Finger Plays & Songs

I had a Little Turtle

Fingerplays & Songs
A silly story rhyme that ends with hands growing bigger and a big pop.
The Nest Schools
This rhyme helps children learn…
Story sequence
What happens first, next, and last to Tiny Tim.
Big and small
Growing hands wider with each round of bubbles.
Rhyming words
Hearing Tim and swim, soap and throat.
Waiting for the pop
Holding still through three rounds, then clapping on cue.

Say It

I had a little turtle,
His name was Tiny Tim.
I put him in the bathtub
To see if he could swim.
He drank up all the water,
He ate a bar of soap.
And now he’s lying in his bed
With bubbles in his throat.

Bubble, bubble, bubble,
Bubble, bubble, bubble,
Bubble, bubble, bubble,
Bubble, bubble, pop!

With each bubble line, spreading your hands wider each time. On the last round, end with bubble, bubble, pop! and a big clap.

Grow the Bubbles

one
two
three
pop! clap
Ask before the last round: how big can your bubble get before it pops?
Try This
Whisper the bubbles and shout the pop, then swap. Let a child decide how big the last bubble gets before it bursts.
Watch For
Children who widen their hands each round, who clap right on the pop, or who say the rhyming words with you.
No materials needed · 3–5 minutes · Community meeting, transitions, or water play
The Nest Schools