No.220
Clapping Relay
Japanese name: パチパチ拍手リレー
Materials
- None
How to play
- Make a circle with space so neighboring hands will not collide. Choose a direction for passing the clap, such as clockwise. The facilitator joins the circle.
- The first person looks at their neighbor and claps once. That person passes one clap to the next neighbor, sending the sound around one person at a time.
- A full circuit succeeds when the clap returns from the last person to the first. If it stalls, resume slowly from that point.
- After one circuit, reverse the direction. Once confident, agree on only one added rule, such as two claps reversing the direction.
- Finish after 3–5 circuits. Anyone who cannot comfortably make a sound may turn an open palm toward the next person instead. Notice that everyone helped complete the chain.
Ways to adapt
Preschool children: one fixed direction. Younger primary school children: reverse between rounds. Older primary school children: add a reversal cue.