Christmas Songs & Fingerplays

I love having a "bag of tricks" while babysitting such an active two year old! Since I found the Thanksgiving songs and fingerplays helpful I decided I'd better prepare for the next holiday. Now that the weather is getting so cold, we won't be able to take that break outside like we did in the fall.

CHRISTMAS SONGS
Sometimes it's more fun to sing along with a quick video and I found some cute ones.

Five Little Reindeer

A Teacher's Touch has a cute song chart. This song is based on 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.

Reindeer Pokey

(Sung to the tune of "The Hokey Pokey")

You put your antlers in

You put your antlers out.

You put you antlers in and you shake them all about.

You do the Reindeer Pokey and you turn yourself around.

That's what it's all about!

Next verses ...

You put your hooves in... repeat as above

You put your red nose in....

You put your fluffy tail in...

You put your reindeer body in...

Little H hates and I mean HATES wearing things on her head. But I found some $1.00 antlers at Target and a cute Rudolph nose for $3 that I hope she'll put on when we learn this Christmas version of the Hokey Pokey. If not, Grandma will be a good sport and wear them and I'm sure Little H will get a case of the giggles.

Santa

(Sung to the tune of BINGO)

There is a man we know so well,

And SANTA is his name Ho

S A N T A

S A N T A

S A N T A

And SANTA is his name HO!

Each new verse we"ll leave off a letter and clap in its place.

Note to self: I need to make large letter cards for that song. It would probably help Little H if I made 5 picture cards of "clapping hands" to cover each letter as we omit the letters. I could also do a large picture of Santa so she knows what we are spelling and then place the S-A-N-T-A underneath.

Ten Little Angels 

(Tune: "Ten Little Indians") 

1 little, 2 little, 3 little Angels 

4 little, 5 little, 6 little Angels 

7 little, 8 little, 9 little Angels 

10 little Angels in the band.

Wasn't that a band on Christmas morning 

Wasn't that a band on Christmas morning 

Wasn't that a band on Christmas morning 

Christmas morning coming soon.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Hummingbird Educational Resources

(traditional--with a twist) 

We wish you a Merry Christmas, 

We wish you a Merry Christmas, 

We wish you a Merry Christmas, 

And a Happy New Year!

    (Hold hands and walk around in a circle as you sing this part.  We do a little step-together, step-together dance step at this time) 

    *Do actions as indicated in each verse! 

Let's all do a little clapping, 

Let's all do a little clapping, 

Let's all do a little clapping, 

To spread Christmas cheer! 

Repeat "We wish you a Merry Christmas" chorus 

Let's all do a little hopping 

    Chorus 

Let's all do a little twirling 

    Chorus 

Let's all do a little stomping 

    Chorus 

Let's all do a little snapping 

    Chorus

Where Is Santa?

(Tune:  Where is Thumbkin?) 

Where is Santa? Where is Santa? 

Here I am! Here I am! 

Merry, Merry Christmas 

Merry, Merry Christmas 

Ho, ho, ho! Ho, ho ho!

You need Santa finger puppets for this. You start with them hidden behind your back and then reveal.

MOVIES and VIDEO CLIPS

Disney Christmas Cartoons

Disney's Christmas and Winter Classics 2014 This video starts with a Chip & Dale cartoon that is one of my all time favorites!!

Kidsongs.com Presents: "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"  This is a 30 minute video of Christmas songs.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

SESAME STREET: Elmo Visits Santa

This Grandma even found a message from Santa! Think I'll save this for the week before Christmas.

Message from Santa

Learning a fingerplay can be a good activity for a transition and sometimes I use them as a lead-in to a story I'll be reading or a craft. She still looks to me for amusement at this age and with a limited attention span I like having a variety of choices in case what I pick doesn't catch her attention. Once she's familiar I like to give her the option of choosing.

FINGERPLAYS

Christmas Candy

Original author unknown

I took a lick of my peppermint stick
(Pretend to lick candy.)
And was it ever yummy!
(Lick lips.)
It used to be on my Christmas tree.
(Form tree shape with hands.)
Now, it's in my tummy!
(Rub stomach.)

