Hand clapping games have been a part of our playgrounds for decades.
It was in the 1960s they first found popularity, starting in England and soon spreading around the world.
The best part is you didn’t need any equipment to play with, just a willing partner to join in the fun.
Accompanied by songs, with varying hand actions to go with them, one of the best parts is you can do it at any age. Why not give these a go with the grandkids?
If you can’t remember what to do, this might jog your memory.
Two people face each other.
Each person starts with right hand, palm facing out.
Clap hands with the other person, then clap hands with yourself, then clap hands with the left hand with the other person.
Repeat for the length of the song.
Two people face each other.
Both players put their right hands up, palms up and left hands down, palms up.
Bring your right hands down, left hands up at the same time, clapping against your partner as they do the same.
Switch hands and repeat, with right hand up and left hand down.
Clap hands again against your partner, palms straight on.
Clap your own hands together.
Start from the beginning until the whole song in done.
Here’s the lyrics to one of the popular clapping game chants.
Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack
All dressed in black, black, black
With silver buttons, buttons, buttons
All down her back, back, back.
She asked her mother, mother, mother
for fifty cents, cents, cents
To see the elephants, elephants, elephants
Jump the fence, fence, fence.
They jumped so high, high, high
they reached the sky, sky, sky
And didn’t come back, back, back
Till the 4th of July, ly, ly!