A great way to begin math learning with infants and toddlers is through song! And songs are just made better through movements and visual aids. One thing that always worked when I wanted to settle down a rowdy classroom or fill some time was to pull out the feltboard for some fingerplay songs. Here are some of our favorites — both L and N love them all! I made these felt pieces, so don’t look too closely. It’s pretty easy to make your own.
5 little speckled frogs, sat on a speckled log, eating some most delicious bugs. Yum yum.
One jumped into the pool, where it was nice and cool. Then there were 4 little speckled frogs.
Repeat with 4, 3, 2, 1.
5 little monkeys swinging in a tree, teasing Mr. Alligator, “You can’t catch me! You can’t catch me!”
Along came Mr. Alligator sneaky as can be and snapped that monkey out of that tree!
Repeat with 4, 3, 2, 1.
No more monkeys swinging in a tree, ’cause sneaky Mr. Alligator snapped them from the tree!
5 little ducks went out one day, over the hills and far away. Mama duck said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack!” But only 4 little ducks came back.
Repeat with 4, 3, 2, 1.
No little ducks went out one day, over the hills and far away. So Daddy duck said, “Quack! Quack! Quack!” And 5 little ducks came waddling back.
What are your favorite fingerplay songs?