In a world full of smart phones and tablets, it’s hard for millennials to connect to something that doesn’t require a charger. There was a time when eating dinner with your family, without your phone or iPad, was quality time. Remember when we used to speak to each other while not gazing down on our phone to see who text us?
It reminds me of the importance of family time, allowing us to bond and pass on traditions to the next generation, like our favorite childhood games.
For those of us who grew up before the days of the Internet and smart phones, (you know who you are) hand clapping games ruled the playground. Whether they were played outside during recess or on a long bus ride during a field trip, it was the #1 way to pass the time.
Nothing says childhood quite like a good hand-clapping game like “Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack” or “pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake.” And, who can forget about making fun of your friends’ by singing “Sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G?” Traditional childhood fun, right?
These days, not so much. In a high-tech, rushed, and over stimulated society, young kids don’t have to entertain themselves with hand-clapping games anymore.
Univision, the largest American Spanish language network, pushes parents to pledge 15 minutes a day to their little ones, whether it’s reading them a book or teaching them their favorite hand-clap game of “Mariposa.”
A hand-clapping game is an activity that brings kids together across multiple boundaries and beliefs. The hope is that these childhood diversions remain a part of the different cultures for a long, long time.
So come on! Let’s get our hand clapping game on and play concentration.
Source: Adeline Cruz-Phillips
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OMG! Ms. Mary Black, I used to sing that all the time. Thanks for the nostalgic trip down memory lane 🙂 Great piece!
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Handclapping days, gone with the winds, Oh how I wish those times could by rewinded ,so that children and Adults too, can learn the value of bonding in togetherness. I can only Imagine. Thanks for bringing back the Nostalgia.
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I loved hand clapping. We used to get together as a neighborhood and play. Ah… the good old days. And it is an amazing game for family.
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Surely miss those good ole days. 😊
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This is so true. Well said
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I especially appreciate your admonition to spend fifteen minutes a day (Only fifteen?) with our children in an activity such as reading together or a hand-clapping game, which develops so much more than hand-eye coordination.
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It’s a start. Reading the comments from the other bloggers they can’t keep the hand held devices away from them more than a few minutes. 😊
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I really appreciate the years back we were more free from all these social media sources, internet and all technical stuff. Yes they help a lot today but to be honest I can hear from a lot of people they miss the sweet calm simple days without all these devices. We were somewhat closer to each other, played, chatted more. I remember how creative I was years back when playing with my children and how many projects we did almost each day. Yes I admire, I miss these days and trying to read more books, do some hand works or paintings.
Thank you for sharing this and bring back some nice memories.
Blessed day!
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Todavia en España los niños en el colegio juega asi y come en familia
Spanish kids still play this way in school !! and eat together as a family
Great times………………………………..
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Bueno saber…good to know!
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It gets a bit tiresome to remind the children that there’s no devices allowed at the table. They seem to have a hard time understanding why but they didn’t live in the era where these things simply didn’t exist.
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Totally understand. 😊
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Yes, a true clarion call to everyone. We shouldn’t let technology take away the fun we get by playing together as one family. It’s worth preserving those acts that bind us together.
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Well said. In my family this is the time we gather to talk about our day – even if its a few minutes…it’s worth it.
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Thank you. Yes, it’s worth it. Well done.
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How can we play hand clapping games when both hands are holding and typing on one gadget or the other?
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The times are changing.
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They sure are.
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Love this..thanks for sharing
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