If you’re looking for fun games for groups of kids, nothing beats good old-fashioned hand clapping games and songs! Who would have thought that children’s hand games could address so many different developmental skills at once?
Bilateral coordination, memory and cognitive skills, and cooperative play are all packed into these fun songs and games – and they’ll also take you for a little stroll down memory lane!
Why Hand Clapping Games for Kids are Beneficial
Hand clapping games are traditional games that have been around for generations. These games involve rhythmic hand movements accompanied by songs or rhymes. While kids clapping games are often viewed as simple entertainment, they actually offer numerous benefits for kids.
Hand clap games are a fun and engaging way for kids to develop hand-eye coordination. These games require children to coordinate their hand movements with the rhythm of the song or rhyme. This helps to improve their ability to focus and concentrate, as they must pay close attention to the actions of their hands.
Another benefit of these clapping hand games for kids is that they can help to improve memory and cognitive function. Many of these games involve complex hand movements and rhymes that require children to memorize and recall information. This can help to improve their memory and cognitive function over time.
This list of hand games can also be a great way for kids to develop social skills and self-regulation. These clapping songs and games for kids are often played in groups, which requires children to learn how to interact with their peers in a cooperative way. They also provide an opportunity for children to practice turn-taking and sharing, which are important social skills that will benefit them throughout their lives.
Whether played at home, in school, or on the playground, childhood handclap rhymes and hand clapping games are a timeless form of children’s play that come with lots of developmental perks!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
Free clapping games printable (fill out the form below)
Hand Clapping Games and Hand Clapping Songs With Lyrics
Here are just a few handclap games that are simple enough for a wide age range. Have your kids take a peek at each hand game video and use our hand game rhymes printable as a cheat sheet to remember the words to all of the songs!
Lemonade Crunchy Ice Song
A classic hand clap game from childhood that will bring the memories flooding back!
Lemonade Crunchy Ice #2
I loved this variation of Lemonade Crunchy Ice because it shows a very young child enjoying the activity even though she doesn’t quite have the movements down. It just goes to show how kids can learn to work together regardless of age or ability!
Say, Say Oh Playmate
Another classic clapping game for kids! You’ll remember the lyrics as soon as you hear them in this video!
Pattycake Game
Patty Cake or Pat a Cake is probably the most quintessential of all of the children’s clapping rhymes! This video will give you a reminder of the Pat a Cake hand motions.
Miss Mary Mack Lyrics
The Miss Mary Mack hand movements and lyrics will come right back to you like you’re back on the elementary school playground!
Concentration 64
This fun hand clapping game challenges kids to think of items in a certain category as they clap out a rhythm. You’ll remember the concentration hand game lyrics as soon as you hear them in this video!
Welcome to McDonald’s May I Take Your Order
Here’s another fun clapping game to add into the mix – kids will love perfecting the rhythm as they clap out their favorite McDonald’s order!
Down By the Banks Hand Game Lyrics
Remember this “Down by the banks of the hanky panky” hand game?…another classic song that will come right back to you as you play this fun hand game with your kids! The Down by the Banks game is perfect for playing with a group!
Stell Ella Ola Lyrics
This is a great hand clapping game or hand slapping game option to play with a larger group! Kids will love hand games to play with friends!
I Went to a Chinese Restaurant Lyrics
A Sailor Went to Sea
Another classic, old-fashioned hand clapping song for kids!
Double This Double That
Apples on a Stick
Miss Susie – Hello Operator Clapping Song
Long Legged Sailor
Grab the free printable hand clapping games and hand clapping song lyrics by filling out the form below:
SKILL AREAS ADDRESSED in Clapping Game Songs and Rhymes:
Bilateral coordination, cognitive skills, midline crossing, motor control, posture, social skills
More Fun Hand Games for Kids
Check out these great hand games for motor skills and cognitive skills and these simple finger games for kids!
Clapping Games for Preschoolers
Around the World in 5 Kids’ Games
6 Fun Hand Clapping Games for Kids
Donna LaFitte says
Want to join your mailing list.
Elizabeth says
Im only 16 but I remember in grade school we played the hands free game called “consentayson” or some people called it “this game “
inspiredtree says
I don’t know this one Elizabeth! Thanks for sharing. How do you play it???
Christi says
I’m wondering if these will help my piano students that struggle with understanding the concept of steady beat.
I remember as a kid playing “Welcome to McDonald’s/ May I take your order/ Big Mac, small fry, cherry Coke, apple pie.”
