Finger games- great entertainment for young children. They are exciting and emotional. And most importantly, they are very useful in terms of developing fine motor skills, intelligence and speech. In addition, no financial costs are needed here. All you need to keep your baby occupied are your hands and a few nursery rhymes memorized. Teachers and psychologists around the world recognize finger games for children under one year of age as one of the most effective tools early development, and the type of entertainment itself is gradually improved and modified.
Finger games: essence and purpose
Finger games develop children's coherent speech, intelligence and creative thinking.
Games that helped develop hands and fingers were invented a long time ago. In Japan, to encourage children to actively work with their fingers, they were asked to roll walnuts. In China, balls of various sizes made from different materials (clay, wood, metal) were used for activities with children.
In Russia, since ancient times, people have composed many poems and nursery rhymes, accompanied by a wide variety of movements. It turns out that they were invented not only for the entertainment of children. And for the development of children's creative thinking, imagination and speech.
The most common finger game is Magpie-Crow. It is familiar to many generations of children before us. Why is it so needed?
The baby's speech and his hands are closely interconnected. This is explained by the fact that the centers of speech and hand movement are located close in the brain. By stimulating the movements of the hands and fingers, you can develop the child’s speech.
Children with whom their parents regularly play finger games think better and begin to talk much faster than their peers, with whom this method is not taught at all.
This is quite easy to explain. The right side of a child's brain is responsible for creativity, and the left side is for thinking. In order for a child to develop both hemispheres, it is necessary to train them correctly and equally. The same finger games will help you achieve this goal.
Easily and naturally, playing and having fun, develop your baby, when it is convenient for you, and where it is convenient for you. But here one more important detail should be taken into account.
Finger games are most effective in infancy. And you need to start classes immediately when you notice that the baby has stopped clenching his hands into a fist. And this happens in about two months.
Age limits
A child, from birth until the age of eight, develops very quickly. As for finger games, this period can be conditionally divided into several age intervals, each of which has its own characteristics.
- From two to six months. It is necessary to stroke the child's hands. It is very important that the mother communicates with the baby through the touch of her hands.
- From seven months to nine. Hand movements become more intense. Such touches are an excellent massage.
- From nine months to one and a half years. Games can be varied by using finger toys, balls, beads, pyramids, plasticine and modeling dough.
- From one and a half to three years. An excellent time to use educational toys and aids in finger play. You can already use them to start teaching your child the names of flowers, geometric shapes, body parts, numbers, etc. And various auxiliary items will help make classes more interesting. Don't be afraid to experiment and imagine. These can be all kinds of lacing, buttons, fasteners, zippers and clasps, natural material, designers, etc.
- From three to six years. Children should practice finger games with more difficulty. Only by the age of three do the fingers become well developed. At this age, the baby should be good at tying knots, coloring pictures well, and much more.
- From six to eight years. You can use drawing and applied arts classes, which will perfectly help your child develop comprehensively.
Rules
First of all, finger games should be interesting. Therefore, there are several rules for carrying them out.
- Mutual interest is a prerequisite for starting the game.
- The most favorable playing time is 5-10 minutes. There is no point in continuing the lesson any longer. At best, the baby will get tired of such a pastime. At worst, he will no longer want to return to the game, under any pretext.
- To conduct finger games, the mother must be prepared: know nursery rhymes well, have game props.
- Don't get distracted. Focus all your attention on the child.
- Finger games should be appropriate for the baby's age. There is no point in rushing and getting ahead.
- The purpose of the classes is to develop fine motor skills. Best age for this - from two months to six years.
- Variety is your main asset. Put caps on your child’s fingers and draw funny emoticons on them. Use all available materials. Your task is to win and hold the baby’s attention. And here any creativity will not be superfluous.
Finger toys can be bought in a store, or you can make them with your own hands using improvised materials.
Kinds
Finger games are divided into three types. Each age period has its own difficulty of the game.
- Games for babies (2-6 months). These are simple tasks that help develop reactions. For example, patting, touching, repeating movements.
- Exercises and massage (7-12 months). Strengthens the muscles of the hands and fingers.
- Fairy tales (from 9 months). This type is different in that you can depict heroes using your own hand. An example is the popular finger game “Magpie-Crow”.
But besides “Magpie,” there are a great variety of finger games. And here are some of them for your attention.
Examples
Get ready for the game. Prepare for the fact that you will need to help your baby for some time. Then the little one will be able to manage the process independently.
There's no need to rush. The game should, first of all, be comfortable for the child.
Game "Woodpecker"
(The right hand represents a woodpecker, and the left hand represents a tree).
A woodpecker is hammering a tree: knock-knock-knock.
(Change hands. Now the right hand is a tree, and the left is a woodpecker).
The whole day in the forest stands: knock-knock-knock.
Game “Pointer”
(Point your finger to the baby’s mouth).
My mouth knows how to eat.
(Point your finger to the baby’s nose and then to the baby’s ears).
Breathe your nose and listen to your ears.
(Show how to blink your eyes.)
The little eyes may blink.
(It is necessary to squeeze and sharply unclench your fingers).
Handles keep grabbing and grabbing.
Words for the game "Mouse"
Game "Fly"
(Use your right hand to draw a fly’s wing).
Here was a fly flying.
(The fly lands on the other handle).
I sat down to eat the jam.
(Touch your palms and rotate them).
I smeared my belly.
Game "Snail"
(Bend your right hand. Hold your other fingers with your thumb so that the ring and middle fingers are bent, and the index and little fingers remain in their normal position).
The snail pokes its horns.
(“Snail” rests on left hand).
The gate in the garden is locked.
(The left handle lets the snail through).
Let the snail home.
Words for the game "Uti-uti"
Game "Fall to sleep"
(Put the baby's head on the pillow.)
Head on the pillow.
(Take the baby’s hand and stroke his forehead with it.)
I stroke, stroke my forehead.
(Cover the child’s eyes with his hands).
I close my eyes.
(Put your folded palms under the baby’s cheeks).
I fall asleep quickly.
Game "Kitten"
(Show 1 baby's finger).
I was walking along the path alone.
(Show 2 fingers).
My two legs walked with me.
(Show 3 fingers).
Suddenly three mice come towards you.
(Take the child’s palms and pat them lightly on the cheeks, then shake his head).
Oh, we saw a kitten!
