The Hand-Slapping Game

Good for ages 7-15.
Equipment: none
Number who can join: unlimited but it makes for a long game! The children make a circle, lying down on the floor on their tummies with their hands on the floor in front of them palms down. (This can be done around a table too!) Each child has her left arm linked through the right arm of the girl beside her. And her right arm linked through the left arm of the girl on the other side. So, each girl has two hands in front of her, the left hand of her right hand neighbour and the right hand of her neighbour to the left. One person starts- she picks the direction of travel of the slap and then she slaps her hand on the table. One slap means the slap continues in that direction, and two slaps mean that the direction is reversed. In either case only the hand immediately adjacent to her hand in the appropriate direction of travel is to go next. If someone misses their turn they are out and must remove that hand! (This gives each girl 2 chances at being 'out' which is more fun than messing up once and being removed from the game). The game continues in the opposite direction, with the next hand having the next turn.