Baby Songs and Games

 Note:  As with many finger plays/baby games/nursery rhymes, these have been passed down from mom to mom.  I don’t know the original source.  If anyone does, please let me know so that I can give credit where credit is due. 

 Here are the words and directions for games we played with our babies.  Many of them are musical—or at least done in a “sing-song” type voice.   

“X” Marks the Spot (My 6 and 9 year olds still ask for this one!  Say the rhyme, while “drawing” on your child’s back or tummy. Older children love it done on their bare backs at bedtime):

  “X” marks the spot (draw a gentle “x” with your finger, on their backs or tummies)

  With a dot and a dot (one “dot” or touch on each side of their bodies)

 And a line and a line (one horizontal line on each side of their bodies)

 And a big question mark. (“Draw” a question mark on them.)

 With a line going up (Use your finger to “draw” a line right up the middle of their tummies, or spines, as lightly as possible to give a tickle or “chill”)

 And a line going down (make a line down)

 And another line, going around and around (“draw” spirals)

 With a hug and a squeeze, (hug and squeeze them),

 And a cool ocean breeze (blow gently on their tummies, or on the back of their necks.)

Round and Round the Garden

 Round and round the garden, goes the little bear (“draw” circles on baby’s tummy)

One step (walk fingers up baby’s tummy)

Two steps (repeat, building the excitement)

Tickle under there! (Tickle under chin.)

Open, Shut Them

 (There are many different versions/verses for this.  These are the ones I learned.  For older children, this is a finger play; children open and shut their hands.  For babies, spread their arms open wide, then close them to hug their own bodies.)

 Open, shut them, open, shut them, give a little clap;

Open, shut them, open, shut them, lay them in your lap.  (first verse.)

 Creep them, creep them, slowly creep them,

Right up to your chin (creep baby’s hands up baby’s belly, towards chin)

O-pen WIDE (open your mouth wide)

But do not let them in!  (Say quickly; move hands or feet down suddenly.)

 Open, shut them, open, shut them,

To your shoulders fly; (move hands to touch shoulders)

 Flying like the little birdies fly up in the sky.

(Hold baby’s wrists, and gently “shake” hands in the air like a bird “flying”.)

Now fly them up high…..now fly them down low….

(Say in an excited verse, and follow actions.  Then, quickly switch back to first verse again.)

 

How Big is Baby?

 This is one of the simplest of all baby games, besides peek-a-boo.  Make eye contact with your baby and simply say, in a high-pitched, exited voice: “How big is baby?”  Grasp baby’s hands, and stretch his arms above his head or out wide and answer for him, “So-oo big!”  This is usually repeated three times. 

  

Other Games to Play with baby, age 5 months and up:

 -Lay baby on your lap, her head resting on your knees, one foot in each hand.  Bicycle baby’s feet; touch the soles of baby’s feet together; gently stretch her to touch her toes near her chin, etc.

 -Sing “Head, and Shoulders Knees and Toes” to your baby.  While you sing, touch the right part of baby. Prop baby up to a sitting position with pillows.  Hold baby’s hands and help him touch the body parts mentioned in the song.

 -Sing “Wheels on the Bus” and do the motions with baby’s hands or feet (up/down; open/shut; bounce, bounce, bounce; wind shield wiper motions, etc.)

 For more ideas, check out:

 Gymboree – The Parent’s Guide to Play (Gymboree Play & Music) by Dr. Wendy S. Masi and Dr. Roni Cohen Leiderman

 Suggestion:  Visit your local Gymboree program during open house, and learn what a “baby boogie” is!

© 2010 Susan Lemons all rights reserved.