40 Fun Finger Plays for Preschoolers and Toddlers

Finger plays are enjoyable to keep young children entertained and engaged while promoting their cognitive and motor skill development.

These playful and interactive activities involve using your hands and fingers to act out stories, rhymes, and songs, making them perfect for preschoolers and toddlers.

In this article, we will be exploring 40 goofy, creative, and interactive fingerplays that are sure to capture the attention and imagination of your little ones.

Importance of these fingerplays for your kids:

Promotes cognitive development:

Fingerplays stimulate children’s imagination and creativity, which helps develop their cognitive abilities.

Enhances motor skills:

Children develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination by using their fingers and hands to act out the finger plays, making them better at writing, drawing, and other tasks.

Encourages language development:

Fingerplays introduce new vocabulary, help children develop their language skills, and make learning language fun.

Fosters social skills:

Finger plays are an excellent way to encourage children to interact with each other, helping them develop their social skills and build relationships with their peers. They also learn to take turns and share.

40 fun and engaging finger plays 

Five Little Monkeys

This silly finger play involves counting and physical movements like jumping and falling off a bed, making it an exciting way to learn and play.

Where is Thumbkin?

This classic finger play teaches children about body parts and hand-eye coordination by naming and touching each finger individually.

Itsy Bitsy Spider

The famous nursery rhyme encourages fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination while pretending to climb up a spout and down in the rain.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

This calming and soothing lullaby involves hand motions and encourages imagination and creativity while singing about stars.

Pat-a-Cake

This finger play encourages hand-eye coordination and rhythm by clapping and patting hands together while singing, “Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man.”

This Little Piggy

With imaginative storytelling and counting, this playful finger play involves wiggling toes and pretending each one is a different piggy.

Hickory Dickory Dock

This interactive finger play teaches children about telling time and encourages physical movements like wiggling and shaking fingers while singing “Hickory Dickory Dock.”

Open Shut Them

This calming and relaxing finger play encourages fine motor skills and imagination by opening and closing hands while singing, “Open shut them, open shut them.”

I’m a Little Teapot

“I’m a little teapot, short and stout” – this playful finger play encourages children to use their imagination and physical movements to pretend to be a teapot while singing.

Baa Baa, Black Sheep

“Baa Baa Black Sheep, have you any wool?” – this classic nursery rhyme involves hand motions and encourages imaginative storytelling and creativity about a sheep and its wool.

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

“Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream” – this fun and interactive finger play encourages physical movements and teamwork while pretending to row a boat together.

The Wheels on the Bus

“The wheels on the bus go round and round” – this catchy nursery rhyme encourages imaginative storytelling and physical movements like spinning and swaying.

The Itsy Bitsy Turtle

A playful twist on the classic “Itsy Bitsy Spider” finger play, this version teaches children about turtles and encourages fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe

“One, two, buckle my shoe” – this fun and playful finger play teaches children about counting and encourages physical movements like tapping toes.

Ten Little Fingers

“I have ten little fingers, and they all belong to me” – this simple and playful finger play encourages counting and hand-eye coordination.

The Ants Go Marching

“The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah” – this fun and interactive finger play teaches children about counting and encourages physical movements like marching and clapping.

The Eensy Weensy Butterfly

Let’s flutter like a butterfly with this cute, silly finger play that encourages fine motor skills and imaginative storytelling about a tiny butterfly’s adventures.

Five Little Speckled Frogs

Hop into fun with this playful finger play that involves counting and imaginative storytelling about five speckled frogs sitting on a log.

The Finger Family

Meet the finger family with this famous finger play that involves naming and touching each finger individually and encourages imaginative storytelling about a happy finger family.

Here is the Beehive

Let’s buzz like a bee with this fun and interactive finger play that involves physical movements like opening and closing fists while singing about bees and their hive.

The Grand Old Duke of York

Get ready to march and climb up and down a hill with this classic nursery rhyme that encourages physical movements and teamwork.

Alice the Camel

Join Alice the Camel in her desert adventures with this fun and silly finger play that involves imaginative storytelling and physical movements like bouncing and wiggling.

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom

Blast off to the moon with this playful, interactive finger play that encourages imaginative storytelling about an exciting space adventure.

Little Bunny Foo Foo

Hop into mischief with this silly, fun finger play that encourages physical movements and imaginative storytelling about a mischievous bunny who bops field mice on the head.

Little Red Wagon

Hop on board for a wild ride with the Little Red Wagon finger play! Kids will love pretending to pull and push a wagon through imaginative adventures.

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Follow Mary and her little lamb on a musical journey with this classic nursery rhyme. Encourage creativity and imagination through hand motions and singing.

My Hands Upon My Head

Get silly and active with this playful finger play that encourages kids to touch different parts of their bodies. It’s a great way to practice fine motor skills and get the wiggles out!

Mr. Sun

Let the sunshine in with the Mr. Sun finger play! Kids will love waving and swaying along to this cheerful and lively song about the sun.

Old McDonald Had a Farm

Bring the farm to life with this popular nursery rhyme that involves hand motions and encourages imaginative storytelling about farm animals. Kids will have a blast pretending to milk cows and feed chickens!

Pop Goes the Weasel

Spin, clap, and sing along with the silly and playful Pop Goes the Weasel finger play. It’s a great way to get kids moving and having fun while they learn.

Ring Around the Rosy

Join hands and spin around in a circle while singing about a ring of roses with this classic nursery rhyme. Encourage physical activity and imagination as kids fall and jump back up!

Rock-a-Bye Baby

Imagine yourself drifting to dreamland with the cozy and soothing lullaby Rock-a-Bye Baby. Encourage kids to use hand motions and let their imagination take them away to a world of sweet dreams.

Sally Go Round the Sun

Let’s get spinning and clapping with Sally Go Round the Sun! This fun and interactive finger play encourages physical movements while singing about the sun. Remember to smile and laugh along the way!

See Saw Margery Daw

Get ready to rock and balance with See Saw Margery Daw! This playful finger play involves physical movements like rocking back and forth while singing about a girl named Margery. Let’s see how far we can weave!

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Jump and dance with the silly Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear finger play! This fun activity encourages physical movements while singing about a lovable teddy bear. Let’s boogie with our favorite teddy bear!

The Hokey Pokey

Shake and turn with the classic dance song, The Hokey Pokey! This fun activity involves physical movements like shaking and turning body parts while singing about the hokey pokey. Let’s see if we can keep up with the beat!

The Muffin Man

Sing and play along with The Muffin Man finger play! This fun and interactive activity encourages imagination and creativity while singing about a man who lives on Drury Lane. Let’s see if we can catch him baking some delicious muffins!

This Old Man

A playful finger play that involves counting and imaginative storytelling about an older man who plays different instruments.

Three Little Kittens

A cute and playful finger play that involves imaginative storytelling and encourages physical movements like pretending to meow like a kitten.

Yankee Doodle

A fun and lively finger play that involves physical movements like tapping and clapping while singing about Yankee Doodle.

These finger plays are a great way to engage and entertain preschoolers and toddlers while encouraging the development of fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, counting, and imaginative storytelling.

By using silly and playful language, incorporating physical movements, and encouraging imagination and creativity, children are more likely to stay engaged and interested in the activities.