Finger Family on Your Hand

from 12 months · 5 min · Quiet & calm

What you need

Hold up one hand and give each finger a name: Daddy, Mummy, Brother, Sister, Baby.
Sing "Where is Daddy? Here I am" and wiggle that finger, then bow it down and tuck it away.
Go through the whole family, then hold your hand out for them to wiggle a finger too.

A song they can see on your hand gives them a tune, words and movement all at once, and slow repeated songs help a busy toddler settle.

Listening: Following the song to know which finger pops up next.
Finger awareness: Watching single fingers move on their own is the first step to moving their own fingers one at a time.
Family names: Hearing the names of the people they know, each with its own finger.

Watch for them reaching to fold your finger down, or holding up a finger of their own.

Sing slower and quieter than feels natural. In a waiting room a soft song holds them better than a loud one.

Easier: use one finger at a time and just wiggle it as you sing

Harder: name the fingers after the real people in their family and let them pick who comes next