I don’t remember all the actions, though :-(
Also one my mom taught me (so it was probably from the 60’s) – “Have you ever ever ever in your long-legged life seen a long-legged sailor with his long legged wife?/ No, I have never, ever, ever in my long-legged…[etc.]”
JD @ Honest Mom says
This is great!
Do you remember “down by the banks of the hanky panky, where the bull frogs jump from bank to banky”?
I loved that one! :-)
admin says
Great one JD!!!!! Thanks for sharing!
The Educational Tourist says
What a wonderful post! Thank you for the refresher for moms and the wonderful directions and lyrics!
These will keep kids busy and happy while waiting in long lines outside of museums and even on long road trips! I’m going to link on my website http://www.theeducationaltourist.com where I write about traveling with the kids. I would love a shout out from you!
Thanks for posting,
Natalie, The Educational Tourist
admin says
Hi Natalie…We checked out your site and it looks like you have collected a lot of great ideas for traveling with kids. We would love for you to link to our Hand Clapping Games! Please let us know when it publishes and we will share it on our social media! Thanks for touching base!
Julianne Nielsen says
I love hand clapping games. I would like to see the clapping motions for the rest as I am only familiar with one of them. Also, on the printout, the Lemonade is missing a line at the end. Something with their foot or leg. Thanks for posting these. I will definitely teach these to my 3 granddaughters.
admin says
Hi Julianne….Thanks for the catch on the Lemonade Clapping Game. The girls say “turn around, touch the ground, kick your boyfriend out of town…FREEZE!” We did add extra games on the printable. Unfortunately, we had to limit the number of videos that we published. You may be able to find them on YouTube.com by typing their titles in the search box. Thanks again for the comment and enjoy that time with your granddaughters!
Lisa Ware says
Loved singing and clapping games as a child! Wish more children still were so knowledgeable on many rhymes. I’m a Girl Guide leader now (go figure) and work with young families in early literacy as well. Rhyming and singing, finger plays and dancing, so crucial! Thanks for sharing! Last summer we put out a hopscotch with painters tape on a boardwalk, so many adults stopped to show their children how it works and left smiling as they recalled their childhood!
admin says
Lisa…thank you for your comment and you are right, sometimes the simplest games are the best for developmental benefits and are the ones that we all forget to show our children!
Kim Roc says
Thank you. /The sequential and musical aspects of these hand games, make motor control and story telling, a supporting and useful tool, while learning to build linguistic rhythm and cadences found inside your voice. Love your post.
maria carnicero says
Me gustó mucho. :) I love it.
Linda Beardsley says
how about “pretty little dutch girl”? that was from during the 50’s/60’s era. it was the main hand clapping game then.
inspiredtree says
Hi Linda…thanks for your comment and reminding us of another great clapping game!!
Lisa Trentham says
http://funclapping.com/ I found this handy link ☺️Enjoy
Lisa says
My girls still play these. Their favorite is “let’s play( clap, clap clap) concentration. ” I think it’s funny that these seem to be primarily ” girl games”. My boys and dh roll their eyes at us when we get started.
Aspen Jay says
I remember spending hours upon hours practicing my hand clapping game skills. (o: Thanks for sharing this post, I am excited to teach my children and learn the news ones that I don’t know.
Gigi says
These are fantastic, I grew up only knowing handful and Stella Ella Ola was a favourite. The downloadable pdf is such a great cheat sheet. However discovering the Chinese Restaurant clapping rhyme was a bit offensive – the one you featured is pretty innocent but upon Googling the original version, I can’t believe people are still doing this one! Many versions complete with the gesture of pulling the sides of the eyes into a long slit (aka Asian eyes). There are so many fun clapping games, I really believe we should remove this one out of circulation.
Phonic Song says
grt games that kids would really love…
Grace says
How about the one called my mother your mother. Lived accross the street, 1814 alligator street
Darcy says
What about: My boyfriend’s name is Michael.
He drives a motorcycle,
with a pickle on his nose and 48 toes
and that’s the way my story goes.
One night when I was walking,
I heard my boyfriend talking
to a pretty little girl with pretty little curls
and this is what he said to her.
“I l-o-v-e love you and I k-i-s-s kiss you.
In the d-a-r-k dark p-a-r-k park!
As I’m writing this, maybe not child appropriate, but I grew up with it. I don’t know if there is anymore.
Leighann says
How about “Do you know how to eat an Oreo?”
lisa says
I can play video games all the week without the recreation, and then just forget about my PC for a month. My love for gaming depends on my mood 😀Nintendo Switch Accessories