A Finger Game for Spring: Five Little Bunnies in the Bakery Shop
with an original extended story for more developmental movements for little ones
In the manner of folk songs and folk games, I learned this game from someone else, my late great co-author Joan Carr Shimer, who in turn learned it from another someone else, Jennifer Smith, at the legendary Pinewoods country dance and music camp in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Joan was a founder of Pinewoods’ Family Week program that has workshops for all ages, including little ones.
The video demonstrates the original finger game, and is great on its own. Over the years, I elaborated its story for an extended circle time activity to include full-body developmental movements (lying down on one’s back, crossing mid-lines with stirring and other gestures, differentiating movements with pushing and pulling, rhythmic alternations of arms swinging, rocking, and gesturing away and towards the body) and to encourage a longer attention span with a fun tale about what the baker does when all the bunnies are gone.
Five Little Bunnies
Extended Story: What the Baker Did When All the Bunnies Were Gone
The movements described assume you are sitting down on the floor when guiding the game. It’s not necessary for the basic game, but for the extended story, you’ll want to be on the floor for the developmental movements to come. I sit cross legged for balance. Feel free to improvise in your recipe and choreography, as one does. The children will imitate your every movement, and will cheerfully call out the ingredients and other parts of the story once they’ve heard it a few times.
“That night, the baker was sleeping in her warm bed…” [Cross arms over chest, close eyes, lean back and lie down as though sleeping.]
“When she suddenly woke up!” [Open eyes wide, sit up.]
“She remembered something very important… the bakery needs more bunnies!
“So she hurried down the stairs…” [Rock from side to side while swinging elbows in alternation as though running.]
“And she got out everything she would need. She got her big mixing bowl, and her big mixing spoon, and her small spoons too.” [Mime reaching and placing things near you.]
“First she measured out some cups of … [Pause a moment so the child/children can call out if they want to] FLOUR, then a small scoop of … [pause for guesses] SUGAR, and a wee pinch of … [pause] SALT. She put in a big cube of … [pause] BUTTER, and a sprinkle of … [pause] CINNAMON.” [Again, mime the movements slowly and clearly.]
“Then, she picked up her big mixing spoon…” [Bring your two fists together, one on top of the other, in front of yourself.]
“And she stirred, and she stirred and she stirred…” [Move the “spoon” in as big a circle as you can in front of you.]
“Then, when the dough was very thick…” [Move your fists down the “spoon” as though scraping off the dough from the spoon, and set it aside.]
“She kneaded, and she kneaded, and she kneaded…” [With both hands moving in unison, “knead” the dough with the heels of your hands on the floor in front of you.]
“And she scooped up a ball of dough…” [With both hands, scoop and “form” a ball between them.]
“Then she pulled up one bunny ear… and then the other bunny ear…” [Hold the “ball” in one hand, gesture with the thumb and pointer finger of the other hand to pull up the bunny ears one at a time.]
“And with a tiny ball of dough…” [Gesture to pick up and then roll a small ball between your hands.]
“She made a tiny bunny tail for the little bunny…” [Gesture to put “tail” on “bunny’.]
“And carefully put the bunny on the baking sheet. [With two hands, gently place bunny down in front of you.]
NOTE: With a group of children, look around, “see”, and remark on “so many bunnies.” With a single child, make a few more.
“And then, oh so carefully, she put them in the oven to bake.” [Gesture with both hands to open the oven door, slide baking sheet in, close door.]
“And she set down to wait.” [Cross arms over chest, pause, then close eyes as though to sleep, and begin to lightly snore as you slowly begin to lean back towards the floor. Suddenly, open your eyes as you sit up and breathe in deeply.]
“What a delicious smell to wake up to! She checks those bunnies. First, she puts on her oven mitts… and opens the oven door… Perfectly baked! [Gesture putting on mitts one at a time, open the oven door, slide out the baking sheet, close door, place baking sheet down in front of you.]
“Then, she gets out her big shaker of Very Special Sugar, and sprinkles it all over… [Gesture picking up, sprinkling, and setting shaker down.]
“And dips her special honey dipper of Honey from the Honeybees and drips it all over… [Gesture picking up, dipping, and dripping the honey off the dipper stick.]
“And placed all the bunnies in the window of the Bakery Shop! [With both hands, lift the baking sheet and gesture it forward as though onto a shelf in front of you.]
“Now, there were five little bunnies in the bakery shop!
[Artistic license at work here: you can repeat the original verse, or, as I do, start again with “ten little bunnies” using all 10 fingers. Instead of repeating the verses, I end with… ]
“Along came Teacher Julie [or whoever, someone they know] with her pennies to pay. She got 1, 2, 3, 4… (count to 10) bunnies, and she took them away … for the children at our PlayGarden!”
Full-body developmental movements include lying down on one’s back, crossing mid-lines with stirring and other gestures, differentiating movements with pushing and pulling, rhythmic alternations of arms swinging, rocking, and gesturing away and towards the body.
Family Camp at Pinewoods
I became so enamored of Joan’s stories of Pinewoods’ Family Camp that I went there myself, bringing three grandchildren with me for two summers, enjoying the talented company (Peter and Mary Alice Amidon! Abby Landin!) with live music in every corner, and the dancing all day and half the night in the outdoor halls. If you ever get a chance to go, go. Pinewoods and the other Country Dance and Song Society camps are back! (Pinewoods is full for July 2022 with a wait list but the other wonderful family week in New Hampshire in June has spaces still.)
More Games for Little Ones
Our collection is now included in the new Waldorf Games Handbook, but I have a few signed first edition copies of our original book with CD in stock. Order either here.
Enjoy the Five Little Bunnies, and let me know if you have any questions about any part of it.
Coming next: Practical Movement for Agile Aging - How To Safely Stand Up From a Chair