Little Button Mouse

Little button mouse,

Hiding in my house.

Upstairs or downstairs,

Where can he be now?

Susan, look and see now!

 

One of the earliest games I taught my children was "Which Hand."  It's likely you already know this little game; it's played by hiding a button, pebble, penny, marble or other small item in one of your hands. You then present 2 closed fists to a child and ask, "Which Hand?" The child chooses one hand and if the first hand is empty, he may choose the second hand.  When he finds the button (pebble, penny or marble) he wins the game.  It's so simple and we play it over and over!

Last month Susan Perrow was visiting us for a few days during a break in her ambitious schedule of workshops and speaking engagements across the US.  Over dinner one night, my little one was getting restless at the table and so I started playing "Which Hand" with him.  Susan offered to teach us her version and we gladly accepted!

Little button mouse,

Hiding in my house.

Upstairs or downstairs,

Where can he be now?

Susan, look and see now!

The words Susan taught us are sung in a sing-songy chant, and instead of the fists presented side by side to the child, the fists are set one on top of the other. Then the fists are switched from top to bottom in repetition to the rhythm of the chant.

Besides the sweet little chant which goes with this game, there are little rhymes which are said in response to the guesses.  Did the child choose incorrectly?  Then you say, "No, not there.  Try elsewhere!"  And when he finds the button mouse, you can exclaim, "You're right!  You're right!  What a delight!"

Also, I have written Susan's name into the rhyme, but of course, the child's name would be substituted here.  My toddler learned this rhyme quickly and sings it to me often.  He has cleverly substituted in my name, so that he chants the final line, "Mama look and see now..."

Of course, a button, pebble, penny or marble can always always be found to play this game, but I couldn't resist making some tiny mice to play with.  Imagine how surprised my boys were when I opened my hand and, instead of our usual button, there was a little mouse!  The knitted mice were created from a pattern in this book here, and the wee felt mouse is from a pattern I adapted from this book.

Little Mr. loves playing with the mice...

The other day he used them to tell a funny story about a mama & papa mouse who longed for a baby.  They found a magic walnut shell and were very surprised when a baby mouse hatched from the shell as though he were hatching from an egg.

Finally, just for fun, Casey's Wood sells these very tiny mice  Aren't they darling?

Little button mouse,

Hiding in my house.

Upstairs or downstairs,

Where can he be now?

Mama, look and see now!