Handclapping songs: a spontaneous platform for child development among 5–10‐year‐old children

Abstract

The impact of music activity on children’s motor and cognitive skills has been investigated with music learning, instrument lessons and classroom music. While none have employed natural utterances, singing games or playground/street songs, these musical experiences of childhood are acknowledged as a major platform for child development. The current study isolated handclapping songs exploring the association of performance quality with classroom academic achievement and examined whether children who spontaneously engage in handclapping songs activity demonstrate improved motor or cognitive abilities. Finally, the study investigated the outcome of a two‐group eight‐week classroom intervention. The study found that: (1) children who were more skillful at performing handclapping songs were more efficient First Graders; (2) Second Graders who spontaneously engage in handclapping songs were advantaged in bimanual coupling patterns, verbal memory and handwriting; and (3) classroom handclapping songs training was more efficient than music appreciation classes in developing non‐music skills among Second and Third Graders.

Keywords:

• handclapping songs
• transfer effects
• bimanual coupling
• aural dictation
• gender differences

Acknowledgements

This study was conducted by Dr Idit Sulkin in partial fulfillment for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. We wish to acknowledge the efforts of Prof. Dr. Wilfried Gruhn (Germany) and Professor Frances H. Rauscher (USA) who commented on earlier versions of the paper.

Notes

A short video demonstration of three handclapping songs described in this paper can be found at: http://cmsprod.bgu.ac.il/humsos/departments/art/staff/Warren.htm

‘Zoom Zoom’ (Bumble Bee), ‘Boom Kaf’ (gibberish) and ‘Kushie Katan’ (Little Black Dog).