Schoolyard Games Kids Play

Thumb Wrestling

schoolyardplay — Mon, 14 May 2012 02:12:31 +0000

Two players, both either using their left hands or their right hands, hold hands by hooking their four fingers together and closing their hands into fists with their thumbs pointing up to the ceiling.

Both players say the following chant together and for each word said, tap your thumb on alternating sides of your interlocked fist.

One, Two, Three, Four
I declare a thumb war!

While still holding hands, try to pin your opponents thumb down to the fist. Once pinned, count to three out loud. If they remained pinned until the count is finished, you’ve won!

See the following video for an adorable demonstration.

Sticks, Stones, Rubber and Glue

schoolyardplay — Mon, 14 May 2012 01:56:18 +0000

Playing with other kids can be a lot of fun, but sometimes there are mean kids and bullies in the mix. When we were very small, these comebacks were used often in self defense.

Sticks and stones
may break my bones
but names can never hurt me.

I’m rubber, you’re glue
Whatever you say to me,
bounces off of me
and sticks to you!

Down in the Valley Where the Green Grass Grows

schoolyardplay — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:35:42 +0000

Down in the valley
where the green grass grows
there sat “girl’s name”,
pretty as a rose
she sang, she sang,
she sang so sweet
along came “boy’s name”,
and kissed her on the cheek
how many kisses
did she get that week?
1, 2, 3, 4….

Sitting in a Tree, K I S S I N G

schoolyardplay — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:17:54 +0000

Lisa and Jasper
sitting in a tree
K-I-S-S-I-N-G
First comes love,
then comes marriage,
then comes the baby in the baby carriage
suckin’ his thumb,
wettin’ his pants,
doin’ the hoochie coochie dance.

A my name is Alice

schoolyardplay — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:07:27 +0000

Kids sit in a circle, Indian style, and start a clapping pattern. Both hands slap knees, cross to tap shoulders, clap together, shoulders, knees, shoulders, together, etc. The person who is “it” goes first. Speaking to the rhythm of the clapping of the group, start with the letter A and choose a girl’s name, boy’s name, place they come from and something they sell. When that person is finished, after their hands touch their knees, they arch the right hand, over to the left knee to clap their hands on top of that knee. The person sitting next to them at that knee is the next person to go. The group clap pattern never stops…

A my name is Alice and my husband’s name is Andy and we come from Alabama and we sell apples
B my name is Beth and my husband’s name is Brad and we come from Buffalo and we sell bananas
C my name is Connie and my husband’s name is Chris and we come from Chicago and we sell corn

Bubble Gum in a Dish!

schoolyardplay — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:32:32 +0000

Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum,
In a Dish!
How many pieces do you wish?
(The person picks a number.) (EXAMPLE: 4!)
1, 2, 3, 4!
You are out you dirty, dirty dish rag you!

(optional:::add to the end)
blue, shoo, goo, you!

Blondie and Dagwood

schoolyardplay — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 03:48:10 +0000

Blondie and Dagwood went to town
Blondie bought an evening gown
Dagwood bought a pair of shoes
and Cookie bought the evening news
and this is what it said:
Close your eyes and count to ten
if you miss, start again.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10!

Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe

schoolyardplay — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 03:38:04 +0000

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe.
Catch a tiger by the toe.
If he hollers, let him go.
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe.
My mother said to pick the very best one
and you are I – T – it!

My Mother and Your Mother

schoolyardplay — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 02:07:50 +0000

Kids stand in a circle, make a fist with one hand and put it in the circle. One kid chants the rhyme, while tapping each kid’s hand in turn for each syllable said.

My mother and your mother
were hanging the clothes.
My mother punched your mother
right in the nose.
What color was the blood?

(the kid who’s hand got tapped on “blood” answers with a color) Purple!

P – U – R – P – L – E Spells purple
and you are It!

Miss Mary Mack

schoolyardplay — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 06:35:24 +0000

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 fifteen cents,
cents, cents

to see the elephants,
elephants, elephants

jump over the fence,
fence, fence.

They jumped so high,
high, high

they reached the sky,
sky, sky

and they didn’t come back,
back, back

’til the fourth of July,
July, July.