- listening skills
- observational skills
- an awareness of associating finger movement with the words of the finger play song
- a further awareness of fingers
- more awareness of left and right
Hold the baby's left hand and touch her thumb. Say, "This is Thumbkin". Touch the forefinger and say, "This is Pointer." Touch the middle finger and say, "This is Middleman." Touch the ring finger and say, "This is Ringman." Touch the little finger and say, "This Pinky."
Use both hands to carry on the conversation with the left and right fingers as you sing the song below. Start the finger play song with the left and right hands in the fist position. Each finger should appear and disappear to correspond to the words. (L) represents the left hand fingers. (R) represents the right hand fingers. The words are:
Where is Thumbkin? Where is Thumbkin?
(L) Here I am. (R) Here I am.
(L) How are you today, sir?
(R) Very well I thank you.
(L) Run away.
(R) Run away.
Repeat the song for each finger and substitute the correct finger for the word... "Pointer", "Middleman", "Ringman" & "Pinky". Repeat this several times. Then place your hands behind you and sing the words as you move the correct fingers forward to correspond to the song. This activity will serve to interest the baby and at the same time enrich her learning.
