You're It! 

 

 

 

You Are It Rhymes, Verses and Games

Fun ways to choose who will be "it" at the start of a game. 


Heads or Tails
One player flips a coin into the air.   While it is in the air another player calls out "heads" or "tails".  If the coin lands with the picture of the person face up that is "heads".  If it lands with the opposite side facing up it is "tails".  This works well for 2 players - for a larger group break off into groups of two and the winners face off against each other.
Variation:  Sometimes players will do "best 2 out of 3" ... or "best 4 out of 5". 
If you don't have a coin you can use any small flat object such as a button, washer or bottle cap.  Just be sure to agree beforehand which side is heads and which side will be tails.

Rock, Paper, Scissors
Players make two fists and hit them on top of each other twice ... then the third time they make a symbol with their hand.  The three symbols you can make are Rock, Paper and Scissors.
Rock - Hand is kept in a fist.
Paper - Hand is flattened out.
Scissors - Hand is held with two fingers out.
The winner is determined as follows:
Rock - beats Scissors
Paper - beats (covers) Rock
Scissors - beats Paper
If players choose the same item it is a draw. 

 

 

 

Sky Blue (Quick and easy!)
One, two, sky blue,
all out except you. 

 

"It" rhymes
These rhymes are used for larger groups of children. Children stand in a circle and each put a fist into the center.  One person starts on each syllable uses their fist to tap the top of each child's fist. The last one they hit either is "it" or is removed from the circle depending on the rhyme.

 

Engine, Engine
Engine, engine, number nine
going down the county line.
If the train falls off the track,
do you want your money back?
(Person who's fist is tapped on the syllable "back" chooses either yes or no - then that word is spelled out, one letter per fist)
If yes:  Y - E - S spells yes and you shall have your money back.
If no:   N - O spells no and you don't get your money back.

 

 

 

One Potato, Two Potato
One potato, two potato, three potato, four.
Five potato, six potato, seven potato, more.
Player who had their fist tapped on "more" would remove themselves from the circle and the rhyme would begin again - the player who was left from the group would be it.




Eenie, meenie, minie moe
Eenie, meenie, minie, moe
Catch a tiger by the toe,
If he hollers,
let him go,
Eenie meenie, minie, moe.

Variation:
Eeinie meenie, minie moe
catch a tiger by the toe,
if he hollers,
pay fifty dolllars ....
My mother told me to pick the very best one and you are not it.

Ick - a, Bick - a
Ick-a Bick-a soda crack-a
Ick-a, Bick-a boo,
Ick-a, Bick-a soda crack-a
Out goes you.

 

 

 

Inka Binka Bottle of Ink

Inka Binka bottle of ink,
the cork fell out and you stink,
not because you're dirty,
not because you're clean,
but because you kissed a (boy or girl)
behind a magazine ...
and you are now it.

 

 

 

Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum  (This is also a fun jump rope rhyme )
Bubble gum, bubble gum
in a dish,
How many pieces
do you wish?  (The player who's fist is tapped on the syllable "wish" picks a number and then the tapping of fists continues the amount of that number.) Then ...
My mother told me to pick the very best one and you are not it.