(Show baby's 4 fingers).
He has four legs.
(Show sharp claws with your fingers).
There are sharp scratches on the paws.
(Show the corresponding number of fingers as you count).
One two three four five.
(Show with two fingers as if you are running away).
We need to run away quickly!
Words for the game "Ladushki"
Game "Guests"
(Pretend that your fingers are running.)
The guests came running to Katya.
Everyone shook hands.
(Place your index finger and thumb together.)
Hello, Zhora!
(Place your middle finger and thumb together.)
Hello, Zhanna!
Glad Seryozha.
(Place your ring finger and thumb together.)
Glad Snezhana.
(Connect the little finger and thumb).
Would you like some pie?
(Place your palms together.)
Maybe a shortbread?
(Show two palms).
Or a horn?
(Put your fists up).
Here's a jelly bean for you.
(Point to your palm with your finger).
You take a little bit
(Clench your hands into a fist.)
Everyone quickly shook off the crumbs.
(Shake crumbs off your hands).
And they clapped their hands!
(Clap your hands.)
Game "Mosquito"
(Move your finger around the ear).
A fly flies around the ear, w-w-w.
(Run your finger around the nose).
Wasps are flying around your nose, ssss.
(Touch your forehead with your finger).
A mosquito flies on your forehead - oops!
(Touch your forehead with your pen).
And we clap him!
(Close your fist and bring it to your ear).
And to the ear, s-z-z.
(Open your fist and blow on it).
Shall we release the mosquito? Let's go!
Video “Finger games for one-year-old babies”
Work with your child systematically. Gradually make the tasks more difficult. Enjoy communicating with your baby. And it won't matter about the results. In practice, this has been proven not only by specialists, but also by many generations of children who grew up playing and developing at the same time. Have fun and useful time. This is probably where the whole value of finger games for very young toddlers lies.
The main motor achievement of a baby at this age is walking. The child began to walk independently. Freed hands allow you to experiment with surrounding objects, the skill of preferential use of the right or left hand is formed, and coordination of movements is improved. It is motor activity that contributes to the development of the baby’s cognitive abilities.
The influence of fine motor skills on child development
Numerous scientific studies have confirmed the connection intellectual development and finger motor skills. It has been established that the level of development of children's speech is directly dependent on the degree of formation of fine movements of the fingers. Therefore, in order to teach a child to speak, it is necessary not only to train his articulatory (speech) apparatus, but also to develop finger movements. Systematic finger training exercises are also a means of stimulating the activity of the cerebral cortex, which promotes the development of thinking and attention.
One of the important features of finger games is their accessibility. To play with your baby, no special devices or toys are required. All play material is the child’s hands and fingers. It is only important for mom to know a few special exercises and learn the lyrics to them. These games can be played at any time and anywhere: on a walk, in line at the clinic - wherever you need to keep your child occupied, distracted or interested.
Finger games for a child are selected taking into account his capabilities and gradually become more complex. These games provide good workout fingers, contribute to the development of the ability to listen and understand the content of poetry, teach to catch the rhythm of speech. When a baby recites poetry and simultaneously moves his fingers, his speech obeys the rhythm, is accompanied by movements, and becomes louder, clearer, and more emotional.
Folk nursery rhyme games provide good training. Mom first reads the nursery rhyme rhythmically, highlighting the semantic parts intonationally, accompanying the reading with playful movements. Then the baby is asked to repeat the movements, and at an older age - the words of the nursery rhyme.
When it is difficult for a child to perform one or another exercise, an adult should help by taking his hand in his own, helping him move his fingers, bend them and straighten them. This is how the necessary movements are taught, fine motor skills of the fingers are trained and, accordingly, speech development is stimulated.
Finger games for children up to one year old
Exploring our capabilities
Finger training can begin as early as two months of age. During this period, an important place is given to massage. Stroke your baby's hands in the direction from the fingertips to the wrist, take each finger individually, bend and straighten it.
Game “To Each His Own Name”
If you have never played finger games with your baby before, start with the basics - just look at the fingers, name each finger, stroke it gently. You can simply list the names of the fingers (thumb, index, middle, etc.), or you can give each finger its own name.
When calling “name”, bend and straighten each finger in turn:
Finger Antoshka - A little mischievous. (Bend and straighten the thumb.)
Vlad's finger - Loves outfits. (Bend and unbend the index finger, etc.)
Finger Kolya Studying at school.
Timosh's finger - He's a good boy.
Thumb Irishka - Just a baby.
You can come up with your own names and poetic lines for them or pronounce the baby’s name in different ways: first the full name, then a diminutive, special, as one of the family members affectionately calls the baby, etc. Thus, the baby gets used to the sound of his own name and learns to distinguish it from the speech of adults.
Game "Pencil - Helper"
Take a ribbed pencil and roll it over your baby's palms and fingers. Another option for the exercise is to place a pencil between the baby’s palms and, pressing the palms tightly, make rubbing movements with them. The convex edges of the pencil massage the surface of the palms well, causing skin receptors to work.
You can massage your palms and fingers using a small ball (for example, a ping pong ball) or any other round object. The massage effect will be more noticeable if you use a special hedgehog ball with rubber “spines”. Roll it in your baby's palms, pressing them against the ball.
Master the famous folk finger games with your little one - “Magpie-Crow”, “Ladushki”, “Goat-Dereza”.
By 9-10 months of life, it is recommended to train circular movements with the baby’s thumbs. The period when opposition occurs thumb the rest, has special significance. From this moment on, the child becomes able to make fine movements of the fingers, and the baby masters tweezer grip (the ability to grasp objects with the thumb and forefinger).
Game "Tom Thumb"
Ask your child to open his palm and, helping him make movements, begin to recite the nursery rhyme:
Little Thumb, where have you been? (Make circular movements with your thumb.)
I went into the forest with this brother, (Bend the little finger one by one, first)
I cooked cabbage soup with this brother (then the ring finger, etc.)
I sang songs with this brother,
I ate porridge with this brother,
That's why I got fat. ( Circular movements thumb.)
Game "Crane"
To play, you will need a plastic bucket and 6-7 small toys or objects (Kinder Surprise toys, large beads, walnuts, construction kit parts).
