Recess is BACK! Hand Clapping Games

Something about the rhythm and beat found in clapping games has always pleased me...

And when I took a trip out of my country right after I graduated from high school I was tickled and intrigued to discover kids in other countries not only play clapping games too... there are recognizable songs and rhythms heard everywhere!!!

At Wikipedia I read, A clapping game is type of usually cooperative (ie non-competitive) game which is generally played by two players and involves clapping as accompaniment to singing or reciting a rhyme.

It occurs to me that the world would be a far happier place if we all spent some time engaged in this 'cooperative' activity so this Hub is designed to remind and engage you in the fun you might recognize from your school yard days! ;-)

I'll share some old standbys... and links to more information. But don't kid yourselves into thinking this is an 'old' activity only. There are always something new on the horizon of Hand Clapping Games!

DOUBLE THIS!

This is a fairly straightforward handclap, more of a chant than a song.

Double, double this this

Double, double that that

Double this

Double that

Double, double this that

On the word:

Double - hands fisted, touch knuckles

this - partners clap palms

that - partners clap back of hands

***************

Miss Mary Mack

1. Miss Mary Mac, Mac, Mac

All dressed in black, black, black,

With silver buttons, buttons, buttons,

All down her back, back, back.

2. She asked her mother, mother, mother,

For fifteen cents, cents, cents,

To see the elephant, elephant, elephant,

Jump over the fence, fence, fence.

3. He jumped so high, high, high,

He reached the sky, sky, sky,

And didn't come back, back, back,

Till the Fourth of July, ly, ly.

Action 1: Chant rhyme doing following actions on the last three words of each line.

Mac - slap knees

Mac - clap own hands

Mac - clap partner's hands

Action 2:

Miss - cross arms and slap own shoulders

Mar - uncross arms and slap thighs

y - clap own hands

Mac - clap right hand with partner

(pause) - clap own hands

Mac - clap left hand with partner

(pause) - clap own hands

Mac - clap partner's hands

Continue the sequence (action 1 or action 2) for remaining verses.

******************

Pretty Little Dutch Girl

(I don't know how to give you the music for this one...but it's sung)

I am a pretty little Dutch girl, as pretty as I can be.

And all the boys in the neighborhood are crazy over me.

My boyfriend's name is Mellow, he comes from the land of Jello,

With pickles for his toes and a cherry for his nose,

And that's the way my story goes.

Action 1:

am - slap knees

pretty - clap own hands

Dutch girl - clap partner's hands

(rest) - clap own hands

Repeat this sequence in rhythm until end of song.

Action 2: (for older children)

am - slap knees

a - clap own hands

pretty - clap right hand with partner

little - clap own hands

Dutch - clap left hand with partner

girl - clap own hands

(rest) - clap partner's hands

as - clap own hands

Repeat this sequence in rhythm until end of song.

*****************

Here's another song... though it easily lends itself to chanting --

Long Legged Sailor

Have you ever, ever, ever in your long legged life seen a long legged sailor and his long legged wife?

No, I've never, never, never in my long legged life, seen a long legged sailor and his long legged wife.

Have you - clap your own hands

ever - clap right hand with partner

ever - clap own hands

ever - clap left hand with partner

in your - clap own hands

long - arms extended, left hand palm up, right hand palm down, clap partners

legged - left hand palm down, right hand palm up, clap partners hands

life - arms up clap partners hands palm-to-palm

seen a - clap own hands

long - arms extended, left hand palm up, right hand palm down, clap partners

legged - left hand palm down, right hand palm up, clap partners hands

sailor - arms up clap partners hands palm-to-palm

and his - clap own hands

long - spread own hands far apart

legged - clap own hands

wife - clap partner's hands palm-to-palm

Repeat for verse 2

********************

Miss Lucy Had a Baby

Miss Lucy had a baby,

She named him Tiny Tim

She put him in the bathtub

To see if he could swim.

He drank up all the water,

He ate up all the soap,

He tried to eat the bathtub,

But it wouldn't go down his throat.

Miss Lucy called the Doctor,

Miss Lucy called the Nurse,

Miss Lucy called the lady

With the alligator purse.

Action:

Miss - clap own hands

Lu - clap right hand with partner

cy - clap own hands

had - clap left hand with partner

a - clap own hands

ba - clap partner's hands

by - clap own hands.

(pause) - clap own hands behind back

Repeat this sequence in rhythm until end of rhyme.

**************

A Sailor Went to Sea

A sailor went to sea, sea, sea, To see what he could see, see, see, But all that he could see, see, see, Was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea.

Action:

A - clap own hands

sai - clap right hand with partner

lor - clap own hands

went - clap left hand with partner

to - clap own hands

sea, sea, sea - clap partner's hands three times

Repeat this sequence in rhythm until end of song.

Suggestion: On "sea, sea, sea" clap partner's hands, partners clap backs of hands, clap partner's hands.

****************

Playmate

Say, say oh playmate, come out and play with me, And bring your dollies three, climb up my apple tree, Cry down my rain barrel, slide down my cellar door, And we'll be jolly friends for ever more, more, more, more, more.

Action 1:

Begin on "play-" to do the following motions: slap knees, clap own hands, clap partner's hands, clap own hands. Repeat this sequence throughout the song.

Action 2: (for older children)

play - slap knees twice

mate - clap own hands twice

(rest) - clap partner's hands once

come - partners clap backs of hands together once

out - clap partner's hands once

and - clap own hands once

Repeat this sequence in rhythm throught the song.

*******************

Hambone

Hambone, Hambone, have you heard? Papa's gonna buy me a mockingbird. If that mockingbird don't sing, Papa's gonna buy me a diamond ring.

If that diamond ring don't shine, Papa's gonna buy me a fishing line.

Hambone, Hambone, where you been? Around the world and I'm going again.

Hambone, Hambone, where's your wife? In the kitchen cooking rice.

**This is a great one for a group of people as you clap independently.

Action:

Lines 1 & 2 - alternate clapping hands and knees

Lines 3 & 4 - alternate clapping hands and thighs

Lines 5 & 6 - alternate clapping hands and chest

Lines 7 & 8 - hands and shoulders

Lines 9 & 10 - hands and head

**************

Let's Go On a Bear Hunt

(Not technically a hand clapping game but a good time all the same! ;-))

Children repeat lines following the leader.

Let's go on a bear hunt. [Tap hands on thighs like walking]

All right.

Let's go.

Oh lookie

I see a wheat field

Can't go around it.

Can't go under it.

Let's go through it.

All right

Let's go

Swish, swish, swish [Rub hands together, like swishing through wheat]

Oh lookie

I see a tree!

Can't go over it,

Can't go under it,

Let's go up it.

All right

Let's go. [ Pretend to climb a tree. When top is reached, place hand on forehead and look around. Climb down]

Oh lookie

I see a swamp!

Can't go around it,

Can't go under it

Let's swim through it. [Pretend to swim]

All right

Let's go

Oh lookie

I see a bridge!

Can't go around it

Can't go under it

Let's cross over it

All right

Let's go. [Make clicking sound with tongue and stamp feet]

Oh lookie

I see a cave!

Can't go around it,

Can't go under it

Let's go in it

All ri i ight...

L l let's go [Cup hands and make hollow sound when clapping together]

Golly - it's dark in here [ Say with suspenseful in voice]

Better use my flashlight

Doesn't work

I think - I see seomthing

It's big!

It's furry!

It's got a big nose!

I think - it's a bear!

IT IS A BEAR!

LET'S GO!!!

Repeat everything backwards and fast - Wipe brow - Make a big sigh of relief - "Whew! WE MADE IT!"