Category Archives: Clap and Rhyme

We did the bull frog song…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: Amy
 

We did the bull frog song like this: Down by the bank of the hanky-pank where the bull frogs jump from bank to bank singin’ eep-ipe-ope-opp, he’s off the lily with a kerplop! We usually did that one in large groups and eliminated whoever got slapped at the kerplop. We did say-say-oh-playmate with different clapping than Savannah. We joined hands and swung them side-to-side for the “say-say-oh-playmate” part, then repeated the following: clapped twice, slapped fronts of hands, backs of hands, clapped, right hands, clapped, left hands. Our words for it were: Say, say, oh Playmate Come out and play with me And with my dollies three Climb up my apple tree Slide down my rainbow Into my pot of gold And we’ll be jolly friends Forever more, more, more-more-more (with lots of hand slapping!) My husband just doesn’t get it. Perhaps my children will . . .

When it comes to the racier…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: Annette
 

When it comes to the racier rhymes, I remember 2: Cinderella, dressed in yella Went downtown to see her fella On the way her girdle busted How many people were disgusted? 1,2,3, etc (sung while a kid jumped rope) __________ Lulu had a steamboat The steamboat had a bell Lulu went to heaven, The steamboat went to Hello operator Give me number 9 If you disconnect me I’ll beat your black behind the ‘frigerator (we were a group of African American kids) I had a piece of glass. Lulu sat upon it And cut her little Ask me no more questions I’ll tell you no more lies That’s the life of Lulu And that was how she died. Heh… I just had a flashback of Wanda P. the second grade schoolyard bully threatening to beat me up – that very day! – if I didn’t sing this “nasty” song with her. I sold out. Wanda hit hard!

Jackie – I remember a rhyme…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: Annette
 

Jackie – I remember a rhyme that sounded like your spades one: We did this one as a clapping game. Our hearts go two lumps together I like the weather bring back my love to me. What is the meaning, meaning, meaning That tells the story, story story The story of L-O-V-E, L-O-V-E, L-O-V-E, love? My heart goes criss, cross, applesauce. Bump-bump the apple Bump-bump the apple Bump-bump the apple – freeze. Of course then you had to freeze until one of the two kids lost it.

We played Flea, Fly, Flo…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: Annette
 

We played Flea, Fly, Flo – what you did was had some new, unsuspecting kid in your neighborhood that you dared to repeat every line, and it got progressively more difficult. That only worked once per kid, of course, but it was fun just to chant the thing with another kid, even if s/he knew all the words. Flea Flea Fly Flea fly flo-oh Vista Coomala, coomala, coomala vista No, no, no, not the vista Eeny-meeny desalini Oo walla walla meeny Dessameeny Zallameeny Ooo walla-wah. Bo-bo squattin’-dottin’ bo-bottin’ chow, Beet-belly oh-tin doh-tin Bo-bo bah deetin’-dottin’ Shhhhh

Is there anything being…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: DENNIS OOFT (bedstuy) [e-mail]
 

Is there anything being done to popularize Skelly again? I loved this game growing up in Bed-stuy on Gates & Lewis aves! With skelly one made new freinds, stayed out of trouble & engaged in some good ol’ clean fun ! Unlike these violent video games today, which keep kids in the house, encouraging anti-social behavior. I remember a kid whos’ top got kicked into the street. When his turn came back around he carefully aimed at the opposition and flung his top from a distance of at least twenty five feet away.The whole thing seemed like it happened in slow motion ! The top landed back on the board, hitting his rivals’ top then deflected into his desired number ! I’ve seen some good shots before but that was one of the coolest ! ” let’s keep skelly alive by any means necassary !

As my daughter said above,…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: Buster Merck [e-mail]
 

As my daughter said above, it was a wonderful Easter Sunday. I remember playing skully when I lived in the Casle Hill Projects in the Bronx. I had some much fun playing and teaching my children and grandchildren the game. And what I remembered the most was the making of the caps. I told my grandaughter, Taylor, she had to personalize the cap. The cap was the game. We would spend hours going through the trash just to find a few. And every on had their “favorite cap”. We would spend hours on the ground playing. And we were good at it. Showing my kids brought back great mamories. For just a little while, I felt like a kid agane.

WOW! Today is Easter…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: Tasha
 

WOW! Today is Easter and my parents as well as my brother and his wife joined us for dinner. It was a beautiful day outside and we took all opportunities to enjoy it. My daughter, 8, and sister in law decided to play on the driveway with chalk. My dad who was near by decided to reminisce and show my children and us adults (his children)how to play a game he played when he was a child growing up in the Bronx. Not remembering the name of the game, just the basics of it he taught us this really cool game that had us all playing, from my son age 5 to my dad 46. While playing we discussed how it would be neat to recall the exact rules and dimensions of this game as well as learn/remember others. I suggested the internet by searching under street games. We joked and said we could search under “ghetto games” as this is what my dad refered to them as. Low and behold here I am. When everyone left I came online to research the fun game we learned and played today as a family. I am way to excited to call my dad and send him this website. He will be thrilled. He taught us how to make the bottlecaps with crayons as weight and that is how I was able to pinpoint this game we played. Now I know the name and can find out more about it and learn others. Thank you for taking the time to make this site possible. Hopefully others can go back in time like we did and have just as much fun! Tasha O. Albany NY

I remember playing “Alary”….

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: Jenny Jansen [e-mail]
 

I remember playing “Alary”. It went one, two, three “alary”; four, five, six, “alary”; seven, eight, nine, “alary”; ten “alary” catch me. With every number you would bounce the ball on the ground, and at “alary” you had to pass it under your right leg. (If you made it without a mistake) Then start over and do the left leg. Then you would do both legs and say “alary, alary” under each leg. I remember doing “a butterfly”, then you would bounce the ball from the outside of your right leg into the middle, move over a bit and then bounce the ball from the outside of your left leg to the middle, you would say “a butterfly” instead of “alary”. One, two, three, “a butterfly”…Then there was “a clapsy” and you would have to clap as you bounced the ball…one, two, three, “a clapsy”. There was “a clapsy” behind your back. I’m sure there were more but I can’t think of it now.

Here’s a rhyme I picked…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: Victoriah Nichole Little [e-mail]
 

Here’s a rhyme I picked up somewhere: Blue bells, cockel shells, easy ivy over, I met by boyfriend at the candy store He bought me candy, he bought me cake, He brought me home with a tummy-ache… Mama, mama, I’m so sick, Call a doctor, quick quick quick! Doctor, Doctor, will I die? Count to five and you be all right. 1 2 3 4 5 I’m alive!