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Finger Plays For Optimum Brain Development In The Young Child

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Contents

I. Familiar Experiences........................................................1II. Behavior And Movement......................................................13III. Animals, Pets, Birds, Dinosaurs, and Insects..............................41IV. Safety, Health, Science, and Solar System..................................61V. Seasons, Weather Days of the Week, Months, Special Days.....................75VI. Shapes.....................................................................99VII. Numbers...................................................................109

Chapter One

School

When I go to school, (Point to self.) I listen very well. (Cup ear with hand.) I sing some songs. (Pretend to sing loudly.) Play some games. (Pantomime playing a game.) We even have show and tell! (Dramatize behavior.)

Children may look around the room and try to determine the pantomimes of games being "played".

Getting Ready To Ride

Discuss the procedure for getting ready to ride in the car. Before you ride in the car, (Strap on seatbelt.) There are special things to do. (Prior discussion will determine their actions ...) Let's do them together now. (Stand up.) Remember them when we're through. (Nod positively.) Sit down in the back seat. (Sit) Fasten your seatbelt with care. (Dramatize) Sit quietly. (Dramatize) Now you are ready to ride in the car!

(Dramatize with additional directions if you feel them to be appropriate.)

Mittens

Mittens hold my fingers close. (Hold up hands like that.) And keep them nice and snuggley. (Wave) I like my furry mittens. (Rub hands against face.) But some are rather ugly! (Frown)

This is a good time to discuss why we wear mittens.

My Face

Make a face! ( Do that) That smiles at me! (Smile at everyone.) Make a face! (Frown.) That frowns so grim. (Do that) Make a face! (Smile.) That pulls lips so thin! (Do that.) Give a big smile to __(Name a child)

This is a good opportunity to discuss facial expressions and how they make us as well as others feel. This is also a good time to talk about the ways in which we treat others through facial expressions, body language, and language.

Milk and Cookies

Pre discuss behavior during snack time. Sip your milk. (Dramatize drinking milk.) Sip your milk. (Demonstrate again.) Slurp, slurp, slurp! (Make loud slurping noises.) No! (Shake head from side to side.) Munch the cookies! (Dramatize eating cookies.) Don't crunch the cookies! (Demonstrate breaking them.) Munchie, munchie, munch! (Eat that cookie!)

Our Flag

Be sure to have a flag in the room.

See our flag, (Look at the flag and point.) Colored red, white, and blue. (You point to the colors as they do the same.) I love our country so. (Smile.) Don't you? (Big smiles.)

Helping Dad

Discuss ways each of the children help the men they know. When I help Dad. (Or substitute name for a person they know.) I clean and scrub. (Demonstrate washing the car, etc.) We both help Mom. (Or substitute name for a person they know.) The lady we love. (Hugs) When Dad goes to work, (Pretend to get in the car or on the bus, etc.) He might drive the car. (Steer the car.) But when it's time to come home, (Open the front door.) He knows right where we are! (Give a smile and hug.) HERE! (Point to oneself.)

Use the family names with discretion so that no child feels left out.

Helping Mom and Dad

Discuss how persons living together help. Substitute names as needed.

When I help Mom and Dad, (Smile hugely.) I dust and scrub. (Half the room dusts the other half scrubs.) After bathing in the tub. (Dramatize bathing.) I dress myself up, (Pretend to get dressed.) We go out shopping. (Put on outdoor clothing.) I get an ice cream cone! (Show how to eat it.) When I help them, (Optional choice of how to help.) I'm never alone. (Shake head from side to side.) When they go to work. (Wave goodbye.) I help my babysitter, (Optional choice of how to help.) So, when they come home. (Hugs, smiles.) We're all ready for dinner. (Set the table, etc.)

This is a good time to discuss how we help the people we love.

Grammas and Grampas

You will want to be sensitive to children's backgrounds and perhaps omit this one. (You may substitute names of persons special in the child's life.)

Grammas and Grampas are special people. (Hugs)

When they come to visit, (Dramatize opening the door for them.) We give them hugs. (Hug selves.) When they're around, (Pretend to greet them.) There's lots of love (Hugs again.) Hugs, hugs, hugs, hugs, hugs! (Many hugs!)

Behavior And Movement

Ball Handling

All the children form a circle with a ball in the teacher's hands and teacher begins. Bounce the ball to a boy. (Do that.)

Roll it to a girl. (The boy rolls it to a girl.) Bounce the ball to a girl. (The girl bounces it to another girl. )

Roll it to a boy. (The girl rolls it to a boy.)

Go around the circle one, two, three. (Follow until all have had a turn.) Playing with a ball. (Whomever has it bounces it.) We're happy as can be. (Huge smiles.)

Directions may vary in a variety of ways such as bouncing the ball more than once, etc.

Roll the Ball

Teacher has the children sit in a circle and begins holding a ball. Roll the ball, (Roll the ball from child to child.) Roll the ball. (Continue around the circle.) Roll the ball. (Continue.) If I roll the ball, (Hold it in the air.) I'll roll it to __(Child's name.)

This may also be varied by substituting words such as: throw, bounce, etc. You may also decide to hold onto the ball until the end of the rhyme and then roll it to a child, etc.

Bounce the Ball

Teacher has the ball and may want to demonstrate the first time.

Bounce the ball. (A child bounces the ball.) Bounce the ball. (Pass it to another child.) 1,2,3 (Count as the ball is bounced.) Bounce the ball. (A child bounces the ball.) Bounce the ball. (Pass it to another child.) Bounce it right to me! (Bounce...