Literacy Spot #40: Clap It Out

ByChristie Burnett

clapping games

One classroom management tool effective for gaining attention, that I used for many years in school settings, is to clap a short rhythm sequence and have the children clap the pattern back to you. The children have to be listening and paying attention in order to succeed in clapping back the same sequence. It can be a fun game to play with preschoolers too. To make it easier for young children, try accompanying the clapping sequence with a few words or simple sentence, like clapping and saying the syllables in the child’s name. It really is a good way to switch on listening ears!

Another fun clapping (and listening) game for preschoolers is Hot/Cold. To play, hide an object in the room and as the chosen child tries to find it, you (and any other children playing) clap faster as they get closer to the hiding spot (hotter) and slower as they move away from it (colder), until the treasure is uncovered.

Finally, try introducing good old fashioned school yard clapping games. I have so many fond memories of clapping out ‘Miss Mary Mack’ and ‘When Suzy had a Baby’ with siblings and friends. For preschoolers, start simply with a familiar rhyme like, ‘Pat a Cake, Pat a Cake’, alternating clapping your own hands and clapping open hands together.

What school yard clapping game rhymes do you remember from your own childhood? Or hear your own children playing now?

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What is Childhood 101′s Literacy Spot? It is a weekly reminder of the importance of young children learning playfully as each week I share one idea for playing around with literacy, taken from my many years working as an early childhood teacher. Visit the previous Literacy Spot posts for more fun ideas for playing with literacy.

Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.

2 Comments

  1. We played clapping games on the playground as children and our teachers also used a clapping sequence we had to clap back when the classroom became unruly. Our classroom sank back into quietness after the clapping was done. Clapping was used to learn rhythmn in music class and syllables in reading class. Lots of clapping!

  2. Kate @ Puddles and Gumboots says:

    I love using clapping rhythms to gain attention! My kids school uses the same pattern throughout the entire school, so all the kids know it. I’ve found that using that rhythm is great way to get the kids attention when we’re hosting a birthday party and I want them to pay attention when I’m explaining a party game or telling them it’s food or cake time 🙂

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