I learned this craft from a preschool teacher who made one to entertain her class, but you can make one at home for a lot of fun with your own preschooler.
What you do is take a garden glove or other heavy cloth glove and attach Velcro to each of the five fingers. Now make five little pom pom animals with felt and googly eyes to match several preschool rhymes, such as monkeys, bees and frogs for the following rhymes. Attach the other part of the Velcro to each pom pom puppet. Then you can take them on and off the fingers of the glove.
You will find that many preschool rhymes are conducive to finger play with the glove, and you can even make up your own.
Five Little Monkeys
Start with five monkeys on each finger of the glove. As you say the rhyme, bounce your hand up and down when the monkeys are jumping on the bed. When one falls off, remove one monkey from the glove, and fold in the empty finger. Continue until there are no monkeys.
Five little monkeys jumping
on the bed
One fell off and bumped
his head
Mama called the doctor and
the doctor Said,
” No more monkeys
jumping on the bed!”
Four little monkeys jumping
on the bed….
Continue the rhyme until there are no monkeys jumping on the bed.
Little Bees
Start with one bee on one finger of the glove. As you say this rhyme, make the bees “fly” around, and add one each verse.
One little bee blew and flew.
He met a friend, and that made two.
Two little bees, busy as could be–
Along came another and that made three.
Three little bees, wanted one more,
Found one soon and that made four.
Four little bees, going to the hive.
Spied their little brother, and that made five.
Five little bees working every hour–
Buzz away, bees, and find another flower.
Five Green and Speckled Frogs
Start with five frogs on the fingers of the glove. Remove one each verse, until there are no frogs left.
Five green and speckled frogs
Sat on a speckled log,
Eating some most delicious bugs.
Yum, Yum!
One jumped into the pool
Where it was nice and cool,
Then there were four green and speckled frogs.
Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit!….
Continue the poem until there are no green and speckled frogs.