Recess is BACK! Hand Clapping Games
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Clap faster AND in rhythm? ...Who me?
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!
Some simple... Some complex!
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!"
MORE Hand Clapping
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Hand Clap!
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Schoolyard Rhymes: Kids' Own Rhymes for Rope-Skipping, Hand Clapping, Ball Bouncing, and Just Plain Fun
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Clapping Hand Groggers (set of 3)
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Colorful Hand Clappers
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Comments
I love this and aawww
I gotta go back to work now
but hey thanks for the grins
I learned a lot of clapping songs and games when I went to elementary school in the USA, and much later played them with my children in England. But the words I knew for 'Little Dutch Girl' included 'My boyfriend's name is TONY. He comes from the land of BALONY.' That always made my kids laugh.
there is another verse of Miss Lucy Had a Baby.
Mumps said the doctor,
Measles said the nurse,
Hurmph said the lady with the aligator purse
out with the doctor
out with the nurse
out with the lady with the aligator purse
Another old one
Miss Lucy had a steam boat
the boat had a bell
the boat went to heaven
Miss lucy went to...
Hell-o operator
give me number nine
if you don't I'l kick you in the...
behind the curtian is a piece of glass
Miss Luck fell upon it and cut her...
ask me no more questions,
tell me no more lies
that what Miss Lucy told me
right before she died.
I can't believe I forgot that verse...
And I had totally forgotten that last one, apollyon23 --
but I loved it as a kid... so 'almost' naughty, ya know! ;-)
THANKS for the addition,
~~Mary K
i know theres another but at the moment its not in my head
These are actually great activities to improve kids' math function! A true example of "learning through play"!
these are great I can't wait to teach my kids!thanks
Another version of Miss Lucy is using Miss Susie instead of Miss Lucy, the glass is behind the 'frigerator and "ask me no more questions tell me know more lies, Miss Susie's in the kitchen making her mud pies."
:)
i got one called:
TIC TACK TOE IT GOES LIE THIS
TIC TACK TOE GIVE ME ATHREE IN A ROW BUNNY GOT SHOT BY U F O
SPIDER CRALLING UP UR BACK WITCH FIGER WAS THAT THAT 1
I WIN YOU LOST NOW U GET THE BIGGEST BROSE.
Look pal those sound great but put some like ring ring ring to the washing machine those rock .
P.S. You Rock ... Try this with my angels!!!
Theres 1 more you forgot about. theres sea.
Sea-
Sea Sea Sea To the bottom of the sea Hey! Hey!
I'ma little FRESH GIRL as pretty as can BE BE
all the guys in the nieghborhood just wanna get with ME ME
my daddys name is JUMBO he lives in alaBAMA
whatca gonna cal him DADDY
whatcha gonna feed him CANDY
my mommy told me if i was goode then he would buy me a rubber dolle my auntie told her i kissed a souldier she didnt buy me that rubber dolle
3 6 9 ur momma aint fine she looks liek a monkey form a telephone line
BACK IT UP 2 3 4
RAISE THE ROOF 2 3 4
FREEZE!(U freaze) thanks!
you forgot down down baby!:
Down, down baby
down by the rollercoatster,
sweet, sweet, baby ill never let you go!
shimmy shimmy cocoa pop,
shimmy shimmy POW!(repeat)
I like coffee i like tea,
i like boys and boys like me!
yes
no
maybe
so
(repeat)
(count to 10)
I LOVE all of the additions!!! You all really know your han clapping games!
~~Mary K
u 4got education genariotion
education generation do a bupa baby education genaration i like you down ,down baby down by the riverside sweet sweet baby no place to go catch up with your boyfriend naughty naughty steal a bit of candy greedy greedy eniy meany desameanie do a bupa baby educaton genaration i like u
(another version for tick tack toe) tick tack toe gimmie a high gimmie a low gimmie a 3 in a row bunny got shot by the ufo(bunny got shot buy the ufo is rock paper scissors)i win u you lose now you get a big bruise not there not there just about right there(on there head)not fair not fair now u get a big dare(then you dare them)
i always liked the mcdonalds game.
It goes... Big Mac a tay a tay quarter pound of french fries icey cola, milkshake, sundade and some apple pies.
I have another version of Sea:
Sea sea sea at the bottom of the sea!
I am a little - 3rd grader
As cute as can - be
My boyfriend's name is - Jell-o
He comes from Ala-bama
With a booger from his nose
All the way to his toes
And this is how my story goes!
One day when I was - walking
I heard my boyfriend - talking
To the prettiest girl
With strawberry curls
And this is what he said:
I L-O-V-E Love you!
I K-I-S-S Kiss you!
S-T-O-P STOP! Don't move!
i have another verion ofdown down baby:
down down baby
down down the rollercoaster-shoot hands down the hill
sweet sweet baby
sweet sweet dont let me go-cover your arms like your cold
shimmy shimmy coco puff
shimmy shimmy round-move your head in a round circle
shiimy shimmy coco puff
shimmy shimmy break it down!- take your arms pull them back about half way to your stomach
I’ve loved hand-clapping games since I was in kindergarten or first grade. I do volunteer work with school kids and play the games with them whenever I can! It’s fun, even for an “old guy” like me!
Cary again. I wonder how many of you know this one? My sister taught it to me:
I have an F-O-R-D Ford
Made of T-I-N tin board
And I’ll T-A-K-E you for an R-I-D-E-ride
Through the P-A-R-K park
Where it’s D-A-R-K dark
And I’ll K-I-S-S kiss you
All the T-I-M-E time!













Eileen Hughes says:
2 years ago
Thats terrific, I had forgotten all about those days. Its like skipping in school, I havent seen that done either lately. Although my grandys are beyond that now so not sure.