Best Finger Plays for Keeping Preschoolers' Attention

If you've been around kids a lot, then you know how there are those moments when you just need to get their attention and keep them busy for a little while.  It might be in a classroom between activities, waiting in a line, waiting for a turn, or maybe you just need to re-focus.

Finger plays are one of the best ways to handle this!  I know there are a ton of websites out there with ideas, but we've tried many of them over the years, and have learned that there are a few that the kids just love and really like to join you.

The next time you need to pass a few minutes of time or re-group for a bit, give one of our favorites a try!  You even get the added bonus of helpful pre-reading skills with rhyme and repetition (woohoo!).

Here are some of our most favorites:​

Open, Shut Them
Open, shut them. Open, shut them.
Give a little clap.
Open, shut them. Open, shut them.
Put them in your lap.
Creep them, creep them,
Creep them, creep them.
Right up to your chin, chin, chin.
Open up your little mouth.
(hesitate, with your mouth open)
But do not let them in!

Tiny Tim
I had a little turtle
(fists on top of each other, thumbs out)
His name was Tiny Tim
I put him in the bathtub, to see if he could swim
(thumbs make swimming motion)
He drank up all the water ​(pretend to drink)
He ate up all the soap (pretend to eat)
And now he’s sick in bed (rub your tummy)
With a bubble in his throat (hold throat)
Bubble, Bubble, Bubble (hands get wider)
Bubble, Bubble, Bubble (hands get wider)
Bubble, Bubble, Bubble (hands get wider)
Bubble, Bubble, Pop! (clap big)

Skidamarink
Skidamarink – a dink – a dink, (wave one hand)
Skidamarink – a doo! (wave other hand)
I love you! (point at eyes, cross chest, point)
(Repeat again)
I love you in the morning (arms circle down low)
And in the afternoon (arms circle out front)
I love you in the evening, underneath the moon!
(arms circle above, then down and around)
Oh, skidamarink – a dink – a dink, (wave one hand)
Skidamarink – a doo! (wave other hand)
I love you! (point at eyes, cross chest, point)

Icky Sticky Bubblegum
Icky sticky, icky sticky bubblegum
(pretend like there is bubblegum on hands)
Icky sticky, icky sticky bubblegum
Makes my hands stick to my….
Knees, hair, feet, cheeks, etc
Then I pull, and I pull, and I pull my hands away
(like you have to pull really hard and then hands up)
(Repeat and choose other body parts)

Ram, Sam, Sam
Ram sam sam a ram sam sam
(fists on top of each other)
Gooly gooly gooly gooly gooly
(circle fists around each other)
Ram sam sam (fists)
Ram sam sam a ram sam sam
(fists on top of each other)
Gooly gooly gooly gooly gooly
(circle fists round and round)
Ram sam sam (fists)
A raffi a raffi (wiggle fingers in air)
Gooly gooly gooly gooly gooly
(circle fists round and round)
Ram sam ram (fists on top of each other)
A raffi a raffi (wiggle fingers in air)
Gooly gooly gooly gooly gooly
(circle fists round and round)
Ram sam sam (fists on top of each other)

The next time you have a few minutes of down time, give these a try!  We have many more favorites, too.  You will be able to have them all in our new book when it comes out soon.  Enjoy!