{"id":21958,"date":"2018-12-20T13:52:35","date_gmt":"2018-12-20T17:52:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/summerofjim.com\/?p=21958"},"modified":"2019-03-27T12:10:09","modified_gmt":"2019-03-27T16:10:09","slug":"the-hand-game-chronicle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/summerofjim.com\/?p=21958","title":{"rendered":"The Hand Game Chronicle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Patty-cake, patty-cake baker\u2019s man<\/em>
Bake me a cake as fast as you can<\/em>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s how\nit all begins.  A simple poem paired with hand movements, and an 18 month old boy or girl seated on Mom\u2019s (or\nDad\u2019s) knee learns the basics in coordinated\nmovement set to rhyme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roll it, pat it & mark it with a \u201cB\u201d<\/em>
Put it in the oven for baby and me!<\/em>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, nature being what it is, it\u2019s natural for parents to change the \u201cB\u201d to a more apropos<\/em> letter\u2026 \u201cmark it with an \u201cS\u201d, put it in the oven for Suzy and me!\u201d  <\/em>Proving once again that rhyme, if inconvenient, can be discarded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then this little exercise is\nconcluded by raising baby\u2019s arms and saying \u201cYay\u201d!  And there isn\u2019t an 10 month old who doesn\u2019t recognize that this is the\nmost satisfying part of the game.  The \u201cYay\u201d, arms held high… a\ntoddler\u2019s version of a \u201ctouchdown celebration\u201d!  Everyone laughs. \nFinally, Mom (or Dad, or both) will be rewarded with a photo-op smile. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It isn\u2019t\ntoo long in a child\u2019s development when the love for this sort of hand game will\neither whither and die, or<\/em> will expand and flourish (at least for\nanother several years).  And I think for the most part this divergence in\nthe path is along gender lines.  I am not suggesting that there is a distinctive\ngenetic marker that predisposes girls to picking up more elaborate hand games,\nbut I can\u2019t ever recall seeing boys in the school yard engaged in interactive hand movements coordinated to humorous\nrhyme.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even for\ngirls, this cooperative hand play will fade from the scene (around 9 or 10?),\nthough not be entirely snuffed out.  There will be a period of \u201cdormancy\u201d,\nand then this proclivity would re-emerge in an altered state\u2026 the hand games\nprovided the base syncopation for further\nelaboration.  Added to the hand movements will be dance steps, and the poetry<\/em>\nwill be replaced by words set to a melody.\nAlso gone, the specific play between just two (sometimes three) participants.\nCue the Electric Slide and the Macarena, among others! Enter large group play!\n {SLIGHT DIGRESSION: There are many dances<\/em>\nthat have involved intricate choreography from Galliards in 16th<\/sup>\nCentury Europe, to contemporary Square Dancing and Texas Line Dancing\u2026 ornate?  Yes, but missing the overall effect of\nspecific hand movements and associated gestures.}<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ANNOYING\nDIGRESSION CONTINUED: Curiously, with the Electric Slide et al. men reappeared\non the stage.  Take in a scene during these \u201cgroup dances\u201d at a Wedding or\nBar Mitzvah, and women far out number the men. {FOR MY PERSONAL AMUSEMENT: I\nhave to shake my head, it\u2019s laughable when I see men fueled with a little booze\ntaking the plunge into these artful dance steps, manfully<\/em> trying to keep\npace, but more often than not, looking like a hair out of place.}<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just\nmaybe, just<\/em> maybe<\/em> —   I looked as much the fool as a\nshirt-undone-besotted-guy dancing the Macarena, when I tried to learn one of\nSuzy\u2019s hand games. And it is to these grade school-age hand games that we now\nfully turn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think\nthe \u201cgolden years\u201d for girls and hand games begins around age 7.  What do\nI base this on?  Because Shaina\u2019s Olivia is 7 and it seems to be a\nreasonable launch point.  Olivia has picked up one at her dance class and\nhas even begun to initiate her younger sister,\nBecca into the finer details <\/em><\/strong>of \u201cAvocado,\nAvocado\u201d. CURIOUS POINT: Learning these hand games appears to be a peer\ntaught, outside the home activity.  Maybe some of these hand games have\nprofanity laced doggerel that parents aren\u2019t supposed to hear?  At\nOlivia\u2019s age, Shaina played \u201cMs. Mary Mack\u201d with Katie Quell.  Possibly this was the girl equivalent of \u201cBarnacle\nBill the Sailor\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wish I\ncould recall when I first saw Suzy working thru \u201cShame, Shame, Shame\u201d, or who\nshe was playing it with.  