Chapter 1: Two Little Hands
We all have two little hands. Our hands help us do many things every day — we wave hello, clap, draw, eat, and play. This chapter is a short, cheerful poem about all the wonderful things our two hands can do.
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Key Concepts
Poem: A poem is a piece of writing that often rhymes. It has short lines and a musical sound when read aloud.
Action words (Verbs): Words that tell us what we do — clap, wave, fold, point, shake. Our hands help us do all these actions.
Rhyming words: Words that end with the same sound. For example, "hands" and "bands," or "clap" and "tap."
Body parts: This chapter also introduces us to our body — hands, fingers, palms. We learn the names and what each part can do.
Our family and us: We use our hands to show love — we hug, we hold hands with family, and we help at home.
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Worked Examples
Read these lines aloud and clap your hands as you say them.
"Two little hands, clap, clap, clap. Two little hands, tap, tap, tap."
Clapping as you read helps you feel the rhythm of the poem.
Find the action words in this sentence — "My hands wave and clap."
Action words: wave and clap. Both tell us what the hands are doing.
Which words rhyme? Look at: clap — tap — map.
All three end in the sound "-ap." So clap, tap, and map are rhyming words.
How many fingers do you have on both hands together?
Count: 5 fingers on the left hand + 5 fingers on the right hand = 10 fingers in all.
Name three things your hands help you do at home.
Possible answers: eating food, drawing a picture, helping to tidy up. (Many answers are correct — think of your own!)
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Common mistakes
- When reading a poem, do not rush. Read slowly so the rhyme sounds musical.
- Do not mix up "clap" (hit both palms together) and "wave" (move hand side to side). Each action word means something different.
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Summary
Our two hands are very useful. They help us clap, wave, eat, draw, and show love to our family. Poems use action words and rhyming words to make reading fun. Say the poem aloud, act out the actions, and enjoy the rhythm!