What if I told you there was a way to encourage cooperation and communication among your children while at the same time improving their patience and perseverance?
And your children would think they were just playing a game.
Would you be interested?
That is exactly what hand clapping games have done for us.
We started playing hand clapping games as a way to pass the time. I introduced my girls to a few rhymes. They learned a few more from friends. And then we searched the Internet for even more hand clapping games.
As I watched them practice new rhymes, I realized they were building more than just hand-eye coordination. Here’s a few of the ways they were also learning to work together and communicate with each other.
How hand clapping games encouraged cooperation and communication
Choosing a hand clapping game and variation
The most obvious way they had to communicate was first deciding which hand clapping rhyme they would do. This sometimes required a little back and forth discussion, but was usually settled pretty easily.
Once they decided on the rhyme, they had to decide which variation they would use. This often required some compromise.
Teaching each other a new game
If one of my daughters knew the rhyme and clapping pattern and the other one didn’t, she had to patiently provide clear directions and often demonstrate the clapping game. They developed their own short hand of sorts as they taught each other a game.
Maintaining a consistent rhythm
Have you ever tried to maintain a consistent clapping speed and pattern with someone? It’s not easy. Children must work together to maintain the same rhythm and beat for the rhyme. Often, one child has to slow down while the other one speeds up.
This provides the faster child an opportunity to also practice being patient as the slower child improves his speed and ability. On the flip side, it provides the slower child an opportunity to persevere as he works to improve.
These are just a few of the benefits of hand clapping games. You can read about nineteen more reasons I love hand clapping games.
