Yesterday I was teaching my daughter a song I had learned as a child. It was actually used in a hand clapping game my sister used to do with her friends while we road on the bus (in the four years I attended private school before my parents began homeschooling). Unfortunately, I was the "pesky" little sister, so she never bothered teaching the hand motions to me.

The song went like this:

Say say oh playmate

Come out and play with me

And bring your dollies three

We'll climb my apple tree

Slide down my rainbow

Into my cellar door

And we'll be jolly friends

For ever more.

After indulging in this bit of nostalgia, I began thinking about some of the other childhood games I remember, but haven't taught to my children, and all the ones I've probably forgotten.  I was thinking it would be nice to make some kind of website to record these games. That afternoon, I received this email from the Games For Learning Yahoo Group list:

I have an idea I'm starting to put into action that I need your help with. I've created a group at YouTube for people to upload videos of step-by-step instructions of children (or grownups) teaching how to do different playground games.

Examples would be:

hand clapping games
jump rope rhymes/games
chinese jump rope
traditional/chinese jacks
hop scotch
playground ball games
cat's cadle/string games
etc etc

The idea being a place to go to be able to learn all these wonderful games from our childhoods and to be able to pass them along to the next generation and so on. I want to see a resurgence of these games! I know they are still out there but doesn't seem like they are as prevalent as they used to be so I want to change that!

So help me out!! All you have to do is get your digital video cameras out and let your kids know that they can be a star on YouTube and help share some fun games with kids around the world! Break the how-to video up into short segments...Multiple videos will probably be necessary for many of the games...Just make sure you label them all with the same title and a very clear "PT 1, PT 2, etc" and go through it slowly and carefully to ensure that its easy for someone who's never heard or seen the game to be able to fully learn it from your video. Once you have a video you're happy with, go to the link above and join the group and upload it!

Make as many of these instructional videos as you like...Even ones that have been done already because there are so many variations of so many of these games! Ihope you will help me out and that your kids will enjoy making how-to videos!! I hope to hear from many of you soon!

Let me know if you have any questions.

Tina

Talk about providential! I love when God works things out like that, don't you? If you're interested in seeing what is posted or posting some videos of your own, please visit Playpalooza. Let's all renew our childhood memories this summer and help our children create some of their own. (And if any of you know the hand motions to THIS clapping song, I'd be extremely greatful if you'd teach them to me.)