Megan Sadler
Dr. Lynch
Recreation 120
April 2nd, 2013
Hand-Clapping Games
Description:
There are various types of hand-clapping games that can be played. Any age group can play and develop skills from them. During a hand-clapping game, two participants, at the most, are to sit about two feet away from each other with enough room for arm space. It is beneficial if both participants sit straight up in their chairs at ninety degree angles. Participants are to reach their hands out to their partners, with their elbows slightly bent in comfortable position. Hand-clapping games can include sliding your hands through another person’s hands, smacking hands together as if to give a high-five, crossing your hands with your partners, crossing your hands over your chest and into your lap, hitting your lab, and many other movements. Hand-clapping games include a pattern of rhythmic sequences. There are millions of different patterns of sequences, depending on which hand-clapping game is being played. Hand-clapping games have a very broad range of difficulty. The games can be very simple, or very difficult. It is best to modify the game and its level of difficulty based on the goal you are trying to reach for your client.
Precautions/Safety Issues:
No matter what environment you are in for hand-clapping games or how the facility was modified, always be sure the room is clear of any dangers that may seem could cause harm to you or your client. Clear the room of anything sharp or a hot temperature. Also, there should also always be certain specialists available in case something was to go wrong with your client (medically, emotionally, etc.). Be sure that the room you are performing activities in is equipped with all of the needs your client might have.
Social, Physical, Cognitive and Emotional Demands:
Hand-Clapping Games primary demand is physical. Partners smack the hands of each other continuously in a rhythmic sequence. Physical contact is present a lot in hand-clapping games. The secondary demand in hand-clapping games is cognitive. The participants have to think of what movement comes next in the game to be able to quickly present it towards their partner. The participant can gain strategic sequencing skills from hand-clapping games. Social and emotional demands are tertiary for hand-clapping games. When and if a game is modified, it may call for the specialist to speak to the client about various things, but the social demand is not strongly needed. The emotional demand is only presented when a client becomes happy, sad, frustrated or upset with the game.
Task Analysis:
Because there are so many different types of hand-clapping games, it is difficult to give a step by step analysis on the generality of the games. One popular hand-clapping game is “Slide”. Below are the steps to playing “Slide”.
1). Two players sit in chairs facing one another about two feet apart.
2). Participants stretch out their arms bending their elbows slightly to their bodies so that each player’s palms are facing their other palm.
3). Combine the two sets of hands together by moving the tips of the fingers towards the partner until the hands are equal.
4). Close the hands so they are linked with the partners.
5). Slide your hands away from your partner.
6). Clap hands once.
7). Clap YOUR right hand to your partner’s right hand ONCE and then your hands together again.
8). Clap YOUR left hand to your partner’s left hand ONCE and then your hands together again.
9). Place the backsides of both your hands to the backsides of both your partner’s hands.
10). High-five your partner with BOTH palms of your hands.
11). Clap your hands ONCE together again.
12). Repeat the process, now only adding ONE MORE CLAP to steps 7 and 8 where you clap your right and left hands to your partners.
13). Keep repeating the process, adding a clap to each hand against your partners each round.