Hand game explained

Hand games are games played using only the hands of the players.^[1] Hand games exist in a variety of cultures internationally, and are of interest to academic studies in ethnomusicology and music education.^{[1] [2]} Hand games are used to teach music literacy skills and socio-emotional learning in elementary music classrooms internationally.^{[3] [4] [5]}

Examples of hand games

• Chopsticks (sticks)
• Clapping games
• Mercy
• Morra (finger counting)
• Odds and evens
• Pat-a-cake and variations:
  • Mary Mack
• Red hands (or hand-slap game)
• Rock paper scissors
• Thumb war (or thumb wrestling)
• "Where are your keys?" (language acquisition game)

Less strictly, the following may be considered hand games:

• Bloody knuckles
• Fingers (drinking game)
• Jacks
• Knife game
• Spellbinder
• Stick gambling
• String games, such as cat's cradle

Notes and References

1. Book: Forms of play of native North Americans . Edward Norbeck, Claire R. Farrer. Proceedings of the American Ethnological Society. 1977. St. Paul, Minnesota. West.
2. Catherine McLaughlin. 2009. Cultural hand games inspire students. Alberta Sweetgrass. 16. 4. 8.
3. Gluschankof . Claudia . Kenney . Susan Hobson. Music Literacy in an Israeli Kindergarten. General Music Today. 2011 . 25. 1. 45–49. 10.1177/1048371311414880 . 144182018 .
4. Book: Jacobi, Bonnie S. Music Educators Journal. Opportunities for Socioemotional Learning in Music Classrooms. December 1, 2012. 99. 2. 68–74.
5. Book: Twentieth-century school music literature in China: a departure from tradition. Lau, Wai-Tong. Journal of Historical Research in Music Education. October 1, 2005. 17. 1. 33.