Clapping Rhymes Grandparents Bring
In a mixed circle of kids and grown-ups, the elders teach the hand-clapping games from their childhood (traditional Spanish rhymes like "Palmas, palmitas," Pat-a-Cake, or whatever they bring from home), and we practice them in child-and-grown-up pairs. It works hand coordination, rhythm and the value of traditional games.
How to play
- Sit in a circle alternating kids and grown-ups; the teacher asks the elders, "What hand games did you play when you were little?" (1 min).
- A grown-up teaches Pat-a-Cake ("Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man…"), clapping their own hands and then the child's (2 min).
- Each child-and-grown-up pair practices face to face: slowly first, then a little faster (2 min).
- Two or three more grown-ups teach a childhood hand game, in their own language if it's from another country, and we repeat each one in pairs (4 min).
- Switch partners: each child plays their favorite rhyme with a grown-up who isn't theirs (2 min).
- Close the circle with everyone's hands in the middle, clapping softer and softer until it's silent (1 min).
Rules
- Watch your partner's hands to know when to clap.
- Clap hands gently so nobody gets hurt.
- If we mess up, we laugh and start again.
- Listen when a grown-up teaches their game.
Variations
Easier
Age 3: very short rhymes (Pat-a-Cake, This Little Piggy) with the grown-up guiding the child's hands.
Standard
Age 4: two or three rhymes in pairs, switching partners once.
Harder
Age 5: cross-over clapping games (right hand to right hand), speeding up little by little.
Adaptations
- Limited arm mobility: the grown-up claps on the child's hands, knees or armrests to the rhyme's rhythm.
- Visual impairment: continuous-contact hand games are ideal; the grown-up always starts by touching the child's hands so they know where they are.
- Hearing impairment: choose one rhyme and tap the beat gently on the table or floor so they can feel the vibration.
Learning goals
- Coordinate hand movements with another person.
- Keep the rhythm of traditional rhymes.
- Learn about and value childhood games from their elders and other cultures.
Teacher tip
Grandparents usually know many more rhymes than they think, so give them time to remember. Write down the ones that come up and keep them to repeat in class during the year.
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