There was a little turtle (make fist w both hands)
He lived in a box (make a box with both hands)
He swam in a puddle(make swimming motions)
He climbed on the rocks (use your fingers to climb up your arm)
He snapped at a mosquito (clap hands)
He snapped at a flea (clap hands)
He snapped at a minnow (clap hands)
He snapped at me(clap hands)
He caught the mosquito (grab with your hand)
He caught the flea (grab with your hand)
He caught the minnow (grab with your hand)
But he didn't catch me (shake finger)
Variation 1:
I know a little turtle who lives in a box, (Make an outline of a box with your hands)
He swam in the water, (Make swimming motion with hands.)
And climbed onto rocks. (Fingers walk up fist of other hand.)
He snapped at the fly, (Snap fingers at imaginary fly.)
He snapped at the flea (Snap fingers at flea.)
He snapped at the mosquito, (Snap fingers at mosquito.)
And he snapped at me! (Point at self.)
He caught that fly, (Clap hands.)
He caught that flea, (Clap hands.)
He caught that mosquito, (Clap hands)
But he didn't catch me! (Shake head)
Variation 2:
I have a little turtle. (creep fingers like crawling turtle)
He lives in a box. (draw box in the air)
He swims in the water, (swim hands through air)
He climbs on the rocks. (walk fingers along forearm)
He snapped at a minnow, (clap hands in air for each creature)
He snapped at a flea,
He snapped at a mosquito,
And he snapped at me.
He caught the minnow,
He caught the flea,
He caught the mosquito,
But he didn't catch me! (waggle finger saying, No!)
(original poem: "The Little Turtle" by Vachel Lindsay (1879-1931), with the note, “A Recitation for Martha Wakefield, Three Years Old”)