The baby's hand represents a crane: the thumb and forefinger of the right hand pick up the object and direct it straight into the bucket. First, slowly show your baby the sequence of actions, commenting on your movements along the way. Then ask the baby to repeat from the beginning right hand, then left.
Show your child gestures that replace words: “Goodbye, bye-bye!” - the baby unclenches his fingers and waves his palm, “Give it to me!” - the baby clenches and unclenches his fist several times, “You can’t do this!” - the child straightens the index finger, and presses the rest to the palm and shakes the handle. Teach your baby to clap his hands when he likes something. The baby quickly remembers these movements, and over time will learn to repeat them.
Finger games for children from 1 to 2 years old
We play and talk
At this time, the child’s independence in many actions increases. The baby also shows independence in performing exercises with his fingers. At this age, he can repeat some simple movements without the help of an adult, focusing on demonstrations and copying actions. Independence also manifests itself in speech. The child tries in his own way to pronounce sounds, words or phrases loudly and clearly when performing any part of the exercise.
Finger game "Spider"
The spider crawls, crawls, (The fingers clench and unclench, “walking” along the surface - on the table, arm, leg.)
He weaves a web.
The web is even thin,
Holds the moth tightly. (Rounded palms are folded one on top of the other.)
The moth sat and sat
Suddenly he took off and flew away! (We wave our arms in the air.)
Ask the baby to pronounce the ending words: “crawls,” “sat,” “flew away.”
Finger game "Family"
Ask your baby to straighten his palm. We begin to bend the little finger, ring finger and then towards the thumb:
This finger is grandpa
This finger is grandma
This finger is daddy
This finger is mommy
This finger is me.
All my family.
After saying the nursery rhyme several times, encourage your baby to repeat after you or complete the sentence he started. For example, you say: “This finger,” and the baby adds “grandmother,” etc. Repeat the exercise with the other hand.
Finger game "Piano"
Imitate playing the piano by tapping each finger in turn, then the entire palm with fingers spread out on the table surface:
We bought a piano
Tra-la-la, tra-la-la.
We play with grandma
And the whole family dances.
Tra-la-la, tra-la-la.
Game "Fingers say hello"
Sit with your baby at the table opposite each other, “say hello” with your fingers - touch the child’s fingers with each finger in turn, saying: “Hello, little finger,” “Glad to see you, ring finger,” “Good afternoon, middle finger,” “ Greetings, index finger", " Have a good day, thumbs up!”
Make sure that the baby extends just one finger to greet you, and not the entire palm. Help him separate his fingers if he has any difficulty. Simultaneously with finger training, the baby learns a variety of greeting phrases.
Games without speech accompaniment can also be used to train your fingers:
Game "Man". The index and middle fingers of the right hand “run” across the table (“little man”). The same movements must be made with the fingers of the left hand, of both hands at the same time.
Game "Trees". Raise both hands, palms facing you, fingers spread wide. Swing your arms left and right. At the beginning of each game, tell your child how to position his fingers correctly, show options for movements with his fingers and hands.
Game "Pull the String". Explain to the baby that now you will test which of you is the strongest. Explain the rules of the game: you need to pull the string to your side by taking it with your fingers or holding it in your fist. Place the rope, cord or handkerchief on the table. Give one end of the rope to the child, and grab the other yourself. On command, begin to pull towards yourself. Of course, the child must win this competition, but you should not give up right away - let the child train his fingers, develop their strength, trying to hold and pull the rope. Be sure to praise the baby for being the strongest and most dexterous.
Finger games for children from 2 to 3 years old
Obedient fingers
During this period, the child’s fingers and hands acquire good mobility and flexibility, and stiffness in movements gradually disappears.
If you notice that the child copes with the task easily, complicate it: add new movements, change their sequence, learn other, more intricate finger games. In the game, ask your baby to repeat whole sentences and quatrains after you. Encourage and praise him for completing the task correctly.
Finger game "Snail"
Say the nursery rhyme, showing your child all the actions. Ask him to repeat the movements after you:
Snail, snail! (The hand clenched into a fist “crawls” across the table.)
Stick your horns out! (Straighten the index and middle fingers - “horns” and quickly remove them.)
I'll give you a delicious pie! (We show open palms.)
I don’t need pie, (We twirl our clenched fists.)
Freedom is dear to me.
I'm crawling and crawling along the path,
If I want, I’ll stick out my horns (Straighten the index and middle fingers.)
And if you touch it a little...
The horns are being removed! (Fingers hide again - clench into a fist.)
Finger game "Ram and bagels"
Teach your baby to form rings with his fingers, alternately closing the thumb with the small, ring, middle, index and thumb:
Early in the morning early in the morning
I bought a sheep lamb. (We close the rings, starting with the small finger.)
And then for rubles
He bought bagels. (Close the rings with your fingers in the reverse order.)
One, two, three, four, five - (We bend our fingers one by one.)
I started counting bagels.
One, two, three, four, five - (In the reverse order, we straighten our fingers one by one.)
He started chewing bagels.
And he ate everything... (Show palms.)
Game "Magic Web"
For this game you will need a thin colored cord. Ask the baby to show his hand with his fingers outstretched. We braid the lace into rings around each of the baby’s fingers, and let him try to remove it from his fingers without using his free hand. You can play out this exercise with your little one: for example, tell him that the spider has woven its magic web around his fingers, and he needs to free himself. When your child manages to remove the lace, accompany his success with a surprise moment, for example: “Hurray! You are a wizard! I was able to free myself from the magic web! Well done!"
Finger theater for children
The finger theater is a great invention: light, convenient, mobile. You can purchase ready-made figurines that are put on your fingers, you can make characters for the finger theater yourself - for example, from felt, paper, knitted from yarn, or you can buy them in a store. This toy will delight your baby for a long time, training his fingers, improving speech, fantasy and imagination.
Organize joint performances, and the audience can be family, friends, and peers of the child.
The simplest option- make “actors” out of paper.
Wrap a sheet of paper 3-5 cm wide around your finger and glue it into a roll. If the puppeteer is a child, the roll should be thinner.
Next, we decorate the doll: paint it, draw the face, arms, and details of clothing. Be sure to do features character: the king - a crown, the grandfather - a beard and mustache, the grandmother - a handkerchief.
Such artists are suitable for fairy tales with a large number of characters. Each finger is a separate hero. So you can put the Russians folk tales: “Turnip”, “Wolf and seven kids”, “Teremok”, “Winter quarters of animals”.
