Playing clapping games provides fun for children of every age. From the simple toddler game of “Patty Cake,” to the more challenging “Down, Down, Baby!” you and your friends will enjoy our collection of hand clapping games. We have included instructions when the games require more sophisticated hand clapping.

If you are not familiar with hand clapping games, here are some easy Directions for any basic handclapping game:

Sit across from your clapping partner. Choose your handclapping rhyme. Begin by clapping your hands together at the same time, then reach out with your right hand to clap your partner’s right hand. Next, clap your hands again. Now reach out with your left hand and clap your partner’s left hand. Repeat. Clap on each beat of the rhyme.

Patty Cake Song

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man.

Bake me a cake as fast as you can.

Pat it, roll it, and mark it with a B.

Put it in the oven for baby and me.

Patty cake, patty cake, baker’s man,

Bake me a cake as fast as you can.

Roll it up, roll it up,

And throw it in a pan!

Patty cake, patty cake, baker’s man.

Double, Double

Double, double, this, this.

Double, double, that, that.

Double this, double that.

Double, double, this, that.

Instructions:

Hold your hands up, your fingers pointing to the ceiling. As you are saying the rhyme, turn your hands back and forth. Whenever you say “double,” both hands face towards you. Whenever you say “this,” and “that,” your palms face away from you. This is NOT as easy to do as it sounds!

 Variations:  You can use almost any compound words. For example:

Double, double, ice, ice.

Double, double, cream, cream.

Double ice, double cream.

Double, double, ice cream.

ABC

ABC

ABC,

As easy as 1, 2, 3.

My momma watches MTV.

My dada takes care of me.

Oh ah I wanna piece of pie.

Pie too sweet, I wanna a 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 to 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

Miss Mary Mack

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 over the fence, fence, fence.

They jumped so high, high, high,

They touched the sky, sky, sky,

And didn’t come back, back, back,

Till the fourth of July, July, July.

Miss Susie

Miss Susie

Miss Susie 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 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.

Hiccups said the lady,

With the alligator purse.

Miss Susie punched the doctor.

Miss Susie kicked the nurse.

Miss Susie thanked the lady,

With the alligator purse.

Instructions:

Clap your hand on each word as follows:

  • 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.

Miss Suzie

Miss Suzie had a steamboat.

The steamboat had a bell.

Miss Suzie went to heaven.

The steamboat went to . . .

Hello, operator.

Please give me number nine.

If you disconnect me,

I’ll kick you from

Behind the refrigerator, there was a piece of glass.

Miss Suzie sat upon it and cut her little . . .

Ask me no more questions,

Tell me no more lies,

The boys are in the bathroom zipping up their . . .

Flies are in the meadow.

The bees are in the park.

Miss Suzie and her boyfriend are kissing in the . . .

Dark is like a movie.

A movie’s like a show.

A show is like a TV screen.

And that is all I know.

 

Say, Say, Oh Playmate

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! (Clap both hands straight across with partner when counting.)

Say, say, oh playmate.

I cannot play today.

My dollies have the flu.

Boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo (cry, rub eyes)

My apple tree is dead.

My rainbow’s gone away.

My cellar door is locked.

Forevermore, one, two, three, four! (Clap both hands straight across with partner when counting.)

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.

Instructions:

  • 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

Apples on a Stick

Apples on a Stick

Apples on a stick,

Makes me sick,

Makes my heart beat,

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.

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.

Instructions:

  • 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.
Hand Clapping Games 3

Lemonade Crunchy Ice

“Lemonade Crunchy Ice” is a clapping game traditionally played either with 2 children or with several kids all together. To play the game in a group, the children clap three times after these words – “lemonade, crunchy ice, beat it once, beat it twice.” After that the lines are repeated except children do not need to clap three times at the end. The game ends by turning around, touching the ground, and then freezing. The first kid to move is out.

Lemonade, crunchy ice,

Sip it once. (Up Down Clap)

Sip it twice. (Up Down Clap)

Lemonade, (Up Down Clap)

Crunchy Ice, (Up Down Clap)

Made it once. (Up Down Clap)

Made it twice. (Up Down Clap)

Turn around, (Turn around)

Touch the ground, (Touch the ground)

Kick your boyfriend out of town!

Freeze!

Variation:

Lemonade, crunchy ice,

Beat it once, beat it twice.

Lemonade, crunchy ice,

Beat it once, beat it twice.

Turn around, touch the ground, FREEZE!

Charlie Brown

I went downtown,

To see Charlie Brown.

She gave me a nickel.

To buy a pickle.

The pickle was sour,

So I bought a flower.

The flower was dead, so he said,

Down, down, baby. Do the roller coaster.

Sweet, sweet, honey. (Lick your fingers),

No, No, No.

Just because I kissed you, (Kiss hand)

Doesn’t mean that I love you. (Pat heart)

Shimmy, Cocoa pops. Show off your body.

(Stand in model pose and jump)

And Freeze!

 

Down, Down, Baby (Roller Coaster)

Down, down baby, down by 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!

Grandma, Grandma, sick in bed.

She called the doctor and the doctor said.

Let’s get the rhythm of the head, ding-dong.

Let’s get the rhythm of the head, ding-dong.

Let’s get the rhythm of the hands *clap clap*

Let’s get the rhythm of the hands *clap clap*

Let’s get the rhythm of the feet *stomp stomp*

Let’s get the rhythm of the feet *stomp stomp*

Let’s get the rhythm of the hot dog.

Let’s get the rhythm of the hot dog.

Put it all together and what do you get?

Ding-dong *clap clap* *stomp stomp* hot dog

Put it all backwards and what do you get?

Hot dog *stomp stomp* *clap clap* ding-dong!

*Do the action.

Nobody Likes Me

Nobody likes me,

Everybody hates me,

Guess I’ll eat some,

Worrrrrrmmsss.

Fat ones, skinny ones,

Oochy, goochy gooey ones,

Ones that squiggle

And squirrrrmmmm.

First you cut the head off.

Then you suck the juice out.

Then you throw the

Skin awaaaayyyy.

Nobody knows how girls

Can live on worms

Three times a daaaayyy.

Boom ba de ah da…..

Boom, boom!

Hand Clapping Games 4

Try one of our clapping games, or make up your own. Be creative with the hand clapping, making it unique and difficult. No matter what your age, handclapping helps with coordination, teaches rhythm, and stimulates the mind. Have fun!