Finger Play Songs for Toddlers

Just your hands and your voice — nothing else needed

Sit facing your toddler so they can watch your hand movements clearly. Being at their eye level helps.

Start with "Itsy Bitsy Spider" — show the climbing fingers, the rain cascading down, the sun coming out as a big circle.

Do the motions slowly and encourage your toddler to copy each one. Their version will be approximate, and that's perfect.

Move to "Five Little Monkeys" and hold up five fingers, dramatically folding one down with each verse as monkeys fall off the bed.

Try "Open Shut Them" for a fun contrast song — hands open wide, snap shut, open, shut, with a tickle at the end.

Repeat whichever song your toddler requests. They'll likely want the same one three or four times. Repetition is learning.

End with a gentle finger play like "Twinkle Twinkle" using twinkling finger motions overhead.

Finger play songs combine three skills at once: singing (music), hand motions (fine motor), and memorizing sequences (memory). They're incredibly efficient.

Don't worry about perfect finger movements. A toddler making fists and opening them during "Itsy Bitsy Spider" is doing beautifully.

These songs travel anywhere — car rides, waiting rooms, grocery store lines. You'll never be stuck without entertainment again.

Try slowing down the song to half speed for younger toddlers. They need extra time to process the movement and the words together.

Add a new finger play song each week to keep building their repertoire. Kids love collecting songs they know.