Busy Little Bee finger play

Fingerplays serve several purposes in the lives of young children. Not only are they fun for little ones who first reach out to the world with their fingers, fingerplays encourage both manual dexterity and cognitive activity. While the child manipulates their fingers, hands, and body movement through imitation and repeated movement, thereby improving fine motor skills, they are also learning to observe rhythm of language, develop listening skills and increase vocabulary.

For both the parent and child, fingerplays can ease transitions within the daily rhythm, by providing a repetitious end of one activity and beginning of a new activity. Fingerplays can also prepare a child for a new adventure or remind them of fun times past. Here is one we used with our sons last summer:

Busy Little Bee

As I was walking, I saw a little bee

(Move pointer finger to resemble a flying bee.)

He was flying from flower to flower in front of me.

(Bring fingers of one hand together & touch one side of your nose then the other – the ASL sign for “flower”)

He was making golden honey on this sunny summer day.

(Hold arms above head with fingers touching to resemble the sun.)

I watched him fly and buzz until he flew away.

(Move pointer finger in zigzags away from you.)