But I can\u2019t.  And neither can Suzy (I asked\nher). Maybe Val Tamburo?  But for sure, when I first observed this hand\ngame in action I was impressed by the variety of the claps, slaps, pats &\netc., all employed in perfect time to the meter of the recited words. Recited\nin unison!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I loved\nthe way it started\u2026 each person pressed hands together (as if in prayer), and\nthen both swing their hands left and right,\nslapping the backsides of each other\u2019s hands\u2026 all the while saying in rhythm,\n\u201cShame, shame, shame.  On a hot summer day\u2026.\u201d   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\ndunno.  It seemed like something fun to learn.  But\u2026 try as I might,\nI never made it past the first lines, nor could I master the more involved\nsequence of hand movements. Suzy showed great patience in trying to get me\nfully on board.  She put the movements into \u201cslo-mo\u201d for me\u2026 taking me\nthru the steps, one by one.  It was for naught\u2026 I didn\u2019t have the\npatience. But\u2026. And wait for it\u2026 at the conclusion of the recitation, each\nparticipant was required to \u201cfreeze\u201d, and try to stare the other person\ndown!  I was redeemed!  Regardless of how I mangled the verse and\nmovements, I was, and remain, world class at \u201chold the pose, stare, don\u2019t\nblink\u201d! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now my\nkids are grown and have children of their own.  I realize that hand games\nare a minor part of our culturalization<\/em>\u2026 perhaps more important for\ngirls than boys?  But even for me, sitting side stage<\/em>, I love that\nthere is a marvelous simplicity in inventing games that require nothing more\nthan a friend, some words and some joint clapping and slapping.  No\naudio.  No gadgetry required. I can\u2019t imagine there was ever a hand game\nplayed that didn\u2019t have laughs\u2019 giggles and smiles\u2026 before, during and after.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yes,\nI\u2019m looking forward to seeing my granddaughters demonstrating\ntheir hand game expertise.  Perhaps new\nvariations?  Not that I\u2019m an expert on this stuff. If there happens\nto be questionable<\/em> words or phrases contained therein, I promise to keep\nmy delight hidden from my <\/em>children. After all, regardless of their<\/em>\nage\u2026 they are still my children, and Dads have to be mindful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

APOLOGIA:\nOK, Ok\u2026 if my grandchildren laugh at my children\u2019s expense & if I laugh,\ntoo\u2026 I\u2019m declaring that I\u2019m off the hook. Unless<\/em> it involves farting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shame, shame, shame
On a hot summer day<\/em>
Hey, hey<\/em>
Eenie, meenie, disobeenie<\/em>
Oooh bop bop, boleenie<\/em>
Atchee, catchee, liveratchee<\/em>
I hate boys!<\/em>
Give me a peach, give me a plum<\/em>
Give me a piece of fruity gum<\/em>
When the teacher rings the bell<\/em>
All the children scream and yell<\/em>
No more paper, no more books<\/em>
No more teachers\u00e2\u20ac™ dirty looks<\/em>
Just sit down, turn around<\/em>
Don\u2019t move, just freeze!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Suzy & Me. Wedding Day!
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Patty-cake, patty-cake baker\u2019s manBake me a cake as fast as you can That\u2019s how it all begins.  A simple poem paired with hand movements, and an 18 month old boy or girl seated on Mom\u2019s (or Dad\u2019s) knee learns the … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21958","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-family"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/summerofjim.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21958","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/summerofjim.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/summerofjim.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/summerofjim.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/summerofjim.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21958"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"http:\/\/summerofjim.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21958\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26128,"href":"http:\/\/summerofjim.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21958\/revisions\/26128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/summerofjim.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21958"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/summerofjim.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21958"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/summerofjim.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21958"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}