A few of our favorite songs and finger-plays

I tend to go in phases when it comes to doing songs and finger-plays and rhymes with my children. We will be really good and do some every day for awhile, and then we fall out of habit and don't do any for awhile. But with more time at home feeding and snuggling with our new baby, we've all been enjoying the songs and rhymes again. Here are some of our current favorites:

Creepy, Crawly
Creepy crawly little mousey.
From the barn in to the housey.
In the pantry, on the shelf.
Find some cheese and help yourself.
Nibble, Nibble, Nibble.
(Start your fingers at their toes and walk them up the body until they reach under the chin. Tickle under chin for the Nibble, Nibble, Nibble).

Hickory Dickory Dock
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down!
Hickory Dickory Dock.
(Use your imagination with your fingers and tickles to go along with this rhyme).

Here is a Beehive
Here is a beehive
but where are all the bees?
Hidden inside where nobody sees.
Watch, and you'll see them come out of the hive.
1...2...3...4...5! Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
(Make a fist with you hand to make a beehive. As you count open up one finger at a time, then tickle for the buzzzzzzzzzzzz).

The old woman who lives in a shoe-Our favorite variation
There was a wonderful woman who lived in a shoe.
She had so many children, she knew just what to do.
She hugged them, she kissed them, she tucked them in bed.
I love you, I love you, is what she said.
(Sprinkle with lots of hugs and kisses)

The Grand Old Duke of York
Oh, the grand old Duke of York he had ten thousand men
He marched them up to the top of the hill
and he marched them down again.
When they were up, they were up
and when they were down, they were down
and when they were only halfway up
they were neither up nor down.

I Had a Little Turtle
I had a little turtle
His name was Tiny Tim
I put him in the bathtub
To see if he could swim.
He drank up all the water
He ate up all the soap
Now he's stuck in bed
with a bubble in his throat.

Bubble, bubble, bubble,
Bubble, bubble, bubble,
Bubble, bubble, bubble,
Bubble, bubble, POP!!

Froggies--Mm Mm Ah (thanks to this site for the actions)
Mm(blink) Mm( stick out tongue) went the little green frog one day
Mm(blink) Mm( tongue) went the little green frog
Mm(blink) Mm(tongue) went the little green frog one day
So they all went Mm(blink) Mm(blink) Ah( tongue)

Now
We all know frogs go ( clap) LAH dee dah dee dah (wave hands to side like hula), ( clap) lah dee dah dee dah ( wave), ( clap) lah dee dah dee dah ( wave) We all know frogs go LAH (clap) DEE DAH DEE DAH (wave)
They don't go Mm(blink) Mm(blink) Mm(tongue)
(Most times instead of the clap we do kisses. This is a favorite bedtime song for the Sweet Bee).

Five Green and Speckled Frogs
Five green and speckled frogs
Sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs
YYYYUUUUMMMM YYYYUUUUMMMM

One jumped into the pool
Where it was nice and cool
Then there were
Four green speckled frogs
GGGGLLLLUUUUBBBB GGGGLLLLUUUUBBBB
(Repeat in descending order.)

5 Little Monkeys
5 little Monkeys
Sitting in the tree.
Teasing Mr. Alligator,
"You can't catch me!"
"You can't catch me!"
Along comes Mr. Alligator
Quiet as can be…and
Snatches! that monkey right out of that tree!
(Repeat in descending order)

Five Little Ducks
Five little ducks
Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother duck said
"Quack, quack, quack, quack."
But only four little ducks came back.
(Repeat in descending order. When you get to none, end with...)
Then the big Daddy duck said
"QUACK, QUACK, QUACK"
Five little ducks came waddling back!

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
I'm sure you know the words to this one, but at our house Daddy likes to include random "shooting stars!" for excitement.

White Coral Bells
White coral bells
Upon a slender stalk
Lilies of the valley
Deck my garden walk
Oh, don’t you wish
That you could
hear them ring.
That will happen only
when the fairies sing.
(We sing this song every night as a lullaby, because of the reference to Lilies.)

And just a few more that I'm sure you know: Eensy Weensy Spider, This Little Piggy Went to Market, Hickory Dickory Dock, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, Old Macdonald Had a Farm, The Wheels on the Bus, My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean, and Head Shoulders Knees and Toes.

With all of our songs we include actions and hugs and kisses wherever possible. Maybe if I feel brave enough I'll post a little video clip of some of these songs in action! I would love to hear your favorite songs and finger-plays. Please share them with us in the comments!