Walking round the garden,
Like a teddy bear,
One step,
Two steps,
Tickly under there!
It's really important to introduce rhymes and finger play to very young children. This simple rhyme would be equally successful with tiny babies and toddlers. It is vital that practitioners ensure they are at the same level as the children - whether that is lying on the floor, supporting the child with comfy cushions or cuddling the child sitting on a comfy sofa. Eye contact and physical contact are essential for positive interactions with babies and young children.
Rhyme time
Many babies will be non-verbal - but that doesn't mean they aren't communicating! One-to-one experiences between a caring, interested practitioner, who is often the key person in the group setting, and a baby are very meaningful.
With toddlers, the experience will often involve only two or three children, as it is rarely appropriate to plan for group activities with very young children. So, the practitioner can introduce the rhyme in a way that seems best for the individual child or children.
With a small baby, this could mean the practitioner 'walking' their fingers around the baby's palm and then as the words change to 'one step, two step', walking the fingers up to the elbow and then top of the child's arm. The climax of the rhyme 'tickly under there' is when the adult tickles the child under the chin or arm. This is usually accompanied by smiles, giggles and laughter from both participants.
Then rhyme can just as easily be used to make 'nappy changing' a fun and enjoyable experience - especially for children who don't like lying down or on their backs.
