Baby’s Fingers, Baby’s Toes
Bath time provides some Comfort, Play &
Teach time for talking to and playing with your
baby. As you recite the following traditional
rhyme, she will enjoy hearing the musical
quality of language as you introduce her to
words for the different parts of her body.
The Rhyme You Will Need:
Here are baby’s fingers,
Here are baby’s toes.
Here is baby’s belly button…
‘Round and ‘round it goes!
Every time you name a different body part, give your baby a gentle kiss. This shows him
just how special he is to you, and makes him feel loved.
Personalize the rhyme by using your baby’s name in place of the word ‘baby’. She will
sense the special attention she is receiving, and become familiar with the sound of her
own name.
Recite the rhyme in different ways, sometimes using a high voice, sometimes using a low
voice. Say one line quickly and one line slowly! Changing the quality of your voice will
help your baby to attend to different sounds.
Use a bright, soft bath puppet to wash your baby. As you bathe her, you can pretend to
kiss or nibble on each body part that is named. Tell your baby how tasty her fingers and
toes are!
With each repetition of the rhyme, substitute a different body part in the first line (e.g. ears,
ankles, shoulders, elbows, knees etc). This makes the rhyme more interesting to listen to,
and introduces your baby to new words.
Recite this rhyme during different routines – feeding, diapering. It engages your baby in a
conversation and builds important connections for language development in his brain.
You are your child’s FAVORITE TOY!