A Handful of Hand Games

You may play hand games out on the playground, but it’s time to bring them into the classroom!

Introduce the concept of hand games by singing and clapping a popular tune that you know, like “Miss Mary Mack,” to your students. Explain that many rhythmic hand games originated in Black and African cultures and have origins in Pattin’ Juba, a type of body percussion that was created when enslaved people were banned from using drums in the 1700s.

After investigating their roots, prompt a student to bring in a different hand game each week to teach to the class. Encourage them to discover new hand games by connecting with their community. This may be at school, on the playground or with adults after school, so they can learn games from different generations.

As you learn more and more hand games, keep track of them with a giant list in your classroom and use them during transitions or as a classroom management tool.

At the end of the year, throw a social dance festival where you play your favorite games to celebrate and invite another class to join in on the fun!