Shadow theater for children
Fingers folded in a certain way under special lighting can turn into fairy tale characters. For lighting, use a small table lamp or night light.
Place the night light so that the light from it falls on the wall. Hands should be positioned away from the light source so that their shadow is reflected on the wall.
Before showing the fairy-tale action, you will have to practice together and master the techniques of correctly showing the character’s movements: how he moves his ears, opens and closes his mouth, etc.
We offer several games for shadow theater:
Game "Bunny". Elbows rest on the table. Extend the index and middle fingers of your right hand upward, and connect the tips of the ring and little fingers to the tip of the thumb. Make smooth rotational movements with the brush (the bunny moves). Perform the same exercise with the fingers of your left hand, with both hands at the same time.
Game “Chicken Drinks Water”. Elbows rest on the table, fingers folded in the form of a beak. Perform rhythmic bends of the arms forward and return to the starting position - “pecking the grains.” The kid can watch the shadow projection on the wall in fascination, and later he himself will be glad to take part in the performance.
Finger game "Animals at work." Read the poem to your child, simultaneously showing all the actions that the animals perform in it. Let the baby repeat the movements after you. You need to perform the movements with both hands at the same time:
Today is the whole day
All the animals are at work:
The little fox-sister is hemming her fur coat, (Gather your fingers into a pinch and unclench.)
The gray bear, the old grandfather, knocks his boot, (We knock our fists against each other.)
And the white-sided magpie drives away flies. (Waving hands.)
Masha the bear cooks porridge for the children. (We make circular movements with our hands.)
A hare sweeps a broom under a tree. (We hit our palms against each other tangentially - we “shake off” our palms)
Child's finger trainer
Place a small thick elastic band (for example, for hair) on the baby’s thumb and index finger and ask him to stretch it several times. Let the baby try to stretch the elastic with only two fingers, without the help of a second hand. Then put the elastic band on your thumb and middle finger and so on until your little finger. This game allows you to strengthen the muscles of your fingers and improve the coordination of small movements. To make it more interesting for the baby, we can say that we hang a lock on his fingers and he needs to stretch it to free himself.
The game “Ladushki” is familiar to absolutely everyone: both old people and toddlers who are only six months old. Speech and finger games for kids are very popular today and are not limited to just “hands”. If you wish, you will find a lot of them and can choose something new every day. This is also good because the baby may get tired of the same game for a long time. And when will you offer your child daily new game with an interesting rhyme, he will certainly like it, he will rejoice and listen to you carefully.
The benefits of finger games
To begin with, let's talk about the most important things. When born into this world, the baby begins to intensively study the world. Let him sleep most of the time, his brain works, absorbing a lot new information. For a baby, skin means the whole world. It is with her and with the help of his hands that he masters and gets acquainted with environment. Having touched his pajamas or diaper in a dream, he remembers this thing precisely by how it feels to the touch. And even as he gets older, it is no less important for him to experience the world tactilely, get to know the people around him, and become closer to mom and dad. Finger games will help parents become best friends for your child.
How finger and speech games affect a child’s behavior and development
Like other activities, finger games for babies are very important. Firstly, this is contact with parents (grandparents, teachers), which is mandatory for a child at this age. Secondly, it is useful for speech development. Thirdly, children's finger games for babies will help him learn to concentrate on a specific object or activity, he will not grow up absent-minded. Fourthly, he will somehow get to know himself, see what his hands are capable of, remember what his mother does, and try to repeat after her. And finally, fifthly, this a great opportunity distract the baby. Often a young mother does not have the opportunity to leave her child with someone. She always has to take it with her wherever she goes. For example, collecting documents for registration child benefit. Children under one year of age should also visit a pediatrician monthly. As all mothers know, the queue to see him can last for an hour or two, or even more. Finger games for kids will distract the child at least for some time so that he does not become capricious, cry or demand to leave this establishment.
Have you ever noticed how a baby reacts when someone tells him a rhyme? He immediately pays attention to this person, listens, and becomes interested. To the beat of the storyteller, he can begin to dance or make arbitrary movements with his arms. The thing is that little mischievous children love rhythmic speech, so “voice accompaniment” is mandatory. In addition, it helps improve the level of speech. Simple movements with his fingers and hands will not cause him such delight as the same movements, only accompanied by rhymes.
This may surprise you, but how and when a child speaks directly depends on the movements of his fingers. Therefore, finger games for babies under one year old are a combination of business and pleasure.
This is important: you must pronounce the words as clearly as possible, but at the same time beautifully, with expression, changing the intonation so that the child likes it, so that it is easier for him to remember. Watch what your baby does while you tell him the rhyme. If he is not trying to talk yet, but can independently repeat some movement, for example, flapping his arms when you talk about flapping his wings, it means that he has already remembered something, he just can’t tell it yet.
Why can't you exercise a lot?
Always remember that finger games, which have a positive effect on a child’s development, put a tremendous strain on the child’s brain. Dose these games. If your child follows a daily routine, set aside some time for developmental activities, but don’t literally overplay it.
A baby who is just beginning to learn everything that will be useful to him in this life does not have as much strength as you. It seems to you that these games are innocent, that there is no harm from them. But you forget that you are big and he is very small. For example, compare how much you usually eat and how much your child eats. There is a difference? Roughly speaking, if a child eats as much as you, he will have a severe tummy ache. The same thing happens with the information he receives: if there is too much of it, it will be bad for his head.
What finger and speech games are there for kids?
Although the games themselves are a kind of gymnastics for the fingers, there are also special exercises with the help of which the fine motor skills of the child’s hands will be improved. We will talk about this later, but now we will find out what finger games are, what movements are made during them, and whether it will be difficult for a child to do all this.
Finger games for little ones
All finger games are a combination of a rhyme with the actions of the hands and fingers, imitating one or another action. For example, when you come across the phrase “a snowball is falling,” you should touch the baby’s palm with the pads of your fingers; when the “birds have flown”, you must help the baby imitate the movement of the wings with his hands; when the spider “ran”, you must run your fingers along the baby’s arm and so on.
There are games in which the main role is played by one of the adults. That is, when reciting a poem, he must show something on himself or on the baby. As a rule, such games are intended for very small toddlers, who still find it difficult to control their hands, but it is very interesting to watch what an adult does. The child tries to catch his mother’s hand or even repeat some movement after her. The rest of the finger games for children under one year old involve the baby's actions. IN in this case mother helps the child do something.
