Count to ten with "Once I Caught a Fish Alive"

Everyone loves the "Fishy Song"

This is one of my favorite settling songs for storytime, 

but it is also a great song for counting to ten.

You can find many melody variations online. Here are my hand motions.

I prepare the kids by having them hold their hands out in front, fingers in their palms.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

(count out first five fingers)

Once I caught a fish alive

(scoop out to "catch fish" and then wave imaginary catch 

between fingers & thumb)

6, 7, 8, 9, 10

But I let him go again!

(Throw both hands out like tossing something, then 

vigorously swipe hands in rhythm to "go again")

Why did you let him go?

(Sounding impatient)

Because he bit my finger so!

(a little crying sound in the voice)

Which finger did he bite?

(Sounding concerned)

The little finger on the right.

The Seven Song

This Old Man took us up to number six, and could have gone all the way to 10, but then I found

"Seven Steps"

Here is a link to the video on youtube from "Super Simple Songs"

So simple. Maybe that's why the kids LOVED it!

What I loved about this is we count forward twice, and then we count backwards from seven twice.

But I don't have magic numbers lighting up over my head as they do in the video, so I made magnet numbers.
My magnet board was too small, so in a pinch I used the back of a jelly roll pan. Next year I hope to make a larger magnet board for my letters and numbers songs.

I point to the numbers as we sing.

Once we mastered the Seven Song, I added a number 8 -- it works with the tune just fine. We did it like a little mouse squeak just for fun!

Cut out star taped to yellow paper with packing tape
(DIY  laminating)
Cut this out and glue magnet to back.

My Basic Lesson Plan

When I first started teaching, I thought I had to make each lesson very different in order to keep the children's attention. Thankfully, I finally realized that children need repetition as well as novelty. After all, the everyday world is still full of mystery to a four year old.

They are much happier and ready to learn if they know what to expect!

So here it is, my basic lesson plan for a 35-45 minute class.

Welcome Song (sitting)

Easy Song (Fingerplay)

Fun Song #1 (Usually a number song)

Fun Song #2 (Usually a seasonal or theme of the month song)

Transition to Movement Song (Same every week, goes from sitting to standing)

Circle Activity Song (Same every week)

Optional: Standing Song (Song with body movements)

Action Song or Dance to recording (gets us a little winded — wide range of motion)

Move to Storytime Position (Quickly as possible, same place every week)

Storytime Readiness Song (sitting, easy fingerplay to settle in)

Learning Skills Song (teaching phonics or colors/shapes song)

Storytime (incorporates a song or sound effects, or uses rhythm, or is about music)

Transition to Standing Song (Quick!)

Action Song, Dance or Musical Game (Moving to music, Using imaginations)

Focused Activity (sitting, maybe playing instruments or a listening game)

Transition to Standing Song (Quick!)

Musical Game

...and  if there is still time left
REALLY FUN activity — if needed (always have a few ready to go…..)