Moving Stories (Fingerplays)

Adding hand motions to Bible stories help students learn physically, orally, and visually. Here are some stories performed by students from Cape Coral Church of Christ. Note the sing-song tones in their voices; it helps them remember what comes next.

Big Boat
smaller video .mpg (2 mb)
better video .mov (8 mb) better audio
Words	Motions
There was a big boat	hold arms out in a circle
and it had animals come on	walk finger up palm of other
2 by 2, 2 by 2, 2 by 2	hand
and then the rains came down	wiggle fingers and drop from
and the rains came down	to low with each repetition
and the rains came down
and Noah opened the window	hands flat, even w/ body open wide
and out flew a bird	flap arms

Jesus and the Little Children
smaller video .mpg (1.8 mb)
better video .mov (7 mb) better audio
Words	Motions
Jesus said "come to me"	beckon with both arms
The children would run to Jesus	two fingers run across palm
The people around Jesus said stop	hold hand palm out "stop"
But Jesus said "come to me"	beckon with both arms
And the children would run to Jesus	two fingers run across palm
And Jesus would love them.	arms crossed on chest

Tower of Babel
smaller video .mpg (1.3 mb)
better video .mov (4 mb) better audio
Words	Motions
First it was this big	hold hands out wide
Then this big	move hands higher & narrower
Then this big	move hands higher & narrower
And God said "NO, NO!"	shake index finger "no"
and then what happened?	Hands out questioning
"sound effect of building crashing"	fingers shaking down (like rain)

Garden of Eden
smaller video .mpg ( .9 mb)
better video .mov ( 4 mb) better audio
Words	Motions
There was a man	Hold up first finger of one hand
and there was a woman	Add first finger of second hand
and there was a big tree	Outline a big tree with hands
and what was in the tree?	Hands out questioning
a snake!	first fingers where snake fangs would be
Hisssssss

Constructively Add Motion to Your Lessons