LA T1.03Rhymes and Finger Plays
The adult says or sings short rhymes, songs, and finger plays to one child or a small group, repeating the same few until the child joins in.
Safety
- Keep bouncing rhymes gentle and support the infant's head and trunk; never toss or shake an infant.
- Objects used with songs must not fit the small parts test cylinder (1.25 in. × 2.25 in.) and must have no loose strings or ribbons.
Presentation
- 1
With an infant, hold them on your lap facing you, or sit face to face on the mat. With toddlers, sit on the floor with the one to four children who choose to come.
- 2
Say or sing one short rhyme slowly with clear words, looking at the child.
- 3
For a finger play, do the hand movements slowly and the same way with each line. For an infant, do the movements on their body, such as walking your fingers up their arm or gently clapping their hands together.
- 4
Repeat the same rhyme with the same words, tune, and movements.
- 5
Pause just before a movement or last word the child knows, and wait. This is the point of interest: the child shows they expect what comes next; an infant may kick or smile, a toddler may clap or say the word.
- 6
Stop when the child's attention moves away. Never require a toddler to join; watching is taking part.
- 7
Repeat the same few rhymes over days and weeks before adding a new one.
Extensions, easiest to hardest
- Infant (3–9 months): lap rhymes with a gentle bounce or tickle at the same point each time
- Older infant (9–15 months): the child does one movement of a finger play, such as clapping
- Toddler (15–24 months): the child fills in the last word of a line when the adult pauses
- Toddler (24–36 months): the child sings a whole familiar song with a small group and asks for a song by its name or its movement
Control of error
The adult and the group: the child hears the same words and sees the same movements each time, and hears the correct word when they join in.
Ready to move on when the child…
- Smiles, kicks, or reaches before a known point in a rhyme (infant)
- Does the movements of two or more finger plays with the adult
- Fills in a word or a line of a familiar song
- Asks for a favorite song with a word, a sign, or the song's movement
Guide note
Ask each family for one or two rhymes or songs they sing at home, in their own language, and learn them. Recorded music does not replace the adult's voice at this age, because only a live singer can pause and wait for the child. Singing for music's sake is in the Art and Music area; this work is about the words.