20 Entertaining Hand Clapping Games for Children

Do you remember the silly games you played with your friends, where hours were spent in singing and clapping without anyone noticing? Now you see your kids glued to their mobiles or tablets watching a cartoon or playing online games. As parents, it’s justified for you to be worried about their growth and health spent indoors and alone. Hand clapping games just didn’t teach you singing or hand coordination but also were a great means to bond with friends. These games develop the cognitive, motor, and social skills of kids while they are enjoying themselves with their friends. So it’s no wonder that as parents you want to introduce your little kids to these enjoyable hand-clapping games.

What Are Hand Clapping Games?

Hand clapping games are rhythmic and interactive activities typically played by children. These games involve a series of hand movements, claps, and chants performed in a coordinated manner. They often include catchy rhymes or songs and are played between two or more participants. Hand clapping games not only provide entertainment but also promote coordination, rhythm, and social interaction among children. They are a popular form of traditional play and can be found in various cultures around the world.

Benefits of Playing Hand-Clapping Games for Children

Playing hand-clapping games offers more than just entertainment for children. These rhythmic and interactive activities have a range of benefits that contribute to a child’s development. From enhancing coordination to fostering social skills, the advantages extend beyond the fun-filled moments of play. Let’s explore some of the key benefits that hand-clapping games can bring to children.

1. Development of Motor Skills

Engaging in hand-clapping games requires precise hand movements and coordination, promoting the development of fine motor skills in children.

2. Rhythm and Timing

The rhythmic nature of hand-clapping games helps children develop a sense of timing and rhythm, which can have positive effects on their musical and auditory skills.

3. Cognitive Development

The memorization of clapping patterns and sequences in these games enhances cognitive abilities, including memory and pattern recognition.

4. Social Interaction

Hand-clapping games are often played in pairs or groups, fostering social interaction, communication, and teamwork among children.

5. Listening Skills

Children learn to listen and respond to verbal cues and rhythmic patterns during hand-clapping games, enhancing their auditory processing skills.

6. Language Development

Many hand-clapping games involve rhymes and chants, contributing to language development by improving vocabulary, pronunciation, and language patterns.

7. Stress Reduction

The rhythmic and repetitive nature of hand-clapping games can have a calming effect, helping children manage stress and anxiety.

8. Confidence Building

Mastering the patterns and sequences in hand-clapping games provides a sense of achievement, contributing to the development of confidence in children.

9. Physical Exercise

While playing hand-clapping games, children engage in physical movements that promote overall physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle.

10. Cultural Awareness

Hand-clapping games often have cultural roots and variations. Playing these games exposes children to cultural diversity and helps them appreciate different traditions.

20 Fun Clapping Games for Toddlers, Preschoolers, and Kids

The sweet games kids played by clapping their hands on funny lyrics were a good way to teach them coordination, singing, and improving their social skills. These games were also good for their physical and mental development. Hand clapping games are suitable for kids of any age from toddlers to pre-schoolers and older kids too as the clapping game rhymes are catchy for kids of all ages.

Here are some entertaining children’s clapping games to play and enjoy with their friends.

1. Pat-a-cake

Wordings

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake baker’s man
Bake me a cake as fast as you can
Prick it and pat it and mark it with a “b”
And put it in the oven for Billy and me

Make it with chocolate, make it with cream
Make it the prettiest you’ve ever seen
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake baker’s man
Bake me a cake as fast as you can
Please

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake baker’s man
Bake me a cake as fast as you can
Mix it and stir it and bake it just right
Good from the first ’til the very last bite

Write his name with lots of care
And make pretty flowers here and there
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake baker’s man
Bake me a cake as fast as you can

Prick it and price it and mark it with a “b”
And put it in the oven for Billy and me.

How to Play 

The kid can sit on the ground or on a chair with their friends. They should pat each other’s hands when singing ‘pat-a-cake’ and use different hand motions for the rest of the words. The speed of singing should become faster towards the end.

2. Apple on a stick

Wordings

Apples on a stick,
Makes me sick,
Makes my heartbeat,
2-4-6.
Not because you’re dirty,
Not because you’re clean,
Just ’cause you kissed,
A boy behind the magazine.
Girls, girls,
Wanna have some fun?
Here comes Suzy with
Her hoop skirt on.
She can wibble. She can wobble.
She can do the splits.
But I betcha ten dollars,
She can’t do this.
Close your eyes,
And count to ten.
If you miss you start again.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

How to Play 

The kids need to make fists and tap them against each other’s fist three times. Then clap their right hands up and then down. Shake their hands and then snap their fingers. Then keep repeating the pattern.

3. Concentration 64

Wordings

Concentration (clap, clap, clap)
Sixty-four (clap, clap, clap)
No repeats (clap, clap, clap)
Or hesitations (clap, clap, clap)
I’ll go first (clap, clap, clap)
You’ll go last (clap, clap, clap)
Category is: (clap, clap, clap)

How to Play

select a category, like animals. The initial participant mentions the first animal that comes to mind, accompanied by three claps. The subsequent participant carries on. It’s crucial not to duplicate animals, and anyone exceeding three seconds to name an animal is eliminated.

