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  • Home
  • About
    • What is High 5 Communication Resources?
    • About Emily
    • Locations
    • Praise >
      • Therapy
      • Classes
    • High 5 in the Press
  • Therapy Services
    • Speech & Language Therapy
    • Feeding Therapy
    • Getting Started with Therapy
    • COVID-19 and Therapy
    • FAQ
  • Resources
  • Contact + Locations

Fun foundations class: hands + fingers

So what's up with body parts:
  • Around 13 to 14 months, your toddler will really start learning body parts, and get a kick out of being able to point to that tiny nose when you ask.
    • Facial features are easiest to start with - he’s always putting his paws on your face (in case you haven’t noticed), and you probably already name body parts as your child touches them (saying “mouth” whenever those chubby fingers graze your lips). 
    • Explain what each body part does too as he’s feeling your face: “Eyes help us see” or “Ears help us hear.” This will help reinforce the differences between body parts and make them easier for your toddler to tell apart.
  • Milestones related to body parts:
    • 9-12 mos, MAY be able to ID 2 body parts (but don't freak out if not)
    • At 12-15 mos, can ID 3 body parts on self or doll
    • By 15-18 mos, can ID 6 body parts or clothing items on self or doll
    • By 2 years, can ID around 10 body parts + starts to name them
  • Ways to practice body parts
    • Songs! Obviously! ;)  See below for a few.
    • Ask for you to show you his eyes (or other body part), then your eyes, then on a doll/pet
    • Trace your feet/hands on a piece of paper, then ID body parts — like the thumb or pinky toe — together. You can also draw the outline of a face and fill in the features as you name them. I particularly love using our Fisher Price "Doodle Pro" Board for this.
    • Point to the reflection of your child's body parts in a mirror, as well as to characters’ body parts in books, as you name each one. Giving your toddler a variety of ways to practice identifying body parts will make learning their names more fun for you both.
    • As they get older
      • Ask him which body part helps him run, and wait for him to show you his legs or feet. Then ask which one helps him talk, and pause for him to point out his mouth. If he needs a hint, point to the part and let him name it.
      • Any game that lets toddlers burn energy is a good thing. So try some Simon Says with body-based directions ("Simon says, wiggle your fingers"), or do the hokey-pokey but keep it simple (say “Put your hand in” and save left and right for later).

skills + strategies discussed in class

Narrating

Songs from hands class

LYRICS FOR TOPS AND BOTTOMS: HAND WASHING SONG​
​
Tune of Frere Jacques/Are You Sleeping)

Tops and bottoms, tops and bottoms
In between, in between
All around your hands, all around your hands
​Now they're clean, now they're clean

LYRICS FOR "5 FINGERS"

Thumb, index, middle, ring and pinky,
Pinky, ring, middle, index and thumb.
Thumb, index, middle, ring and pinky.
Pinky, ring, middle, index and thumb.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
5 and 4 and 3 and 2 and 1.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
5 and 4 and 3 and 2 and 1.
 
(repeat)
 
Thumb, index, middle, ring and pinky,
Pinky, ring, middle, index and thumb.
Thumb, index, middle, ring and pinky.
Pinky, ring, middle, index and thumb.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
5 and 4 and 3 and 2 and 1.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
5 and 4 and 3 and 2 and 1.
 
(repeat)

LYRICS FOR "WIGGLE IT"

1. Touch your ear & wiggle it
Touch your nose & wiggle it
Touch your head and wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle
Wiggle it all around

2. Touch your shoulder & wiggle it -
elbow  -  hand
 
CHORUS:
Let’s wiggle up high
Wiggle down low
Wiggle real fast
Wiggle real slow
 
3. Touch your leg and wiggle it - knee  -  foot
 
4. hair  -   back    -   fingers
 
CHORUS
 
Come on let’s wiggle!
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle it!
(x 4)
 
CHORUS
 
5. Touch your ear & wiggle it - nose  -   head

LYRICS FOR "HANDS ARE FOR CLAPPING"

1.  Hands are for clapping
Clapping to this song
Hands are for clapping
Let's all clap along!

​2.  Toes are for tapping
3.  Fingers are for snapping

4.  Knees are for slapping

5.   Teeth are for brushing



LYRICS FOR "WAKE UP FEET"
(could also use with HANDS)

Wake up feet, wake up feet,
Wake up feet and wiggle, wiggle, wiggle!
Wake up feet, wake up feet,
Wake up and wiggle in the morning!

Could also try:
• fingers
• toes
• nose

LYRICS FOR "WAVE ONE FOOT"
Jump High

1. Go up, go down
Move your body all around
Go up, go down
And jump high

2. Sway side to side
Now aren’t you happy you’re alive
Sway side to side
And jump high

CHORUS:
And can you throw your
hands up in the air
And see how long you can keep them there.
And hug yourself/baby
like a teddy bear
And jump high, so high
As high as you can go

3. Can you clap your hands?
That tells me that you understand
Clap your hands
And jump high

4. And can you do a
crazy dance?
Don’t be afraid to
take a chance
Do a crazy dance
And jump high

CHORUS

Repeat Verse 1

​

BOokS FOR TALKING ABOUT hands and fingers!

Busy Fingers is the book we read in class. It is such a cute book for discussing all the things our hands and fingers can do! I also love the diversity portrayed in the book. I checked it out at the Holland public library. 

Another book for discussing about hands is Hands Can. The Holland library has this one also. 

​Hands can hold things.
Hands can mold things. 
Hands can catch
and hands can throw.
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