What is the essence of such exercises?
It would seem that the child is clinging to his mother’s hand and feeling it with his fingers. This is important both from the psychological side and from the child’s development. Hand contact between an adult and a baby goes a long way in getting the child to trust him. Moreover, it is the contact of his hand with the hand of another child, teacher or relative that builds the baby’s self-confidence.
Some finger games will teach your little one how to count. In others, he will have to act on his own, developing his independence and improving his hand movements. Still others will teach you to distinguish between the right and left handles; the little person will understand when and which handle is more convenient for him to use. The fourth will develop the ability to remember - very soon the child will be able to recite all the rhymes that you told him during the game. And with the help of fifths, he will understand where the bottom is and where the top is.
For some games, you can draw faces on your fingertips to make it even more fun, or even create a real theater by buying toys that you can put on your hand or fingers.
Finger games for babies from 6 months to one year
It is at this time, in the very middle of the toddler’s first year of life, that his brain is most receptive to the signals that his hands give him. Therefore, in this period In life, it is very important to pay attention to what the child touches, to give him more objects of different textures, different sizes and shapes. This is one of the reasons why basically all finger games are intended for children from 6 months. And if he is less than six months old, finger games for babies will not be so interesting to him. He simply won't understand what you want from him. However, there is a high probability that these games will amuse him, especially if mom laughs, smiles, plays with her facial expressions and moves her hands slowly.
Before one year of age, children are not very good at making movements that correspond to words. In any case, the baby must be praised for his achievements; let him show other relatives what he has learned to do and how well he does it.
"Magpie-white-sided" and "Orange" - funny Games, which you can play with your baby. Finger games for kids should not only be fun, but also educational. 1-2 years is the age when such games will also be interesting. Don’t forget to buy rubber squeaky toys for your kids. You can come up with some small poem, for example: “You, kitten (duckling, chicken, calf), don’t have food, go look for your mother,” and at this moment the child should squeeze the toy so that it squeaks. Your hands also need to be developed, don’t focus on just your fingers.
If we talk about fingers, there is a game called that. It is interesting, but very long. Such speech and finger games for babies can tire the child. Change the handles periodically - first the right one, then the left one, and so on. There is no need to continue the game if you see that the child is tired, it is better to switch to something else.
Babies also love when a song plays. If you can, sing a poem instead of a story. You'll see, the baby will laugh loudly or just listen to you very carefully.
Finger games for babies from 1 year old
The variety of finger games is pleasantly surprising, and if parents are creative people, then you can come up with all sorts of children's fun on your own. Now let’s remember our favorite “Ladushki” - finger games for kids. There are several options.
Option one
- - Okay, okay, where have you been?
- By Grandma! ( child clapping his hands)
- What did you eat?
- Porridge!
- What did you drink?
- Curdled milk!
- Shu-u-u, let's fly! They sat on their heads! ( put your hands on the baby's head)
We sat down, sat and then flew! ( imitate the movement of wings with your baby’s palms)
Second option
- - Okay, okay, where have you been?
- By Grandma! ( clap your baby's palms)
- What did you eat?
- Porridge!
- What did you drink?
- Mash!
- The porridge is buttery, the mash is sweet, the grandmother is kind.
We ate porridge and drank beer.
Shu-u-u, let's fly! They sat on their heads! ( Raise the baby’s hands, then lower them onto his head with your palms)
We sat down, sat and then flew!
The cockerel crowed, ku-ka-re-ku! ( wave your baby's hands like wings)
Third
- - Okay, okay, where have you been?
- By Grandma! ( clap your baby's palms)
- Slept on a pillow ( Place your hands with your palms facing each other and place them on the baby’s cheek),
Ate kolobushki ( clapping hands on knees).
In general, “Ladushki” - finger games for babies - will be interesting for both a six-month and a three-year-old child. The rhymes are very easy to remember, they are fun and are combined with interesting movements that are not difficult to repeat. You can even call these finger games for kids a win-win option and useful, as we have already seen.
No less famous than “Ladushki” is the game about the “horned goat”. You might even remember your parents playing it with you when you were little. This poem also has more than one version. Most likely, each parent will tell it differently.
Such finger games for children under 2 years old will cause them to have a fit of fun; they will laugh, delighting mom and dad, and then trying to “gore” them too.
Finger gymnastics
Gymnastics is required not only for the body, but also for the hands, especially for children. Finger games for kids 1-3 years old will help you do such gymnastics. Let's look at popular exercises.
- The child should place his hands palms down on the table, and then separate and connect his fingers.
- Palm-fist-edge of the palm - repeat several times.
- Now the fingers of both hands should greet each other - thumb to thumb, and so on - one, two, three, four, five.
- The child should run his fingers on the table - index and middle. First one hand, then the other.
- And now the same movement as the previous one, only with both hands at once.
- Extend your index finger and little finger, first on one handle, then on the second.
- Now the previous movement with both hands.
- Form two circles by connecting your index finger and thumb, and press the circles together.
- Extend your middle and index fingers upward. Thumb, little finger and ring finger - put together.
- Raise both arms and turn your palms towards your face. Spread your fingers wide.
This gymnastics is finger games for kids. 2-3 years is the age when children are actively interested in such games. Children under two years old may find it difficult to perform such exercises. And why, if they have a lot interesting games with rhymes.
Are there baby finger games for 5 month old babies, you ask? There is, one of them is “Building a house for gnomes.” For it you need to prepare several cubes, blocks, in general, something from which you can “build a house.” To begin, show your baby the block, then place it next to him and begin a story in verse about how a house for gnomes is built. It is useful for concentration - the child will watch what you do. He will try to repeat his mother’s movements, that is, to build a house. It is unlikely that he will succeed, but you should still praise him for his efforts and attentiveness.
“Building a house for gnomes” and similar finger games for babies under one year old will arouse the child’s interest. During the game, also observe how the child treats objects and whether he tries to grab them. Special attention Pay attention to how the baby tries to pick up the blocks. If he doesn't succeed, help him by opening his fingers more tightly. And then he will be able to do it on his own.
