Down By the Banks

Down By the Banks of the Hanky Panky

Where the Bullfrogs Jump From Bank to Bank

Saying eee I Skittle Scattle Big Fat “Bull” Frog!

Have all the children sit in a circle.  Then ask them to put their right hand under the hand of the person to the right of them and their left hand on top of the person on their left.  (You can have the left hand under and the right hand on top as long as everyone does the same thing).  Walk around and make sure all the children have their hands in the correct positions.  Ask one child in the group to lead the song and be the first to slap (gently) the person’s hand beside them.  As everyone sings the song, the children will take their hand that is on top and slap the person’s hand beside them. (They will all slap in the same direction.  If you are playing with left hands on top, everyone will slap the person’s hand on their right, and if you are playing with right hands on top, everyone will slap the person’s hand on their left).  They cannot slap the person’s hand beside them until their hand has been slapped.  The child who gets his/her hand slapped at the end of the song on the word “Frog” is out.  The game continues until there are only two children left. The last two children can choose to either sing the song and play thumb war to decide who is the winner or continue playing the game by slapping hands.  Sometimes it’s best to have them continue slapping hands if there is an older child and a younger child competing against each other.

Another Version:

You can also give the children the opportunity to move their hand on the word “Frog” to stay in the game.  If the child is able to move their hand quick enough without getting slapped by person beside them, they will be the one who stays in the game and the child who tried to slap their hand will be the one that is out.