Receptive language, Expressive language
A young infant listens to a nursery rhyme and watches the corresponding movements of a toy spider.
Sign and Sing Along: Itsy Bitsy Spider by Annie Kubler
Be Prepared: Be familiar with the words, tune, and finger actions of the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” nursery rhyme. Consider how to use a toy spider instead of your fingers for the actions.
[Place the infant on his/her back in a supported reclining position. Ensure the infant can clearly see you.
Hold the spider about 12 inches from the infant.]
This is a toy spider.
[Pause for the infant to focus on the spider. Move the spider gently from side to side to attract the infant’s attention, if necessary.]
Our toy spider is going to move when I sing a song. You can listen to the song and watch the spider move. Are you ready for our spider to move?
[Make eye contact with the infant and sing “Itsy Bitsy Spider” slowly. Move the spider in ways that correspond with the words of the song. You may wish to use the following movements
Pause after one round of the song and describe the infant’s reactions, including gestures and/or vocalizations. Example: “You are reaching for our toy spider. Here, you can touch the spider! The spider is fuzzy.”
Repeat the song with movements 1–2 times if the infant remains engaged. After each round, talk about the infant’s reactions.]
[Describe what happened. Example: “I sang a song about a spider. You watched the spider go up and then swoosh down! You are holding the toy spider from our song! You are feeling the spider’s fuzzy body.”]
Receptive language, Expressive language
An infant listens to a nursery rhyme and watches the corresponding movements of a toy spider, with opportunities to also manipulate a toy spider.
Sign and Sing Along: Itsy Bitsy Spider by Annie Kubler
Be Prepared: Be familiar with the words, tune, and finger actions of the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” nursery rhyme. Consider how to use a toy spider instead of your fingers for the actions.
Invite an infant to sit on your lap for a song. Place the infant in your lap facing to the side. Ensure the infant is secure in your arms and able to make some eye contact. Introduce a toy spider. Encourage the infant to hold and explore the spider for a few moments. Then introduce the second spider and explain that you are going to sing a song about the spiders. Example: “I have a spider, too! I am going to sing a song about our spiders. You can listen to me sing the words. We can move our spiders during the song! Are you ready?”
Sing one round of the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” slowly, moving your spider in simple ways that correspond with the words. See movement suggestions in Option 1. Describe the infant’s reactions, including gestures and/or vocalizations. Example: “You smiled and listened to our song. You watched my spider go up and then down. You waved your spider during our song!”
Offer another round of the song and movements if the infant remains engaged. Encourage the infant to move his/her spider as you sing.
Conclude the session by recognizing the infant’s participation. Example: “You helped with our spider song! You cooed while I sang the words of our song. You watched my spider go up and then down. You moved your spider all around!”
Receptive language, Expressive language
Older infants participate together in a nursery rhyme activity that involves opportunities to manipulate a toy spider as part of a song.
Sign and Sing Along: Itsy Bitsy Spider by Annie Kubler
Be Prepared: This activity is for infants who can sit independently. Be familiar with the words and tune of the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” nursery rhyme. This activity option uses simple up and down movements of the toy spider as part of the song.
Invite 2–3 infants to join you for a song. Sit facing the infants and introduce the toy spider. Explain that our song is about a spider that goes up and down. With the spider in your hand, facing the infants, slowly move your arm up and then down. Emphasize the words up and down. Then sing one round of “Itsy Bitsy Spider” slowly while moving your spider up and down in correspondence to the words. Describe and respond to gestures and/or vocalizations.
Give each infant a spider. Provide a brief time for the infants to touch and manipulate their toy spider. Then invite the infants to join you in moving their spider as you sing the rhyme. Emphasize up and down motions with the spider. After singing the rhyme with motions, describe the infants’ actions. Example (with a brief demonstration of each described action): “You raised your arms, James! Isabella rocked back and forth with our song! Jackson said ‘up’!”
Repeat the rhyme with actions if the infants remain interested. Conclude the session with a brief description of how each infant participated.
Infants enjoy songs with finger or hand movements. Younger infants may coo, babble, or kick their legs. Older infants may join you in moving a toy spider up and down with their hand or arm. It is not appropriate to explicitly teach the up and down movements used in Option 3. Your informal demonstration is sufficient. Some infants in each option may prefer to watch and listen only. All forms of participation are valuable and important to recognize. What is important in each activity option is exposure to words, music, and movement, with opportunities to participate if interested. Infants cannot be expected to have a mental image or understanding of a spider, or the events and objects conveyed in the rhyme. But the activity can informally support their awareness of songs having a tune and words and sometimes actions that represent the words.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: see below
Engage infants in familiar songs or rhymes during floor time. Offer rhymes and songs that emphasize up and down hand or arm actions. “Hickory Dickory Dock” is a possible addition to the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” offered in the activity options. Provide a rhyme-related toy for an infant to manipulate, such as a toy mouse for “Hickory Dickory Dock.” Infants generally enjoy repeating songs with actions.
Materials Needed: Sign and Sing Along: Itsy Bitsy Spider by Annie Kubler
Many children are familiar with the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” rhyme and finger play. Read the book with children in your care. Demonstrate each sign and invite older children to imitate the sign. At the conclusion of the book, return to the beginning and invite children to join you singing and signing some of the familiar words. Younger infants and toddlers will enjoy listening and watching. Infants may enjoy holding a plush toy spider during the activity.
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