Favorite Fingerplays for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Inside: These favorite fingerplays build multiple skills, such as language, counting, and following directions. Try some of these during circle time, or when you want some calm time at home.

Reciting favorite fingerplays is an important part of our curriculum. We not only perform them during circle time, but we use them during transitions throughout the day.

Preschool fingerplays encourage children to participate verbally, follow directions, learn number concepts, and follow directions. I keep a notebook of all our favorite fingerplays and songs that I can pull out at any given time. (This is especially helpful when we need to calm the children down.) I also have props to many of the fingerplays that I keep in a basket nearby.

While we love so many different fingerplays, I thought I’d share 5 of our favorites. I’m including various activities that you can do with each one as well. I hope you and your children enjoy these as much as we do!

Favorite Fingerplays for Toddlers and Preschoolers

New! I now have printable props to go with each of the fingerplays below. Scroll down to find the link!

Five Little Speckled Frogs

• Download the Five Little Speckled Frogs song.
• Have the children make their own frog puppets for circle time.
• Use the free printable and invite the children to make their own frogs on a log while counting to 5.
• Make a fun craft for this finger play using egg cartons, from Rainy Day Mum.
• Print the free cards and add this counting activity to your table activities.
• Put plastic frogs in your water table.
• Set up a small world activity, from The Imagination Tree.
• Download the sheet music, from Let’s Play Music.
• Do you use pocket charts? Here’s a free pocket chart download from Pre-Kinders.
• Check out this collection for more ideas: 15 Frog Activities

Five Little Ducks

• Download the Five Little Ducks song.
• Create a water table with ducks (using 5 ducks instead of the 10 in the post).
• Make this playset, from Inner Child Fun.
• Invite the children to count ducks, from It’s a Long Story.

Itsy Bitsy Spider

• Download the Itsy Bitsy Spider song.
• Make a spider snack (with free printable!).
• Make a spin art spider.
• Make a spider finger puppet to go along with the song, from Lalymom.
• Strengthen fingers by putting the legs back on the spider, from Miss Mancy’s Blog.
• Add spiders to your sensory table, from Teach Preschool.
• Make an Itsy Bitsy Spider prop, from Red Ted Art.

Five Little Monkeys

• Download the Five Little Monkeys song.
• Make a monkey face, from Learn, Create, Love.
• Create a monkey snack, from Diapers to Diplomas
• Learn how to sign it, from Cullen’s ABCs.

The Wheels on the Bus

• Download The Wheels on the Bus song.
• Put together this bus snack, by Juggling with Kids.
• Make a cool bus, by No Time for Flashcards.
• Get cooking with some sweet and savory wheels, from Rainy Day Mum.
• Try these theme ideas, from PreKinders.

Printable Circle Time Props!

Keep your toddlers and preschoolers engaged during circle time with props to favorite songs and rhymes!

Add them to your flannel board using velcro.

Tape them to popsicle sticks to make puppets.

Hold them in front of the screen for virtual teaching!