Finger games for 3 year olds and older children are no less interesting. The child will remember the names of some objects, if in a normal situation it is difficult for him to do this, and develop his speech, expanding his vocabulary. Even though three-year-old children usually speak quite well, this does not mean that finger games for toddlers will not be interesting to them.
What effect do finger exercises and games have on a child?
The baby will develop his speech skills, try to pronounce words and sounds better, more clearly and faster. This is important for his development of correct speech.
Effect on perseverance and attention. Having interested your child in a game or gymnastic exercises, you will notice that he watches the actions calmly, sitting in one place and trying to remember what you are showing him.
Finger gymnastics is useful for a child to learn to control his movements. This is a unique way to understand the world, learn to interact with people around you, as well as objects, which is no less important. Thanks to such games, the child learns to perceive not only the world that surrounds him, but also himself in this space.
During the game, the baby's hands can turn into anyone, from a small bird to a big bear. Thanks to this, he develops imagination and fantasy. By playing games of this kind, you can develop your child’s creative abilities, which will undoubtedly have a beneficial effect on his worldview in the future, and will also help him accept himself as an individual.
Movements in games must be performed in in the right order. The child will need to remember this, which means he will use his logical thinking. Thus, finger speech games in the very early age form the child, develop logical, creative, analytical and other types of thinking, contribute to the development of speech, perception of the world around him and himself in it. Despite its apparent simplicity, educational finger games have a positive effect on the development of the child as a whole. Games also shape the character and personality of a small toddler in a certain way.
Parents of young children must firmly remember that the development of a child’s speech is directly related to movement, namely fine motor skills. There are many finger games for children. Mothers, grandmothers, grandfathers, playing with the child, reading nursery rhymes and singing songs, can do finger gymnastics with the kids.
The following games and play tasks will help develop fine movements of a child’s hand, mobility of fingers, and precision of finger movements.
Finger game "MAGIE"
While reading the nursery rhyme, alternately bend and straighten the child’s fingers:
Thief Magpie,
Cooked porridge
She fed the children
Gave this one
Gave this one
Gave this one
Gave this one
But she didn’t give it to this big one.
Why didn’t you cut wood?
Why didn't you carry water?
Why didn't you cook the porridge?
There is another similar little rhyme about a magpie. It is from a Bulgarian folk song and is called “The Magpie and the Magpie”
A long-tailed magpie flew from afar,
I chopped wood, lit the stove,
I cooked the porridge very sweet.
She called all the children, gave them all porridge,
Only my mother drove one away from the table -
Baby chemise.
Was he the most naughty of all?
He didn’t carry water, he didn’t chop wood,
I didn't even sweep the floor!
Finger game "LINKY"
When reciting a nursery rhyme, each finger of the child is massaged. In this finger game, not only a massage is performed, but also the names of the fingers are actively memorized.
My little finger, where have you been?
I cooked cabbage soup with Nameless,
And I ate porridge with the Middle One,
I finished it with my index finger,
And Big met me
And he treated me to candy.
Index on the right
He led the whole horde on a campaign.
The middle brother carries a backpack,
The nameless one walks like this
And Littlefinger began to play:
Invite brothers to listen.
The right Big one danced
And he invited me to dance!
Finger gymnastics “WHAT SHOULD A FINGER DO?”
As in the previous nursery rhyme game, when pronouncing the nursery rhyme, each finger of the child is massaged.
Ivan the Bolshak - to chop wood,
Vaska the pointer - to carry water,
The middle bear needs to light the stove,
Grishka the orphan needs to cook porridge,
And for little Timoshka to sing songs.
Finger gymnastics “THE FINGERS ARE SLEEPING”
This finger wants to sleep
This finger is a jump into bed,
This finger took a nap
This finger has already fallen asleep.
Fingers stood up - “Hurray!”
It's time to go to kindergarten!
Finger game “THING O FINGER”
This exercise adds a series of movements to finger gymnastics. During the game, the child needs to be shown what movements should be performed along the rhyme.
Finger on finger, tap and tap. (2 times.)
Clap, clap, clap. (Clap hands.)
Stomp your feet, stomp. (stomp twice.)
They hid, they hid. (Cover your face with your hands.)
Finger on finger, tap and tap. (2 times.)
Finger game "FINGERS IN THE FOREST"
Hold the baby's left hand in front of you with the palm facing you.
One two three four five!
Let your fingers go for a walk!
This finger found a mushroom. (Bend your little finger.)
This finger cleans the table. (Fold the nameless one.)
This one cut. (Bend your middle finger.)
This one ate. (Bend your index finger.)
Well, this one just looked! (Bend your thumb and tickle your palms.)
"FINGER GYMNASTICS"
We put the fingers of both hands together.
Who has arrived? (Quickly clap the equestrian thumbs.)
- We, we, we! (The tips of the thumbs are pressed together, and the tips of the other fingers quickly clap simultaneously.)
- Mom, mom, is this us? (Clap with the tips of your thumbs.)
- Yes Yes Yes! (Clap with the tips of your index fingers.)
- Dad, dad, is that you? (Clap with the tips of your thumbs.)
- Yes Yes Yes! (Clap with the tips of your middle fingers.)
- Brother, brother, is that you? (Clap with the tips of your thumbs.)
- Yes Yes Yes! (Clap with the tips of your ring fingers.)
- Oh, little sister, is that you? (Clap with the tips of your thumbs.)
- Yes Yes Yes! (Clap your little fingers.)
- We are all together, yes, yes, yes! (Clap with all fingers.)
Finger game “CIRCLE YOUR PALM”
Prepare a sheet of thick white paper and a felt-tip pen. Ask your child to place his palm on the paper and trace the outline of his hand. Let the child take turns lifting his fingers slightly above the outline, and then raise his entire palm. After this, without moving your hands, ask your baby to gather his fingers into his palm and again straighten them along the outlined contour.
Finger gymnastics “MOVE YOUR BUGS”
Prepare 10 multi-colored circles from colored cardboard with a diameter of 1-2 cm. Ask your child to place his palm on the table so that his fingertips rest on the circles. Offer to move the circles with each finger in turn, then with all of them together. Then the baby raises his hand and lowers it again so that his fingertips touch the circles.
Finger game "RINGS"
Ask the child to alternately connect all the fingers with the thumb into a ring, doing this strictly in order.
Kids really like this finger gymnastics game. Let your child's fingers be nimble!
