I have ten little fingers, 
And they all belong to me. 
I can make them do things,
Do you want to see? 

I can close them uptight,
I can open them wide.
I can put them together
I can make them hide. 

I can make them fly high, 
I can make them go low. 
I can fold them like this and hold them just so.

Hints and Tips:

• Do the actions for each line. 

There was a little turtle
Who lived in a box.
He swam in the puddles
And climbed on the rocks.

He snapped at the mosquito,
He snapped at the flea.
He snapped at the minnow,
And he snapped at me.

He caught the mosquito,
He caught the flea.
He caught the minnow,
But he didn't catch me!

Hints & Tips

• This simple transition song can be used when transitioning individual children to wash their hands, to go outside or while waiting while lining up.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star, 
How I wonder what you are. 
Up above the world so high, 
Like a diamond in the sky. 

When the blazing sun is gone, 
When he nothing shines upon, 
Then you show your little light, 
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night. 

Then the traveller in the dark, 
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go, 
If you did not twinkle so. 

In the dark blue sky you keep, 
And often through my curtains peep, 
For you never shut your eye, 
'Till the sun is in the sky. 

As your bright and tiny spark, 
Lights the traveller in the dark. 
Though I know not what you are, 
Twinkle, twinkle, little star. 

Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

How I wonder what you are.
How I wonder what you are.

Alternative Lyrics:

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How we wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.

When the glorious sun has set,
And the grass with dew is wet,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

When the golden sun doth rise,
Fills with shining light the skies,
Then you fade away from sight,
Shine no more 'till comes the night.

Hints and Tips:

• Poster for this nursery rhyme can be found in the Printables section on this site. See: Rhymes Posters

Round and round the garden 
Like a teddy bear. 
One step, two step, 
Tickle you under there. 

Alternative Lyrics: 

Round about there 
Sat a little hare 
The bow-wows came and chased him 
Right up there. 

Hints and Tips: 

• The nursery rhyme is accompanied by various actions, by the adult on the child or the child on the adult. The child/adult first lightly strokes his or her index finger in slow circles around the child/adult's upturned palm, then with each "step", walks their index and middle finger up the arm, firstly to the elbow and then to the shoulder. Finally after a short pause before the "tickle", they launch a (not unexpected) tickle under the arm.
• Poster for this nursery rhyme can be found in the Printables section on this site. See: Rhymes Posters

Rock-a-bye baby, on the treetop, 
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock, 
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall, 
And down will come baby, cradle and all. 

Alternative Lyrics: 

Hush-a-by baby 
On the tree top, 
When the wind blows 
The cradle will rock. 
When the bough breaks,
The cradle will fall,
And down will fall baby
Cradle and all.

Alternative Lyrics:

Rock-a-bye, baby, thy cradle is green;
Father's a nobleman, mother's a queen;
And Betty's a lady, and wears a gold ring;
And Johnny's a drummer, and drums for the king.

Hints and Tips:

• Poster for this nursery rhyme can be found in the Printables section on this site. See: Rhymes Posters

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man. 
Bake me a cake as fast as you can; 

Roll it, Pat it and mark it with B, 
Put it in the oven for baby and me. 

Alternative Lyrics: 

Patty cake, patty cake, baker's man. 
Bake me a cake as fast as you can; 

Roll it up, roll it up; 
And throw it in a pan! 

Patty cake, patty cake, baker's man. 

Alternative Lyrics: 

Patty cake, patty cake, baker's man.
Bake me a cake as fast as you can;

Roll it up, roll it up;
Put it in a pan;
And toss it in the oven as fast as you can!

Alternative Lyrics:

Patty Cake, Patty Cake,
Baker's Man;
That I will Master,
As fast as I can;

Prick it and prick it,
And mark it with a T,
And there will be enough for Tommy and me.

Hints and Tips:

• If told by a parent to a child, the "B" and "baby" in the last two lines are sometimes replaced by the child's first initial and first name.
• The rhyme is often accompanied by hand-clapping between two people, a clapping game. It alternates between a normal individual clap with two-handed claps with the other person. The hands may be crossed as well.
• Poster of this nursery rhyme can be found in the Printables section on this site. See: Rhymes Posters

Open, shut them, 
Open, shut them 
Give a little clap  

Open shut them, 
Open shut them 
Lay them in your lap 

Creep them, creep them 
Creep them, creep them 
Right up to your chin 

Open wide your little mouth 
But do not let them in!

Shake them, shake them
Shake them, shake them
Shake them just like this

Roll them, roll them
Roll them, roll them,
Blow a little kiss!

Alternative Lyrics:

Open, shut them.
Open, shut them.
Give a little clap, clap, clap.

Open, shut them
Open, shut them.
Put them in your lap, lap, lap.

Wave them, wave them,
Wave them, wave them,
High up in the sky, sky, sky.

Wave to me, I'll wave to you,
Let's all say "Bye, bye."

Alternative Lyrics:

Open, shut them.
Open, shut them.
Give a little clap, clap, clap.

Open, shut them.
Open, shut them.
Fold them in your lap, lap, lap.

Criss and cross them, (Students criss-cross legs.)
Criss and cross them,
Fold them on the floor floor floor.

Creep them creep them,
Creep them creep them,
No noises any more more more. (Students creep fingers up their arms and put them over their lips)

Hints and Tips:

• Actions -Open and close your hands when you sing "Open, shut them" and then follow the words to the song with the corresponding hand movements while you sing. On "do not let them in" hide your hands behind your back.