4. Say, Say, Oh Playmate

Wordings

Say, say, oh playmate,
Come out and play with me.
Bring out your dollies three.
Climb up my apple tree.

Slide down my rainbow
Into my cellar door.
And we’ll be jolly friends
Forevermore, one two three four!

How to Play

The kids can clap their hands first, and then tap their friends’ hands. Repeat the sequence and increase the speed as the lyrics progress.

5. ABC

Wordings

ABC,
As easy as 1, 2, 3.
My momma watches MTV.
My dada takes care of me.
Oh ah, I wanna piece of the pie.
Pie too sweet, I wanna piece of meat.
Meat too tough, I wanna ride a bus.
Bus too full, I wanna ride a bull.
Bull too black, I want my money back.
Money too green, I want a jelly bean.
Jelly bean not cooked, I wanna read a book.
Book not read, I wanna go to bed.
Bed not made, I want some lemonade.
Lemonade too sour, I wanna take a shower.
Shower too cool, I wanna go to school.
School too dumb, I wanna suck my thumb.
Thumb too dirty, I wanna ride a birdie.
Birdie too slow, and that’s all I know.
So close your eyes and count to ten.
Whoever messes up is a big fat hen!

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

How to Play 

The kids first should put their hands together and then swish them with each other. Then clap their friend’s right hand up and down. Now while holding their right hand, snap the left hand. Repeat the hand motions.

6. Tic Tac Toe

Wordings

Tic tac toe
Give me an X
Give me an O
Give me three in a row
Don’t get hit by a UFO

How to Play 

This is played by two kids by tapping each other’s opposite hands. Then clapping with both their hands and then their partner’s hands. Then holding the other person’s right hand and tap their hip with their left hand.

7. Lemonade Crunchy Ice

Wordings

Lemonade
Crunchy ice

Sip it once
Sip it twice

Lemonade
Crunchy ice

Beat it once
Beat it twice

Turn around (Turn around here)
Touch the ground (Touch the ground here)

FREEZE

How to Play 

The kid needs to clap their friend’s right hand up and then clap with the left hand down. The clap both the hands of their partner and then clap their hands thrice. After clapping they turn around and touch the ground. Then shout ‘Freeze’ and the kid who moves first loses the game.

8. Pepper

Wordings

I drink Dr. Pepper don’t you see
It’s the perfect taste for me
The original taste you know.
It’s raining Peppers everywhere I go…..
I’m a Pepper, he’s a Pepper, she’s a Pepper, we’re a Pepper!
Wouldn’t you like to be a Pepper too?
Dr. Pepper…’

How to Play 

Two kids can play this game by first swishing each other’s opposite hands. First, clap and then tap opposite hands. Then switch the hands and clap. Repeat.

9. Bobo Ski Watten

Wordings

Bobo ski waten taten
Eh, eh, eh eh boom boom boom
Bobo ski waten taten
Eh, eh, eh eh boom boom boom
Itty bitty waten taten
Bobo ski waten taten
Bobo ski waten taten
Freeze, freeze, American cheese
Please don’t show your______ to me

How to Play 

The kids need to join their hands together and then swish their friend’s hands. Clap each other right hand, up and down. Then clap with the left hand and snap their fingers. Repeat.

10. Bim Bum

Wordings

Bim bum bim bum, biddy biddy bum,
Biddy bum, biddy biddy bum, bim bum.
Bim bum, biddy biddy bum,
Biddy bum, biddy biddy bum, bim bum.

How to Play 

Kids can start this game by tapping their thighs on ‘Biddy’, snapping their fingers on ‘bum’ and clapping their hands at ‘bim’.

11. Four white Horses

Wordings

Four white horses on a river.
Hey, hey, hey, up tomorrow.
Up tomorrow is a rainy day.
Come on, join in our shadow play.
Shadow play is a ripe banana.
Hey, hey, hey, up tomorrow.
Up tomorrow is a rainy day.

How to Play

This game is played by clapping the hand of the kid standing next to one kid and then clapping the hand of the kid standing opposite to them. The kids can also tap their feet along with the lyrics.

12. Long-Legged Sailor

Wordings

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.

How to Play

This game is played by two kids by first clapping their hands and then crossing their hands three times as they sing ‘ever, ever, ever’ or ‘never, never, never’. Then again clap each other’s hand and then their own hands. Repeat.

13. Miss Mary Mack

Wordings

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 elephant, elephant, elephant.
Jump over the fence, fence, fence.
He jumped so high, high, high,
He reached the sky, sky, sky,
And he never came back, back, back,
‘Till the end of July, July, July.

How to Play

This Miss Mary Mack hand game is played by two kids by first clapping their own hands and then crossing their arms and putting them on their shoulders. Then clapping their hands again and then slapping each other’s hands. Repeat.

