Hand Slap Circle Game

Kneeling in a circle with hands crossed over their neighbors' hands, a slap on the floor travels around the circle and reverses with a double slap. It demands focus, quick reactions and left-right awareness without moving around.

How to play

1. Make 3 circles of 8 or 9 kneeling close together with palms flat on the floor in front (1 min).
2. Practice without crossing (2 min): the slap travels hand to hand clockwise; each hand gives one light slap on the floor when it is its turn.
3. Cross hands (2 min): each player places their left hand over the right hand of the player on their left so hands alternate, and repeat the lap.
4. Double slap (4 min): two quick slaps reverse the direction. A hand that goes early or late goes behind the back for that round only.
5. Speed rounds (3 min): one student claps a steadily faster beat while the circle tries to make two clean laps.

Rules

• Each hand slaps only when the slap reaches it.
• Slaps are light, open-palmed and never on other hands.
• Hands stay in their spot on the floor.
• At the start of every round, all hands come back in.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: play seated in chairs around a low table.
• Hearing impairment: play by watching hands, with the tempo shown by gestures.
• Students with autism: start at the end of the circle next to a trusted partner, without crossing hands.

Learning goals

• Sustain attention through a changing sequence.
• Tell their own hand apart from crossed classmates' hands.
• Accept their own and others' mistakes with good humor.

Teacher tip

Model it with 4 volunteers in the middle before crossing hands, since that step is the hardest. If there is lots of laughter, roll with it: the game works best when kids are relaxed.

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