rhythmic rhyme paired with specific hand and finger movements: a thumb that hides, a spider that climbs, five little monkeys that jump on the bed. Early childhood educators, librarians and preschool teachers have used them for generations during circle time and story time, and parents can easily do the same at home.

• They connect words and actions. When your child sees your hand go "up" as you sing the word "up", the meaning becomes concrete. Pairing words with gestures is a playful way to build vocabulary.
• They build fine motor skills. Isolating one finger, opening and closing the hands, wiggling and pinching: these small movements gently prepare little hands for holding crayons, spoons and safety scissors.
• They hold attention. Repetition and a predictable structure are reassuring. Children quickly learn what comes next, which helps them stay focused a little longer.
• They create connection. Eye contact, laughter, a tickle at the end: fingerplays are also a warm daily ritual between you and your child.

You do not need a great singing voice. Your child prefers your voice to any recording, and your expressive face is what makes the game magical.

10 fingerplays for toddlers and preschoolers to try this week

Here is a selection of traditional action rhymes that many English-speaking families already know. Ages are only guidelines: follow your child's pace.

1. Open, Shut Them (from 6 months)

Open your hands, close them, give a little clap, then let your fingers creep up toward your chin. This is often the very first fingerplay babies enjoy, because the movements are big and easy to see. Slow down at the end to build a little suspense before the final tickle.

2. Where Is Thumbkin? (from 12 months)

Hide both hands behind your back, then bring out one thumb, then the other, as they greet each other. Each verse introduces a new finger. This game helps children notice and move individual fingers, an important step toward the pincer grasp.

3. The Itsy Bitsy Spider (from 18 months)

Touch the thumb of one hand to the index finger of the other and twist upward as the spider climbs the waterspout. Wiggle your fingers for the rain, make a big circle for the sun. It is the perfect rainy-season rhyme, and the alternating pinch movement takes real coordination.

4. Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed (from 2 years)

Hold up five fingers and bounce them on your other palm, then remove one each time a monkey falls off. This counting rhyme mixes fine motor skills, early math and a lot of giggles. Let your child play the doctor on the phone.

5. Five Little Ducks (from 2 years)

Your fingers become little ducks waddling over the hills and far away, while your other hand plays mother duck calling them home. Children love the happy ending when all the ducks come back. It is another gentle introduction to counting down.

6. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (from 12 months)

Open and close your fingers to make the stars sparkle, then draw a big diamond in the air. Sung slowly and softly, this lullaby is also a lovely way to calm down before a nap or bedtime.

7. Round and Round the Garden (from 6 months)

Trace slow circles on your baby's palm, walk your fingers up the arm "one step, two steps" and finish with a tickle under the arm. The anticipation is half the fun: many babies start laughing before the tickle even arrives.

8. Here Is the Beehive (from 2 years)

Make a closed fist for the hive, then release the bees one finger at a time as you count to five, before they "buzz" all over your child. A great way to practice numbers and finger isolation at the same time.

9. Row, Row, Row Your Boat (from 12 months)

Sit facing each other, hold hands and rock back and forth. It is more of an action song than a strict fingerplay, but it rounds out a session nicely with movement, rhythm and closeness.

10. Ten Little Fingers (from 3 years)

Any counting rhyme can turn into a finger game. Hold up one finger for each number and ask your child to copy you. Linking the number word, the quantity and the gesture is one of the most natural first steps into math.

Which fingerplays for which age?

Every child develops at their own pace. This chart simply offers a few markers to help you choose.

Tips to make action rhymes a success

One last tip: stop while it is still fun. Three joyful minutes are better than ten forced ones, and your child will ask for more tomorrow.

A rainy day plan built around fingerplays

During fall break or on a wet weekend, fingerplays can give rhythm to the whole day. Here is a simple example:

1. Wake-up: Where Is Thumbkin? to say good morning to every finger.
2. Before breakfast: Row, Row, Row Your Boat to get the body moving.
3. Late morning: a cutting or play dough activity to keep working those little hand muscles.
4. In the car or waiting room: Here Is the Beehive and counting rhymes, no supplies needed.
5. After nap: a finger puppet show using old socks or paper drawings taped to fingertips.
6. Bedtime: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, sung softer and softer to signal it is time to rest.

You can also make paper finger puppets together: a circle for the head, a strip of paper rolled into a ring for the finger, a few marker lines for the face. Your child will want to replay every rhyme with their new characters.

Keep the fun going with Boom Lala Boom

Fingerplays are a wonderful first step into music and early learning. To go further:

• Explore all our nursery rhymes and kids songs to sing and act out as a family.
• Print our free paper crafts for kids to exercise little fingers between two songs.
• Try the Lola Memory game with Lola the cow to train memory while having fun.

Want to sing along with us? Subscribe to our YouTube channel Boom Lala Boom: new animated nursery rhymes every week to watch, sing and act out with your kids.

Fingerplays FAQ

At what age can you start fingerplays with a baby?

From the first months. At first, your baby simply watches your hands and listens to your voice. Around 8 to 12 months, many babies begin copying a simple gesture such as clapping or waving bye-bye. Every child develops at their own pace.

What is the difference between a fingerplay and an action song?

A fingerplay mainly uses the hands and fingers with small, precise movements. An action song gets the whole body moving: arms, feet, head. Both work beautifully together in the same session.

How much time should we spend on fingerplays each day?

A few minutes are enough. What matters is regularity and shared enjoyment: two or three rhymes woven into daily routines are better than one long session.

My toddler will not do the actions. What should I do?

Do not push. Many children watch for a long time before they imitate. Keep singing with enthusiasm for yourself, and one day your child will surprise you by doing all the actions alone.

Follow Boom Lala Boom

Find our latest songs, coloring pages and activity ideas on social media: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Pinterest

This article is also available in French and Spanish.