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Finger and Hand Concept Demonstration
The fingers are best known as the earliest counting machine. The fingers are
sometimes called digits. The word digits sometimes refer to numbers or
position of a number eg. first digit, second digit, etc.
Aside from counting, addition, or subtraction, the fingers and hands can be
used to illustrate several concepts for young children including infants. The
concept of more and less can be easily demonstrated by showing your right
index finger pointing up from about 12 inches from your baby’s face. Say
"One." Then with your left hand bring up the index finger and middle finger
and say, "Two." Both hand should be about eight inches from each other. Flex
your two fingers half way down twice, and say "Two is more than" flex your
right index finger once and say, "One." Repeat this routine four times.
Similarly you can demonstrate "three" is more than "two" with three fingers
on the left pointing up and two fingers on the right hand. Follow the same
finger and hand movement as in "two is more than one."
Taller and shorter concept can be done by showing your right hand with the
index and fifth fingers both point up. The middle and fourth finger are
completely flexed and clasped by the thumb. The back side of your right hand
should be facing your baby. Then point to the index finger and say, "This is taller
than" point to the fifth finger. Then point to the fifth finger and say,
"shorter" and point the right index finger and say, "taller."
Point your right thumb up with all of the fingers touching the palm. Say,
"Up" three times. Rotate your right thumb pointing down, and say, "Down"
three times.
Bring your right hand and forearm in a horizontal orientation from about six
inches from your chest. Position your left hand just on top of the tips of
the fingers of the right hand. Slide your left hand toward the right elbow
and say. "Horizontal." Repeat this process three times.
Bring your right hand vertically pointing up. Position your left hand
touching the tip of the fingers of the right hand and slide it down slowly
and say, "Vertical." Repeat the process three times.
Make a letter "O" with your left hand with the thumb touching all of the tips
of the four fingers. Rotate your left hand the "O" shape thumb side facing
your baby. Say, "Open" three times. Then close it with all of the fingers
touching the left palm and the thumb on top of the middle finger, and say,
"Close." Say close three times.
Illustrate the "open" position and "close" position with your left hand three
times.
With left hand in an "open" position, bring up your right index finger. Then
slowly insert or deposit the right index finger inside the left hand on the
"open" position, and say, "Inside." Repeat this concept of showing "inside"
three times.
Bring up your right hand with all of the fingers touching each other pointing
up. Show the palm side in front of your baby and say, "front" and rotate your
right hand to show the back side and say, "back." Repeat this exercise three
times.
Leo Leonidas, MD FAAP
Bangor, Maine
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