Adventist Adventurer Awards and Answers/Finger Play

Listen to a story about hands

 * Read 26 Big Things Small Hands Do by Coleen Paratore
 * A Youtube video story about hands
 * Check your local library.
 * Many stories are available online as well.
 * Several hand stories and facts to learn.

Your wonderful hands Contents

What is a hand? The inside story on hands Why hands make us special Some amazing things about hands Looking after your hands What kids say Dr Kate says Something to do What is a hand? Hands are those very useful things at the ends of your arms!

our wonderful handsThe human hand is different to the hands or paws of other animals, because it has fingers and a thumb that can work together. The hands of our nearest relatives, the apes, also have thumbs like ours!

Our thumb can work with each of our fingers, including our smallest finger and our ring finger, so we can do much more complicated things than most animals.

Our thumbs help us to pick things up and use tools.

Our hands help us to do so many things like writing, holding, carrying, playing games, using a computer, texting on phones and a million other things.

The inside story on hands We have four fingers and an opposable (say op-oh-zab-el) thumb. Opposable means that it can move towards the fingers and help them to do their work.

Each finger has 3 bones and the thumb has two bones.

The diagram below shows you what a hand looks like inside the skin. diagram of the hand showing the bone structure

The hand is attached to the arm by the wrist.

The hand has 27 bones. There are 8 bones in the wrist. There are 5 bones in the palm which link to the digits (fingers and thumb). There are 2 main sets of muscles and tendons. Flexor muscles bend the fingers and thumb, and extensors straighten them out again. Flexors are fastened to the underside of the forearm Extensors are connected to the top of the forearm. You can see how they work if you close and open your fingers.

Why hands make us special working with our handsHuman hands not only do the tasks we need to do, but they help us to communicate with others.

Stroking and patting can show others that we care about them. We use hands to defend ourselves. We can play musical instruments. We can become skilful in crafts and arts. We use our hands in sign language. We can write down our thoughts. We use hands to show other road users where we want to go when we're riding bikes. Some people seem to talk with their hands when they are talking to others. holding handsFingers can also be used to communicate.

The index finger is often used to point at someone or something, although we sometimes say it is rude to point at someone.

The third finger is known as the ring finger. Women and sometimes men will wear a ring on the finger of the left hand, or in some cultures the right, to show that they are married or engaged to be married.

Some amazing things about hands Do you know that some people can bend their thumbs to touch their wrists?

Hands are so important to us that there are many words in English that have the word hand in them. Words like handy (meaning close to hand), handwriting, handiwork, handful. I'm sure you can think of lots more.

handwriting

Then there are the hands of a clock, a hand of cards, from "hand-to-hand", "off-hand" and even handsome!

Have you noticed all the hand signals sports coaches use to direct their players? Especially in baseball!

Looking after your hands As hands are so important to us, we need to look after them.

Keep them clean.

Use soap to wash both sides of your hands, your wrists, and between your fingers. wash you hands Wash under your nails; use a nailbrush if you have been grubbing about on the beach or in the garden. Rinse your hands and dry them well. Hands need to be clean before you prepare any food and before you eat, so that germs don't get into your mouth. Always wash your hands when you have been to the loo or toilet or whatever you call it at your place. Protect your hands

protect your handsWear gloves if you are working in the garden, helping to paint, or clearing up outside or in the shed. There are different kinds of gloves for different jobs. Wear gloves or mitts if you are playing a sport where you may damage your hands. Your coach will tell you what you need. Wear gloves in winter to keep your hands warm. Look after your nails and check them to see that you don't get an infection under them. Take care around hot things - wear oven gloves if you are getting things out of the oven or handling hot plates. You should have an adult around when you are doing this. Wash any cuts straight away to keep germs out. Don't forget the back of your hands when you put on sunscreen.

What kids say "I started to learn the piano when I was 6. Now I can play well because I practise a lot and my fingers are strong." Alice

"I'm learning to type on the computer. It was hard at first but now I can nearly use all my fingers." Josh

hands

"My writing is getting neater and not as big now that I am 7." Jason

"I like drawing and mum says I can take lessons when I am older. I draw lots of animals."

"I broke my finger but they didn't put plaster on it. They just fastened my broken finger to the next finger, and it's okay now." Zeffi

"I bent my fingers back and it really hurt for a few days, but it's OK now." Marsha

Dr Kate says: Dr Kate Aren't hands wonderful? Have you ever hurt one of your fingers? Even if it is the littlest finger it can be really difficult to do things, can't it?

Look after your hands, and they will continue to do their work all of your life.

Something to do Have you ever made pictures with your hands?

Shine a lamp at the wall and use your hands to make shadow pictures. Paint your hand with water colour paint and press it onto paper to make a picture. You could give it to your mum or nana to keep and remind her of when you were a little kid. Draw round your hand on coloured paper then cut out and make a picture, use the shapes for leaves on a tree or lots of other things. Cut out shapes from material and sew them onto jumpers, jeans or a wall hanging. You may need help if you are using a sewing machine. Hands Hands are for loving, Hands are for sharing, Hands are for working And hands are for caring. Hands can protect And hands can defend. Reach out your hand And make a friend.

BH

Say three things you learned about hands.


Our thumbs help us to pick things up and use tools.

Our hands help us to write, to hold, to carry things, to play games, to use a computer, etc.

Say a poem and use your hand to act it out.
Hands

Hands are for loving, (fingers draw heart in the air)

Hands are for sharing, (hands pretend to give something to someone else)

Hands are for working (right hand fist closed bangs on left hand, fist closed, like a hammer on a nail)

And hands are for caring. (hands clapping to applaud someone)

Hands can protect

And hands can defend. (hands and arms create shield in front of child)

Reach out your hand (extend a hand towards another person)

And make a friend (shake hands)

My Hands

Sometimes you get discouraged

Because I am so small,

And always leave my fingerprints

On furniture and walls.

But everyday I'm growing,

I'll be grown up someday,

And all these tiny handprints

Will simply fade away.

So here's a final handprint

Just so you can recall,

Exactly how my fingers looked

When I was very small.

Make a craft that uses your hands as part of the project. (i.e., fingerpaint, trace hands)
Have the following supplies ahead of the meeting:


 * Ink pads
 * Paper
 * Crayons

Directions:

Show the children how to ink a fingertip (press child’s thumb directly onto an inkpad) and press the thumb onto the paper. The thumb print forms the body portion of the small mouse.. Then show them how to add ears, whiskers and a tail to create a mouse out of their fingerprints. Let them fill up a sheet of paper with mice.

Complete an activity using your fingers. (i.e., build something with blocks, knead bread.)

 * Acts of Service - Even small children can SERVE! Ahead of time:  Alert adults ahead of time to have each child bring one or more non-perishable cans or boxes from home (to give to the poor or an area food bank).  Have the children help stack the cans and boxes in unique shapes, walls, or towers (but be careful that they don’t drop cans on themselves).  Have some extra boxes and cans in case some forget to bring items.
 * Follow a beginning Sign Language video
 * Planting Seeds Fill several shallow tubs or boxes with potting soil. Give the children a variety of dried beans to "plant". Other fun things to plant are twigs (trees), rocks, radishes, baby carrots, and small potatoes. The children can plant and harvest over and over. Spoons work well for shovels.

External Rsources
Kid's Health - Children and Youth Health