SING | Noble Duke of York

Song-The Grand Old Duke of York

TALK | Five Queens

There were five queens on a quest. (hold up baby’s hand)

To see who was the very best. (wiggle baby’s fingers)

The first queen went to take a test. (wiggle baby’s thumb)

The second queen said, I’ll go out west. (wiggle baby’s index finger)

The third queen climbed Mount Everest. (wiggle baby’s middle finger)

The fourth queen made a beautiful vest. (wiggle baby’s ring finger)

The fifth queen said, I’ll just take a rest. (wiggle baby’s little finger)

READ | The Princess and the Pea

Once upon a time, there was a prince who was looking for a princess to marry. One stormy evening, there was a knock on the castle door. When the prince opened the door, he saw a girl all wet from the rain. Her clothes and hair were a mess. She told them that she was a princess who had gotten caught in the storm and needed a place to stay. The queen didn’t believe that she was a true princess and decided to make a test to see if she was who she claimed to be. As the bed for the princess was prepared, a tiny pea was placed under several mattresses. 2 Only a true princess would be able to feel that pea under all of those mattresses. When the princess awoke the next morning, it looked as if she hadn’t slept a wink. She complained that she had a terrible pain in her back. When the queen, king, and prince heard this, they knew that she truly was a princess. The prince and princess got married and lived happily ever after.

SING | You Are My Sunshine

Song- You Are My Sunshine

You are my sunshine.

My only sunshine.

You make me happy

When skies are grey.

You’ll never know, dear,

How much I love you.

Please don’t take my sunshine away.

The other night, dear

While I lay sleeping

I dreamt I held you in my arms

When I awoke, dear I was mistaken

So, I lay my head down & cried

TALK | Two Little Eyes

In this rhyme, parents and caregivers are introducing concepts of the senses to their baby with simple language and tapping. The rhyme can be done with your baby lying on the ground or sitting in a lap facing parent or caregiver. For older children, have them point to where the body parts are.

Two little eyes to look around, (gently tap near baby’s eyes)

Two little ears to hear each sound, (gently tap on baby’s ears)

One little nose to smell what’s sweet (gently tap on baby’s nose)

One little mouth that likes to eat (gently tap on baby’s mouth)

READ | The Little Red Hen

Make pieces to tell this fun story about being helpful. Talk with the children about the story and how to be helpful. Then let your child retell the story using the pieces.

On a farm, there lived a Little Red Hen, a Dog, a Cat, a Pig, and a Rat. The Little Red Hen was small, but she worked very hard. One day, she found some seeds of wheat lying on the ground. “Who will help me plant these seeds?” said the Little Red Hen. “Not I.” said the Dog. “Not I.” said the Cat. “Not I.” said the Pig. “Not I.” said the Rat. “I shall do it myself.” said the Little Red Hen. The seeds grew very tall. “Who will help me cut this wheat?” said the Little Red Hen. “Not I.” said the Dog. “Not I.” said the Cat. “Not I.” said the Pig. “Not I.” said the Rat. “I shall do it myself.” said the Little Red Hen. With the wheat cut, it needed to go to the mill to be made into flour. “Who will help me take this wheat to the mill?” asked the Little Red Hen. “Not I.” said the Dog. “Not I.” said the Cat. “Not I.” said the Pig. “Not I.” said the Rat. “I shall do it myself.” said the Little Red Hen. With the wheat milled into flour, the Little Red Hen was ready to make the bread. “Who will help me make the bread?” she asked. “Not I.” said the Dog. “Not I.” said the Cat. “Not I.” said the Pig. “Not I.” said the Rat. “I shall do it myself.” said the Little Red Hen. The bread was baked and smelled so good. All of the animals couldn’t wait to try it. “Who will help me eat this bread?” asked the Little Red Hen. “I will.” said the Dog. “I will.” said the Cat. “I will.” said the Pig. “I will.” said the Rat. “No. I will.” said the Little Red Hen. And, she did.

SING | Hippity Hop (to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"

Song- Row, Row, Row Your Boat (music only)

Hip, hip, hippity hop (bounce baby)

Hippity, hippity, hop (bounce baby)

We’ll hop around the room today (bounce baby)

Until it’s time to stop. (stop bouncing baby)

TALK | Five Little Gingerbread Men Counting Game

Have fun counting down the gingerbread men in this repetitive rhyme. Create gingerbread men cutouts, use your stuffed animals and "gingerbread men", or bake gingerbread men cookies.

5 little gingerbread men lying on the tray.

1 jumped up and ran away!

Catch me, catch me, if you can.

I run really fast. I’m the gingerbread man!

Additional Verses

4 little gingerbread men. . .

3 little gingerbread men . . .

2 little gingerbread men . . .

1 little gingerbread man . . .

READ | There Once Were Three Bears

There once were three brown bears, Mother, Father, Baby Bear. Mother’s food was way too cold. Father’s food was way too hot. Baby’s food was all gone. Someone ate it, so he cried. There once was three brown bears, Mother, Father, Baby Bear. Mother’s Chair was way too low. Father’s chair was way too high. Baby’s chair was just right. But when she sat, she broke it. There once three brown bears, Mother, Father, Baby Bear. Mother’s bed was way too soft. Father’s bed was way too hard. Baby’s bed was occupied. Someone strange was sleeping there. “Come here quickly,” Baby cried. “Someone’s sleeping in my bed!” “Who are you?” asked Baby Bear. “Who are you?” asked Goldilocks. “You better run,” said Baby Bear. “I will,” said Goldilocks.

SING | Where is Thumbkin?

Song- Where is Thumbkin?

