Ten Little Fingers: Baby Storytime Book of the Month
Warm up those little fingers, it’s time for Baby Storytime! The board book Ten Little Fingers, illustrated by Annie Kubler and Sarah Dellow, is the perfect baby storytime pick for exploring counting, hands, and movement. The updated International Edition, published in 2021, is my favorite. Babies and caregivers will find comfort in the familiar rhyme, and the fun hand motions will capture the attention of even the wiggliest storytime littles. Work one or more elements below into your next Baby Storytime for more engagement and fun.
How to Make Your Read-Aloud Interactive
The book features the rhyme “I Have Ten Little Fingers,” which perfectly applies to hand movements caregivers can do with the baby. Visit the King County Library System’s site to see movements and different rhythms you can do with the book to pick your favorites.
These Are Babies Fingers Rhyme
Keep the fun going with a rhyme encouraging caregivers to identify and move babies’ hands and fingers. Here is my baby group’s favorite:
These are baby’s fingers, [Point to baby’s fingers or use baby’s hand to point to their own]
These are baby’s toes,
This is baby’s belly button,
Round and round it goes.
This is baby’s elbow,
This is baby’s nose,
This is baby’s belly button,
Round and round it goes.
Open Shut Them Rhyme
A storytime classic and the perfect rhyme to move those little hands:
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.
Creep them, creep them,
Creep them, creep them,
Right up to your chin, chin, chin.
Open up your little mouth,
But do not put them in.
Craft & Playtime Activities
Ending Baby Storytime with free play provides children and their caregivers an excellent opportunity to explore and socialize. Here is a great playtime activity to enjoy with Ten Little Fingers:
Baby Handprints
Make prints of those ten little fingers! All you need are stamp pads, cardstock paper, and baby wipes. The baby wipes will be key and make caregivers more likely to participate due to easy cleanup. These ReignDrop Ink Pads for Baby Handprints from Amazon are my favorite and come in many fun colors. Don’t be afraid to use washable paint instead of ink pads! Place a small amount of paint on a paper plate for babies to pat.
Sensory Mats
Allow babies to feel new textures with DIY or store-bought sensory mats. Set them out during playtime, with blocks or other favorite toys, and let kiddos grab, toss, and play. Some of my favorite sensory mats for babies include:
- Sassy Reversible Soft Sensory Activity Panels – Pack of 4 from Amazon for $17.99
- Odoxia Animal Sensory Mats – Pack of 6 from Amazon for $17.99
- Ortodon Sensory Puzzle Mats – Pack of 7 from Amazon for $59.99
More Baby Storytime Books
Ten Little Fingers pairs beautifully with these other storytime books:
Visit The Youth Desk’s Baby Storytime page for more Baby Storytime books, outlines, songs, rhymes, and prop ideas.
