Construction-Babies

There are a lot of cute construction stories but not so much in the way of rhymes and songs. It is easy to fill in with generic bounces and rhymes.

Books

Construction by Cocoretto
The Construction Crew by Finn Coyle
Machines At Work by Byron Barton


Bounces, Rhymes & Fingerplays

Bumping Up and Down
Bumping up and down in my little red wagon,
Bumping up and down in my little red wagon,
Bumping up and down in my little red wagon,
Won’t you be my darling.

One wheel’s off and the axle’s broken, lean to one side
One wheel’s off and the axle’s broken,
One wheel’s off and the axle’s broken,
Won’t you be my darling.

I’m going to fix it with my little hammer,
I’m going to fix it with my little hammer,
I’m going to fix it with my little hammer,
Won’t you be my darling.

Construction-Toddlers

Books

Bigger! Bigger! by Leslie Patricelli
Construction by Sally Sutton
Construction Cat by Barbara Odanaka
Construction Kitties by Judy Sue Goodwin Sturges
Construction Zoo by Jennifer Thorne
Digger Man by Andrea Zimmerman
Go! Go! Go! Stop! by Charise Mericle Harper
I Love Tools by Philemon Sturges
Push! Dig! Scoop! by Phonda Gowler Greene
Roadwork by Sally Sutton
Snakes On the Job by Kathryn Dennis
Stanley the Builder by William Bee

Flannel Boards

Five Little Nails

I Lost My Toolbox


Rhymes & Fingerplays

Johnny Taps with 1 Hammer
Johnny taps with 1 hammer, 1 hammer, 1 hammer (tap 1 hand up & down)
Johnny taps with 1 hammer, then he taps with 2.

Johnny taps with 2 hammers, 2 hammers, 2 hammers, (tap 2 hands up & down)
Johnny taps with 2 hammers, then he taps with 3.

Johnny taps with 3 hammers, 3 hammers, 3 hammers, (tap 2 hands & 1 foot up & down)
Johnny taps with 3 hammers, then he taps with 4.

Johnny taps with 4 hammers, 4 hammers, 4 hammers, (tap 2 hands & 2 feet up & down)
Johnny taps with 4 hammers and then he taps with 5!

Johnny taps with 5 hammers, 5 hammers, 5 hammer, (tap 2 hands, 2 feet, and shake head up and down)
Johnny taps with 5 hammers, then he stops!

“This Is the Way” Construction Song
Tune: This Is the Way
This is the way we pound our nails,
Pound our nails, pound our nails.
This is the way we pound our nails,
So early in the morning.

Additional Verses:
Saw the wood…
Turn the screw…
Stack the bricks…
Stir the paint…
Paint the walls…

Music

Little Red Wagon by Old Town School of Folk Music
Wagons are fun to ride and fun to fix with your hammers.

Five Little Nails

This flannel board came from Melissa at Mel’s Desk. I made mine out of felt instead of using a paper towel tube. As I read through the rhyme I have the kids help pretend to pound the nails into the wood.

Five Little Nails
Five little nails, standing straight and steady
Here I come with my hammer ready!
Bam, bam, bam!
That nail goes down.
Now there’s just four nails to pound.

4…
3…
2…
1…

Now there’s no more nails to pound.

Five Little Nails PDF