Finger gymnastics in verse and finger games not only affect the development of speech, but their beauty is also that they instantly switch the baby’s attention from whims or nervousness to bodily sensations - and calm them down. This is a great activity when there are more children (for example, on the road or in line).
The influence of manual (manual) actions on the development of the human brain was known back in the 2nd century BC in China.
Experts argued that games involving hands and fingers, such as our “White-sided Magpie,” help to find harmony in the body-mind tandem and keep the brain systems in excellent condition. Based on similar reasoning, the Japanese doctor Namikoshi Tokujiro created a healing technique for influencing the hands. He argued that fingers are endowed with a large number of receptors that send impulses to the human central nervous system. There are many acupuncture points on the hands, which can be massaged to influence internal organs, reflexively associated with them. In terms of saturation of acupuncture zones, the hand is not inferior to the ear and foot. For example, massaging the thumb increases the functional activity of the brain; the index finger has a positive effect on the stomach, the middle finger has a positive effect on the intestines, the ring finger has a positive effect on the liver and kidneys, and the little finger has a positive effect on the heart. And if you also diversify finger gymnastics with FINGER THEATER, then this will give you a lot of positive emotions!
Simple rules of the game
1. Try to involve all fingers in the games (especially the ring and little fingers - they are the laziest).
2. Be sure to alternate three types of movements:
compression;
stretching;
relaxation.
How else to activate your fingers
1. Give a newspaper, sheets of paper - let him vomit (just be careful not to put these “bites” in his mouth).
2. Thread large buttons onto a strong thread and let them sort through them.
3. Give wooden beads, abacus, pyramids.
4. Draw faces on the plastic plugs and place them on your fingers. You will get a finger theater.
This is only a small fraction of the games and activities that can captivate a child and...
Several exercises finger gymnastics for children in verse!
House
I want to build a house
(Fold your hands like a house and raise them above your head)
So that there is a window in it,
(Join the fingers of both hands into a circle)
So that the house has a door,
(We connect the palms of our hands together vertically)
Nearby for a pine tree to grow.
(We raise one hand up and “spread” our fingers)
So that there is a fence around
The dog guarded the gate,
(We join our hands in a lock and make a circle in front of us)
It was sunny, it was raining,
(First, we raise our hands up, fingers “spread”. Then we lower our fingers down, making “shaking” movements)
And the tulip bloomed in the garden!
(Put your palms together and slowly open your fingers - “tulip bud”)
Friends - gardeners
Thick and big finger
I went to the garden to pick plums.
(The palm is gathered into a “fist”. Bend the thumb, straighten it, then bend it halfway. Bend it again, and so on several times)
Index from the threshold
Showed him the way.
(We bend the index finger, then “bend and unbend”)
The middle finger is the most accurate
He knocks plums off the branch.
(We bend the middle finger, “bend and unbend” it. At the same time, we must try not to bend the index and thumb)
Nameless picks up
(We also bend the ring finger, try not to move the previous fingers)
And the little finger is gentleman
Throws bones into the ground!
(Bend the little finger)
Ship
A boat is sailing along the river,
(Press the lower parts of the palms against each other, the upper parts are open - showing the “ship”)
He floats from afar
(We place our left hand horizontally to our eyes - “look into the distance”)
There are four very brave sailors on the boat.
(Show 4 fingers)
They have ears on top of their heads,
(Put both palms to your ears)
They have long tails
(We connect the fingertips of both hands together and then slowly spread our arms to the sides)
And only cats are scary to them, only cats and cats!
(We show two palms open from ourselves, then bend the fingers slightly - we get “claws”)
At the end of this game you can ask the child:
-What kind of sailors were on the ship?
Answer: mice
boat
I will press two palms,
And I will sail across the sea.
(Press both palms together, without connecting thumbs)
Two palms, friends, -
This is my boat.
(Make wave-like movements with your hands - “the boat floats”)
I'll raise the sails
(Hands joined together in a boat shape, raise your thumbs up)
I'll swim in the blue sea.
(Continue wave-like movements with your hands - “boat”)
And on the stormy waves
Fish swim here and there.
(Completely connect two palms to each other to imitate fish and again wave-like movements - “fish swim”)
Mouse
The mouse snuck into the hole,
(We make sneaking movements with both handles)
It was locked with a padlock.
(Slightly wiggle your crossed fingers)
She's looking through the hole
(Make a ring with your fingers)
The cat is sitting on the fence!
(We put our hands to our heads like ears and move our fingers)
Orange
(Hand clenched into a fist)
We shared an orange.
(Turn your fist left and right)
There are many of us, but he is alone!
(With the other hand we extend the fingers folded into a fist, starting with the thumb)
This slice is for the hedgehog,
(Extend the index finger)
This slice is for siskin,
(Extend the middle finger)
This slice is for ducklings
(We bend the ring finger)
This slice is for kittens
(We bend the little finger)
This slice is for the beaver,
(Turn the open palm left and right)
Well, for the wolf - the peel.
(We show the cleft palate with both hands)
He is angry with us - trouble!
(Fold our hands together)
We hide in the house - here!
Ball
(First, the fingers are folded into a lock. We begin to slowly move them apart)
Quickly inflate the balloon.
(The fingertips of both hands touch each other - the ball is inflated)
He's getting big.
(Palms touch each other completely)
Suddenly the balloon burst
the air has come out -
(Close fingers together)
He became thin and thin!
An owl was flying
(We wave our hands)
An owl was flying
Cheerful head.
Flew and flew,
(Place hands on head)
She sat on her head.
Sat down, sat down,
She turned her head
(We wave our hands again)
And she flew again.
Piglet
(Squat down, hands on your belt, bend to the right)
Piglet Piglet
Relax yourself!
(We get up, straighten up, raise our hands up - stretch)
Got to my feet
Stretched!
(We squat down and bend forward, holding our hands straight in front of us)
And then I sat down,
Bent over!
(We get up, do jumping in place. Hands on the belt, do walking in place)
And he jumped a little
And he walked on the spot.
(Squat down, hands on your belt, bend to the left)
And then he lay down again, -
But on the left side!
Squirrel
(At the very beginning the fist is clenched)
A squirrel sits on a cart
She sells nuts:
(Extend all fingers one by one, starting with the thumb)
To my little fox sister,
Sparrow, titmouse,
To the fat-fifted bear,
Bunny with a mustache...
