The Bossy Finger Rhyme

With a made-up rhyme (“Little finger, little finger, where do you go? To the ceiling… and my body follows!”), the pointer finger points to a place and the whole body follows: up to the ceiling on tiptoe, down to the floor in a squat, leaning to the side. It links finger play with whole-body movement and the rhythm of words.

How to play

1. Standing on the rug, the teacher teaches the rhyme with claps: “Little finger, little finger, where do you go? To the…” (2 min).
2. The teacher finishes it (“…ceiling!”) and points up; everyone follows the finger by rising on tiptoe and stretching (2 min).
3. Try other places: “The floor!” (squat), “The window!” (lean toward it), “The door!” (take three steps toward it) (2 min).
4. The finger gets tired and points slowly or quickly, and the body goes just as slow or just as fast (2 min).
5. Taking turns, one child is the bossy finger: says the rhyme with everyone and chooses the place (2 min).
6. Ending: “Little finger, little finger, where do you go? Home to rest, nice and slow!” The finger hides in the fist and we sit down (2 min).

Rules

• First the rhyme, then the finger moves, then the body.
• Your body always follows your finger, never goes first.
• When the finger goes to the floor, go down carefully without bumping.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the body follows the finger from the chair, stretching or leaning.
• Visual impairment: the teacher names the place clearly and the child points before moving.
• More advanced: swap the pointer finger for the pinky or the big toe as the boss.

Learning goals

• Coordinate a fine finger movement with a whole-body movement.
• Keep the rhythm of a rhyme with claps and movement.
• Orient toward places in the classroom.

Teacher tip

The rhyme is original and you can change the ending however you like. At first, say it with a strong beat and a clap on each stressed syllable so kids learn it fast.

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