Finger plays belong in every nursery circle time, and for good reason: they combine language, rhythm and movement with no materials and no preparation. With finger puppets they get better still, because children can see who is talking. The thumb really is a cow now, the little finger a hedgehog. That holds a two-year-old's attention noticeably longer, and it gives quiet children a character to hide behind while they find their voice.
Here are ten finger plays for children from about 18 months to 6 years. For the traditional classics we give the full text; for the newer plays we describe the movement and offer a short rhyme of our own. For each one: which puppets fit and which language goal you are working on.
1. Tommy Thumb
Traditional. Hide both hands behind your back, bring out one thumb at a time, then each finger in turn.
Tommy Thumb, Tommy Thumb, where are you?
Here I am, here I am, how do you do?
(then Peter Pointer, Toby Tall, Ruby Ring, Baby Small, and "Fingers all")
Puppets: five animals from the farm set, one on each finger; each animal answers in its own voice.
Language goal: question-and-answer turns and greeting phrases.
2. Two Little Dickie Birds
Traditional. One index finger on each shoulder; the birds "fly away" behind your back and come back one at a time.
Two little dickie birds sitting on a wall,
one named Peter, one named Paul.
Fly away Peter, fly away Paul,
come back Peter, come back Paul.
Puppets: the pigeon from the city animals set and the owl from the forest set.
Language goal: the verbs come and go, and naming characters.
3. This Little Piggy
Traditional. Touch one finger (or toe) per line, and run your fingers up the child's arm on the last line.
This little piggy went to market,
this little piggy stayed home,
this little piggy had roast beef,
this little piggy had none,
and this little piggy cried "wee wee wee" all the way home.
Puppets: pig, cow, horse, lamb and mouse from the farm set, one piggy story per animal.
Language goal: past-tense verbs (went, stayed, had, cried) and story order.
4. Incy Wincy Spider
Traditional. Thumb and index fingers "climb" alternately, hands wiggle down for the rain, arms make a circle for the sun.
Incy Wincy Spider climbed up the water spout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,
and Incy Wincy Spider climbed up the spout again.
Puppets: the spider from the garden animals set.
Language goal: up, down, out and again – position words and sequence.
5. Round and Round the Garden
Traditional. Trace a circle on the child's palm, walk two fingers up the arm, tickle under the chin.
Round and round the garden, like a teddy bear.
One step, two step, tickle you under there!
Puppets: the bear from the forest set does the walking.
Language goal: anticipation and counting (one step, two step), which is the start of joint attention.
6. Here Is the Beehive
Traditional (Emilie Poulsson, 1893). Make a fist for the hive, then let the fingers "creep out" one by one while counting.
Here is the beehive, where are the bees?
Hidden away where nobody sees.
Soon they come creeping out of the hive:
one, two, three, four, five! (buzz)
Puppets: the bee from the garden set on the thumb, hidden inside the fist.
Language goal: counting to five and the buzzing "z" sound.
7. Five Little Fish
A counting-down play on the pattern of "Five Little Ducks". Five fingers swim, one hides behind your back each verse until none are left, then all come back. Our own rhyme:
Five little fish went swimming one day, out past the rocks and far away.
Mother Whale called, "Come home, it's late!" – but only four came swimming straight. (down to none, then: Mother Whale called with all her might, and five little fish came home that night.)
Puppets: fish, dolphin, shark, crab and turtle plus the whale from the sea animals set.
Language goal: number words and first subtraction.
8. The Snail
A fist is the shell; index and middle finger come out slowly as feelers and shoot back in when a bird calls. Our own rhyme:
The snail is sleeping in her shell, slowly, slowly, out she comes.
One feeler, two feelers – a bird says "hello!" – and quick as a wink back in she goes.
Puppets: the snail from the garden set; the pigeon from the city set as the bird.
Language goal: opposites – slow and quick, out and in.
9. The Cat
The flat hand creeps across the table, then pounces, then strokes along the children's backs and purrs. Our own rhyme:
The cat creeps softly, looking for a mouse. She pounces – and misses! Nothing in the house.
She purrs and stretches in the sun, and sleeps till the day is done.
Puppets: cat and mouse from the city animals set.
Language goal: movement verbs (creep, pounce, purr, stretch, sleep).
10. Open, Shut Them
The classic opposites play: hands open, hands shut, a little clap, hands on lap, then fingers creep up to the chin and – don't let them in! Our own words to the same pattern:
Open them, shut them, open them, shut them, give a little clap.
Open them, shut them, open them, shut them, put them in your lap.
Puppets: any two puppets, one on each hand; the puppet "hides" when the hand shuts.
Language goal: opposites (open/shut, up/down) and following two-step instructions.
Making it work in the nursery
- Fingers first, puppets second. Introduce a new play with bare hands; after two or three repetitions, add the puppets.
- Let the children join in. From about two, children can put on a puppet themselves. Ours are 8 × 4 cm and fit both children's and adults' fingers.
- Hygiene: hand-wash the felt puppets and dry them flat; once a week is sensible in a nursery.
- Age: the puppets are designed for children from 36 months. Under three, keep them on the adult's hand or under direct supervision.
All matching sets are in our finger puppets collection. Prefer to make your own? See how to make finger puppets with kids: 3 easy tutorials.
Frequently asked questions
From what age do finger plays make sense?
From about one year. Children understand the movement long before the words, join in with single gestures from around 18 months, and speak whole verses from three.
How many finger plays does a circle time need?
Two or three, one familiar and one new. Repetition is the point: children only really join in around the fifth time.
Which set is best to start with?
The farm animals set: eight animals every child knows, with sounds that are easy to copy. It covers half of the plays on this page.