The Eentsy, Weentsy Spider: Fingerplays and Action Rhymes

this book is just what I was looking for. the songs and poems are short and easy. lots of old favorites and new ones, too.

This book contains 38 finger plays, from the well-known (I'm a Little Teapot) to ones I've never heard of (Here are Mother's Knives and Forks). Each is in big type with large illustrations to show you how to do the fingerplay. For those that are sung, musical arrangements are at the back of the book, along with a bibliography and index.Excellent resource for the fingerplay challenged!

As someone with training in folklore, I always trust a book with Joanna Cole's name on it. This book does a very good job of showing (rather than desscribing) the actions and provides the words and music. As it is folklore, you will find some of the fingerplays or action rhymes from your childhood as well as new additions to your repetoire. As I have come to expect, I believe that the publishing company has underestimated the age range for which the book is appropriate ... listen to your young friends after their first camping trip with the cub scouts, bluebirds etc. and you will find that even at that ages children are teaching children some of these plays.

I love this book! I use it all the time when I want to keep kids up to 6 years old busy. I have kids who visit who beg me to bring out the book to do the finger plays. I recommend it highly.