The Itsy Bitsy Spider Practices Her Fine Motor Skills!

The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout,
down came the rain and washed the spider out,
out came the sun and dried up all the rain,
and the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.

I am sure most of you have heard this rhyme before.  Most of you probably know the hand gestures that go with the rhyme.  Fingers together, thumb on pointer finger, pointer finger on thumb climbing like a spider.  What is so great about this little dance is that the focus is on fine motor skills.

People usually think of dance as big full body movements.  Fingers can dance too, and it is very important for finger strength and coordination to do so.  The skills involved in little fingers dancing like an itsy bitsy spider are the same in holding a pencil, drawing a straight line and cutting with scissors.

So on a very hot day when jumping around is the last thing you want to do with the little ones in your life, try creating a finger dance.  Not only is it fun but essential for fine motor development.

Some fun finger games:

1. Where is thumbkin?
2. Little Bunny Foo Foo
3. Patty Cake
4. Open Shut Them

Create your own.  Put music on and see how your fingers can dance, first one finger at a time then one hand at a time, then both hands together!

Have fun dancing with the hands of the little ones in your life!

Sincerely,
Stacey