Down Through The Chimney - Thank you Marty Layne

 Down through the chimney Santa slipped,

 (creep fingers downward) 

Brushed off the dirt and snow that dripped, 

(brush clothes)

 Looked 'round the room

 (shade eyes, look around) 

And then he crept 

(tiptoe) 

Right past the beds where the children slept. 

(rest head on hands)

 Laid all the presents 
(pantomime laying presents) 

Under the tree, 

(hands form pointed tree above head)

 Filled the stockings 

(fill stockings) 

For the children to see, 
(hand shades eyes) 

Then tiptoed 

(tiptoe) 

to the chimney and was out of sight. '

Till he jumped into his sleigh and flew off through the night.

Gingerbread Man - Thank you Marty Layne

Stir a bowl of gingerbread

(stir as in a bowl)

Smooth and spicy brown.

Roll it with a rolling pin up and up and down

(pretend to use a rolling pin)

With a cookie cutter

(pretend to use the cookie cutter to cut out men)

Make some little men.

Put them in the oven

(pretend to open oven door and place inside)

Till half past ten.

Here Is the Chimney (fingerplay video)

Santa's Fingerplay
Someone's peeping through my window,
(peek through fingers)
Tapping at my door
(make knocking motions)
Sliding down my chimney
(make sliding motion with hands)
Landing on the floor.
(stamp feet)
He's filling all the stockings,
(make filling motions)
And looking at the tree.
(turn head and widen eyes)
He has lots of presents
(pretend to count on fingers)
Some for you and some for me!
(point at others and then at self)
Im peeking round the doorway,
(peek around hand)
And OH!, what do I see?
(look surprised)
The jolly face of Santa
(smile)
Peeking back at me!
(peek through fingers)

When Santa Comes - thank you Marty Layne

When Santa comes to our house,

(hands make pointed rooftop)

I would like to peek,

(hand over eyes and peek)

But I know he'll never come

(shake your head no)

Until I'm fast asleep.

(rest your head on your hands)

Thanksgiving Songs and Fingerplays

I am now babysitting once a week. This body can no longer handle sitting on the floor for extended periods of time even though the heart is willing. Soooo, the teacher in me says I need some activities to break that playtime.  I bring my ipad with me so I'm thinking this blog would be a perfect place to store those ideas. Little H loves to sing and dance so I'll start with some fingerplays and songs.

Turkey on the Loose

Gobble, gobble, gobble! Flap elbows up and down like wings.
What's all the fuss?  Hand up, questioning.
Clever Mr. Turkey is hiding from us! Hands cover eyes.
Let's look all around. Hand to brow, look around
Don't let him get away! Shake index finger
We need that turkey on Thanksgiving Day!    Pat stomach.

Five Fat Turkeys

Five fat turkeys are we. Hold up five fingers
We spent all night in a tree. Make a tree with your arms
When the cook came around, Put one hand up over your eye like you are looking
We couldn't be found. Shake your finger back and forth
And that's why we're here you see! Point down with both hands

 

Be sure to check out this puppet printable which matches the fingerplay here: moms have questions too.

You Tube had a slightly different version you can check out below.

Fat Turkey's Song

Sung to the tune of "Did You Ever See a Lassie"

Oh, gobble, gobble, gobble,
Fat turkeys, fat turkeys.
Oh, gobble, gobble, gobble,
Fat turkeys are we.
We walk very proudly and gobble so loudly,
Gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble.
Oh, gobble, gobble, gobble.
Fat turkeys are we.

Five Little Turkeys

5 little turkeys standing by door,
One waddled off, and then there were 4.
4 little turkeys under a tree,
One waddled off , and then there were 3.
3 little turkeys with nothing to do,
One waddled off, and then there were 2.
2 little turkeys in the noon day sun,
One waddled off, and then there was 1.
One little turkey better run away,
For soon will come Thanksgiving day.

We Eat Turkey
(sing to the tune of "Where is Thumbkin")

We eat turkey we eat turkey
Yum, yum, yum
Yum, yum, yum
Always on Thanksgiving 
Always on Thanksgiving 
Yum, yum, yum
Yum,yum,yum
(can be extended by adding other verses for foods eaten on Thanksgiving)

Sometimes we just have to move and be silly. "A Turkey Named Bert" is perfect for that and the words are on the screen for you in this video.

Little H loves stories and she is lucky to have quite the home library already. But there's always room for more!