Our family
(Extend your fingers one at a time, starting with the thumb)
This big finger -
This is dad dear.
Next to dad is our mother.
Next to my mother is my eldest brother.
Following him, little sister -
Sweet girl.
And the smallest strong guy -
This is our sweet baby.
Winter walk
(Bend your fingers one at a time)
One two three four five
(“Walk” along the table with your index and middle fingers)
We came to the yard for a walk.
(We “make” a lump with two palms)
They sculpted a snow woman,
(Crushing movements with all fingers)
The birds were fed crumbs,
(Run the index finger of your right hand along the palm of your left hand)
Then we rode down the hill,
(Put your palms on the table, first one side, then the other)
And they were also lying in the snow.
(Shake off our palms)
Everyone came home covered in snow.
(Moves with an imaginary spoon, hands under cheeks)
We ate soup and went to bed.
Spider
(Hands are crossed. The fingers of each hand “run” along the forearm and then along the shoulder of the other hand.)
A spider walked along a branch,
And the children followed him.
(Brushes are freely lowered, we perform a shaking movement - rain.)
The rain suddenly fell from the sky,
(Clap your palms on the table/knees.)
The spiders were washed to the ground.
(Palms are pressed to each other by the sides, fingers are spread out, we shake our hands - the sun is shining.)
The sun began to warm up,
(We do the same movements as at the very beginning.)
The spider is crawling again
("Spiders" crawl on your head.)
And all the children crawl after him,
To walk on a branch.
Birch
(Smooth movement of the right hand to the side and up)
My birch, birch tree.
(The same, but with the left hand)
My curly birch.
(raise hands up, inhale)
You are standing there, little birch tree,
(Lower your hands, exhale)
In the middle of the valley,
(raise hands, inhale)
On you, birch tree,
(Lower your hands, exhale)
The leaves are green,
(Raise hands, inhale)
Below you, birch tree,
(Lower your hands, exhale)
Silk grass,
(Raise hands, inhale)
Around you, birch tree,
(Lower hands, long exhalation)
Red girls
Wreaths are made, weaved...
Fish
(Palms are closed, slightly rounded. We perform wave-like movements in the air.)
Five little fish were playing in the river
(Hands pressed against each other. Turn them from side to side.)
There was a large log lying on the sand,
(The palms are closed and slightly rounded. We perform a “diving” movement with them.)
And the fish said: “It’s easy to dive here!”
(Swing with closed palms (negative gesture).)
The second said: “It’s deep here.”
(Palms turn to the back of one of the hands - the fish is sleeping.)
And the third said: “I feel sleepy!”
(Quickly shake our palms - trembling.)
The fourth began to freeze a little.
(The wrists are connected. The palms open and connect - the mouth.)
And the fifth shouted: “There’s a crocodile here!”
(Quick wave-like movements with closed palms - they float away.)
Get out of here so you don't swallow him!"
The cuckoo was walking
(We walk along the table with our index and middle fingers straightened, while the remaining fingers are tucked.)
A cuckoo walked past the market
(The palms are connected by a “bucket” - a basket.)
She had a basket
(We hit the table/knees with closed palms, separate our hands.)
And the basket hits the floor - boom!
(We spread our arms to the sides, moving our fingers - flies fly. The number of extended fingers corresponds to the text.)
Ten (nine, eight) flies flew!
Bees
(One of the hands stands on the table, resting on the elbow, fingers spread out (tree). On the second hand, the fingers close into a ring (beehive). The “beehive” is pressed to the “tree.”)
A small house on a Christmas tree,
A house for bees, where are the bees?
(We look into the "hive".)
We need to knock on the house,
(We clench our fists and knock them together.)
One two three four five.
I'm knocking, knocking on the tree,
Where, where are these bees?
(We knock our fists against each other, alternating hands.)
They suddenly began to fly out:
(We spread our hands, spread our fingers and move them, the bees fly.)
One two three four five!
Stay for a while
Russian game. Hands in front of the chest, palms closed. Little fingers are children, they speak in a thin voice. Ring fingers- Mom speaks in a normal voice. Middle fingers - dad, speaks in a low voice. Index fingers- soldiers speak in a deep voice. Crossed thumbs - the threshold of the hut.
(It’s night, everyone is sleeping in the hut. There is a knock.)
Soldiers: Knock-knock! (Index fingers tap each other.)
Children: Who's there? (Little fingers tap each other.)
Soldiers: Two soldiers have come to spend the night! (Tap index fingers.)
Children: Let's ask mom. Mother! (Little fingers tap.)
Mom: What are the children? (Nameless people knock.)
Mom: Ask dad. (Nameless people knock.)
Children: Dad! (Little fingers tap.)
Dad: What, children? (Tapping middle fingers.)
Children: Two soldiers came to spend the night! (Little fingers tap.)
Dad: Let me in! (Tapping middle fingers.)
Children: Come in! (Little fingers tap.)
Soldiers: Oh, what a blessing that they let us spend the night! (The index fingers “dance” making cross movements.)
Soldiers: Let's go in! (Closed palms turn the fingers towards the chest. Then follows a quick half-turn of the hands so that the backs of the palms touch.)
(Arms stretch forward.)
Jellyfish
(Children join their palms and spread their fingers.)
Two huge jellyfish
They stuck belly to belly.
(Then they tear their palms apart, arching their fingers, while the fingers of the left hand are pressed against the fingers of the right.)
Let's bend the tentacles stronger -
This is how we can bend!
Palms palms
(When playing this finger game, you can show your imagination. Perform the movements that the plot of the poem will tell you.)
We washed our hands with soap.
We washed our feet with soap.
That's how nice it is,
Palms, palms!
We cooked some porridge
Stir with a spoon.
That's how nice it is,
Palms, palms!
We made palms
House for matryoshka.
That's how nice it is,
Palms, palms!
Little Hen Pestrushka
They crushed the crumbs.
That's how nice it is,
Palms, palms!
Hands clapping
Legs danced.
That's how nice it is,
Palms, palms!
Palms lay down
Rest a little.
That's how nice it is,
Palms, palms!
We hope these few exercises finger gymnastics for children in verse will help your child start chatting incessantly at one year 😉
P.S. If you liked our selection of finger games, also pay attention to the selection and.