14. Quack Diddlee Oh So

Wordings

Quack diddlee oh so, quack quack, quack
Senorita, rita, rita, rita
Delore, delore, delora-lora lore
One, two, three, four
Quack diddlee oh so, quack quack, quack
Senorita, rita, rita, rita
Delore, delore, delora-lora lore
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine…!

How to Play 

This group hand-clapping game is played by kids keeping their palms of their hands facing up. Then they keep their right hand on the left hand of the kid standing on the left. The kids keep singing the circle hand slap game song and clapping the hand of the next kid top continues the cycle. In the end, the kid who’s hand is about to clap takes their hand out of the way, wins the game.

15. Down Down Baby

Wordings

Down, down, baby
Down, down the roller coaster
Sweet, sweet, baby
I’ll never let you go
Shimmy, Shimmy cocoa pop
Shimmy, Shimmy pow
Shimmy, Shimmy cocoa pop
Shimmy, Shimmy pow!

I like coffee
I like tea
I like another boy
And he likes me
Up and down and side to side
All-around and shake it little ride
P-O-P spells POP!

How to Play 

This game is played by two kids by first tapping their thighs and then clapping their hands. Then they clap each other’s hands and then snapping their fingers. Repeat.

16. Double Double

Wordings

Double, double, this, this,
Double, double, that, that,
Double this, double that,
Double, double, this, that.

How to Play 

This game is played by clapping and then fist-bumping. Kids bump their fists when they sing ‘double’ and clap at ‘this’ and clap with the back of their hands-on ‘that’. Repeat.

17. Popcorn

Wordings

Popcorn, popcorn, sizzling in the pan,
Shake it up, shake it up, bam, bam, bam.
Popcorn, popcorn, now it’s getting hot,
Shake it up, shake it up, bam, bam, bam.
Popcorn, popcorn, pop, pop, pop,
Shake it up, shake it up, stop, stop, stop.

How to Play

Kids can imitate the popping of popcorn by clapping their hands softly at first and gradually increasing the speed. On “bam, bam, bam,” they can clap more energetically, and on “stop, stop, stop,” they freeze.

18. Miss Susie Had a Baby

Wordings

Miss Susie had a baby,
she called 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 Susie called the doctor,
Miss Susie called the nurse.
Miss Susie called the lady
with the alligator purse.
In came the doctor,
in came the nurse.
In came the lady
with the alligator purse.
‘Mumps’ – said the doctor.
‘Measles’- said the nurse.
‘Nothing’ – said the lady
with the alligator purse.

OR

‘Cough’- said the doctor.
‘Cold’ – said the nurse.
‘Pizza’ – said the lady
with the alligator purse.
Miss Susie hit the doctor
Miss Susie slapped the nurse
Miss Susie paid the lady
with the alligator purse
Out went the water.
Out went the soap,
Out went the bathtub,
that wouldn’t go down his throat.
Out went the doctor,
Out went the nurse.
Out went the lady
with the alligator purse.

How to Play

As with the previous instructions, children can engage in the hand-clapping game with corresponding actions. They can clap, mime holding a baby, pretend to bathe the baby, and act out the arrival and departure of the doctor, nurse, and lady with the alligator purse. The playful repetition and hand movements make it an enjoyable and interactive experience for children.

19. Engine Engine Number Nine

Wordings

Engine, engine number nine,
Going down the railroad  line,
If the train gets off the track,
Will I get my money back?

How to Play

Children can clap their hands in a steady rhythm while singing the song. The anticipation builds as they approach the question about getting their money back, adding an element of excitement to the game.

20. A Sailor Went to Sea

Wordings

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.

How to Play

Children can engage in this hand-clapping game by clapping their hands together, imitating the motion of waves. The playful lyrics and actions make it a delightful and rhythmic experience for kids, enhancing their coordination and musical awareness.

FAQs

1. What Are the Differences Between Clapping Games and Singing Games?

Clapping games primarily involve rhythmic hand movements, coordination, and patterns performed by participants. They often include chants, rhymes, or songs but focus on the physical aspect of clapping and hand actions. Singing games, on the other hand, emphasize vocalization and melody, where participants sing or hum along with specific tunes. While both may involve elements of rhythm and coordination, the primary distinction lies in the emphasis on hand movements in clapping games and vocalization in singing games.

2. How Can I Guide My Child in Learning to Clap?

Guide your child in clapping by starting with simple patterns, using rhymes, demonstrating slowly, practicing regularly, celebrating progress, joining in for fun, encouraging creativity, and being patient with their learning pace.

Kids hand clapping games with catchy lyrics are entertaining for kids of all ages. The hand-clapping games are good for developing their motor, cognitive, and social skills. So teach your kids these entertaining hand-clapping games to help them form strong bonds with their friends.

Also Read:

Easy One Minute Games for Children
Interesting and Easy Card Games for Kids
Writing Games and Activities for Children
Music Games and Activities for Kids