I’ve had lots of requests for footage of some of the finger games and songs that are staples for my mealtime entertainment, so I have some here. Some of them are classic children’s games (like ‘Here’s the church, here’s the steeple, open the doors and see all the people), some are obscure children’s games, and some I made up myself. Don’t be shy to make up your own! Young children are a very forgiving audience. As you do it over and over, the ‘official’ words will settle into your head and the movements will settle into your hands.
This first group are very short finger games. A finger game this short I will usually do two or three times in a row. If you change your delivery each time (volume, tone, accent, speed) you can easily do one of these games four or five times in a row and the kids think it’s hilarious:
Next I have some longer finger-plays and songs. The one at the end, “Five Little Ducks” is a song that has something for everyone: lots of repetition for the phlegmatic children, sadness and loss for the melancholic children, a happy ending for the sanguine children. I’ve never had this one not be a hit.
Finally, I did a video with games that we play for wiping our hands and faces after a meal is done. The batteries ran out halfway through the last game, but I’ll go ahead and post it anyhow; who knows when I’ll get around to re-doing it!
That’s it for now! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. If you know any other good sources for finger-plays and such, please post them in the comments!
Warmly, Faith