Finger plays are fun kinesthetic learning activities for young children. They introduce them to such concepts as rhythm, beat, and rhyme. They can also be used to reinforce learning in other areas including religion, math, and preschool concepts.
For older children, hand games are a popular activity. They also can be used to reinforce musical concepts as well as learning in other areas of the curriculum.
Below is a collection of sites that have finger plays and/or hand games. Most are geared towards preschool age, however, there are some sites that offer hand games for school-age children. All of these games will bring a little rhythmic spark to your homeschool.
Finger Plays and Hand Games
ABC Jesus Loves Me: This page has a nice collection of action songs.
Teach Preschool: You’ll find 15 finger games on this preschool site.
FunClapping.com: As the name suggests, this website has clapping games. Each one has an accompanying video to make it easier to learn.
RIF: This page on the Reading Is Fundamental site has some nice videos of finger plays for young children.
PreKinders: You’ll find both finger plays and facts on this preschool site.
Baby World Child Care Center: This site has a nice collection of finger plays and nursery rhymes.
Hennepin County Library: This library offers videos of finger games on one of its Early Literacy pages.
Successful Homeschooling: This page has 15 finger games for preschoolers.
June Harman: This is an assortment of hand games for older children collected by Michael Dyck.
Did you find some finger plays and hand games for your children to enjoy? I hope so. Feel free to share this list with anyone else you know who would like to use these fun games with their children.
More help on this site for homeschooling young children:
- Where to Get Homeschool Preschool Curriculum
- Where to Get Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum
- Where to Get Homeschool Curriculum for Teaching the Alphabet
- Short Videos with Shapes Songs for Young Children
- Videos with Animal Songs That Will Get Your Toddler Moving!
Many blessings,
