Preschool Counting Songs and Fingerplays

Preschool Counting Songs and Fingerplay List

Tips for Teaching Counting Songs and Fingerplays

• Slow, Slow, Slow
  Young children need time to hear the words, process the meaning, and coordinate their fingers and arms. Gradually increase the speed as they become familiar with the song or poem. When the pace is too fast, children often stop participating.
  
  
• Pause
  Stop just before a familiar or rhyming word or movement and let the child fill in the missing part. This encourages listening, memory, phonological awareness, and participation.
  
  
• Make Your Hands Easy to See
  Hold your hands at chest level where children can clearly see your fingers. Avoid moving your hands too quickly or holding them too close to your body.
  
  
• Make Small Movements Bigger When Needed
  Exaggerate all movements. Open your hand wide, spread your fingers, or move them slowly.
  
  
• Mirror All Actions
  Children will mirror your movements. To help them lift their right hand, lift your left hand. When possible, move from left to right to help children become familiar with the direction of reading.
  
  
• Change Your Volume
  Try whispering, speaking louder, or using a quiet voice when appropriate to help children notice words and sounds. 

• • Show Each Number
    Hold up fingers, number cards, or objects as the numbers are recited or sung.
    
    
  • Count One Thing at a Time
    Touch or move one object for each number spoken to help children connect counting words with quantities. If a child says numbers quickly without matching them to objects, slow down and have the child touch each item as you count.
    
    
  • Slow Down at the End
    Give children extra time to say the last few numbers, especially when counting backward.
    
    
  • Change the Starting Number
    Once children know a counting song, begin at a different number to help them learn that counting can start anywhere.
    
    
  • Take Away as You Count
    For songs like “Five Little Ducks,” remove one toy or picture each time a character leaves. Let children see the quantity change.
    
    
  • Mix Up the Objects
    Count different items, such as blocks, toy animals, or buttons, to help children understand that counting works with many kinds of objects.
    
    
  • Learn Cardinality
    Cardinality is understanding that the last number said when counting a group tells how many items are in the group altogether. After counting a group of objects, ask, “How many are there?” 
    
    
  • Make Mistakes on Purpose
    Skip a number or count out of order in a familiar song. Invite children to catch the mistake.
    
    
  • Explore More and Less
    After a counting song, ask, “What happens if we add one more?” or “How many are left if we take one away?”

Discover More Ideas

• Tips for Teaching Children to Sing and Move 
• Bible Songs and Motions
• Preschool Active Games
• How to Teach Poems to Preschoolers

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