In this song, we’re showing children the fingers on their hands and how to move them from being in a fist to being straight. Infants hold their hands in fists most often. Using songs like this encourage them to exercise their hands and fingers in a playful way. For a twist on the rhyme actions, use a marker to draw faces on the pads of fingers and thumbs. Sing the extra verse for added fun.

Where is Thumbkin? Where is Thumbkin? (hands in fists in front of you)

Here I am. Here I am. (bring out one thumb and then the other)

How are you today, sir? (make one thumb bow)

Very well, I thank you. (make the other thumb bow) Run away. Run away. (put one hand, then the other behind back)

Repeat the song replacing “Thumbkin” with the following:

Pointer (index finger)

Tallman (middle finger)

Ringman (ring finger)

Pinkie (little finger)

Family (wave all fingers)

The final verse, instead of “run away” sing : Here to stay. Here to stay. (give baby a little tickle with hands)

TALK | Two Little Blackbirds

Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill (hold up both pointer fingers)

One named Jack (hold out right pointer finger)

And one named Jill. (hold out left pointer finger)

Fly away Jack. (place right hand behind back)

Fly away Jill. (place left hand behind back)

Come back Jack, (bring right pointer finger back out)

Come back Jill. (bring left pointer finger back out )

Additional verses: One named Early and one named Late, sitting on a gate. One named Fast and one named Slow, sitting on a pole. One named Soft and one named Loud, sitting on a cloud.

READ | Three Pigs

Read this shortened version of the Three Little Pigs. Have your child color the attached finger puppets and then have them retell the story to you. (Source: https://www.education.com/worksheet/article/three-little-pigs-finger-puppets/)

One little pig went to find his way,

Over the hill not far away.

He built his home of flimsy straw,

But his house had a fatal flaw.

The next little pig went to find his way,

Over the hill not far away.

He built a home of fragile sticks.

He should have used his brother’s bricks.

The third little pig went to find his way,

Over the hill not far away.

He built his home of sturdy bricks

And he was safe from the wolf’s mean tricks.

SING | Ring Around the Rosy

Song- Ring Around the Rosy

Ring around the rosy

Pocketful of posy

Ashes, ashes

We all fall down

The cow is in the meadow

Eating buttercups

Thunder, lightning

We all jump up

TALK | Sensory Activity: Fluttering Fairy Friends

Parents and caregivers can flutter a fairy over their child, and to the sides. You can use a washcloth or dish towel as the fairy. The parent or caregiver lay the child on the ground or in their lap. Flutter the fairy over the child’s face, repeating the following rhyme.

Flutter, flutter, here and there (flutter the fairy over the baby)

Flying high up in the air (flutter the fairy higher in the air)

Closer, closer, right on top (flutter the fairy over the baby)

Where will the fairy make a stop (flutter the fairy and then make it stop on baby’s tummy, toes, etc.)

READ | Stone Soup

There are many ways this story can be told with participation from your child. If available, use a real kitchen pot and play vegetables and ingredients. Have the child(ren) be the villagers and add ingredients into the soup. Tell the story and then talk to your child(ren) about what things they might add to the soup. For an extension, make Stone Soup with your child(ren). Adding their favorite vegetable.

Once upon a time, there was a village. It was a nice place to live except that nobody wanted to share. One day a visitor came to town. “Hello! Does anyone have any food they can share?” he asked. The villagers all responded quickly that they had nothing to share with the visitor. “That’s ok,” said the visitor. “I will make stone soup for everyone.” Then he took out a giant pot and dropped a large stone in it, added some water and sat it on a fire to cook.

After awhile, the visitor sniffed his broth. Some of the villagers came outside to see what he was doing. “Mmmmm, I love stone soup. The only thing better is stone soup with cabbage!” said the visitor. That gave one man in the village an idea. He brought a cabbage and put it in the pot. Then the visitor said, “I once had stone soup with cabbage and carrots. It was delicious!” A woman brought carrots and put them in the pot.

Then the visitor said, “I once had stone soup with cabbage and carrots and corn. It was scrumptious!” A boy brought corn and put it in the pot.

Then the visitor said, “I once had stone soup with cabbage and carrots and corn and beans.

It was so good!” A girl brought beans and put them in the pot. The soup cooked and cooked. Finally, it was ready. Everyone ate a big bowl. “This is delicious!” they all said.

The soup made them so happy that they danced and sang all night long. From then on, the people in the village shared. And their very favorite thing to share was stone soup.

SING | Wind the Bobbin Up

Song-Wind the Bobbin Up

Wind the bobbin up, (roll hands forward, one over the other)

Wind the bobbin up, (roll hands forward, one over the other)

Pull, pull, clap, clap, clap. (mime pulling 2 times, then clap 3 times)

Wind it back again, (roll the hands backward, one over the other)

Wind it back again, (roll the hands backward, one over the other)

Pull, pull, clap, clap, clap. (mime pulling 2 times, then clap 3 times)

Point to the ceiling, (point to the ceiling)

Point to the floor, (point to the floor)

Point to the window, (point to the window)

Point to the door. (point to the door)

Clap your hands together, 1, 2, 3 (clap hands together 3 times)

Put your hands upon on your knees.

TALK | Fairy Tale Sensory Box

In many of the fairy tales we share with children, there are characters that use items that have very different textures. For example, the three pigs use straw, sticks, and bricks. All of these are very different in the way they look and feel. Put together a collection of items from around your house that you can use to talk about with your child.

Items to include: • Straw, sticks, and small rocks -- Three Little Pigs • Straw, cotton balls, and yarn -- Rumplestiltskin • Bowls, Spoons, Oats --Three Billy Goats Gruff

READ | The Gunniwolf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaSLkSepDV0&feature=youtu.be