Clap Your Hands

by Lorinda Bryan Cauley

Full of reasons to get up and dance, Lorinda Bryan Cauley's popular picture book, now available in board book format, has been delighting children for nearly a decade. Little ones will jump at the chance to join this menagerie of zany animals and children as they stomp, wiggle, roar, and spin their way through the day, as the rhyming text reinforces important concepts.

Genres: Picture Books, Storytime, Childrens, Animals, Music, Plays, Young Adult

28 pages, Board book

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Delia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great book to be used for circle time or a time of transition within a preschool classroom! This book allows children to use their listening skills as well as gross motor skills. The fun illustrations encourage the children to want to get up and move just like the people and animals in the story.

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful, energetic pictures combined with a rhyming, whimsical text makes f0r a fun book that the children get up and move to when it's read to them.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

#1593 in our old book database. Rated: Indifferent.

Lively rhymes, detailed illustrations, and lots of opportunity to move along with the actions in the book. A good book for reading and playing with toddlers.

[Kate Hastings · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book! Children will enjoy doing the actions.

[Ramona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lorinda Cauley has written and illustrated a delightful short rhyming story for children. The pages are filled with expressive and colorful children and dressed animals. It encourages small ones and their parents to be active while reading the book! It is educational in many ways, for many ages. I can't wait to read this to our first great-grandson, as we shared it with his mom, our granddaughter! I would sing the story to her, and it was one of her favorites, for storytime, with Grammi.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the concept of this book is good. Unfortunately, the kids I read it to weren't into it.

[Shanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little book. Might read this one to family.

Mia’s 2nd Year of Books: Day 18 (playing catch up)

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

This went over extremely well in Toddler Time today. I always enjoy doing stories that invite participation. 9/30/11

Used at PJ Storytime. The hyperactive 6 year old maybe enjoyed it too much.

Used again in Lap Time. They really seemed to enjoy it though some of the activities are a little old for toddlers. Maybe should try Eyes, Nose, Fingers, and Toes at lap time next year and this in Story Time. 10/8/13

Used again and it was a great hit for story time. 9/23/14

Used with a Toddlers' class and went over really well.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful book! If you’re looking for a read-aloud that doubles as a movement activity, Clap Your Hands is it. With bright, whimsical illustrations of children at play, this book is packed with action prompts, keeping kids fully engaged as each page feels like a new game.

What I love about this book is how literacy and physical play blends together seamlessly. As children listen and respond, they strengthen listening comprehension, build vocabulary, and practice following directions — all while giggling and moving their bodies. It also supports gross motor development by encouraging a wide range of motions.

Whether read one-on-one or in a group, Clap Your Hands turns storytime into an interactive celebration. It’s a great way to show that books don’t have to mean sitting still—they can also invite us experience the story in a tangible way.

[Audrey Ibarra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clap Your Hands board book
“Full of reasons to get up and dance, Lorinda Bryan Cauley’s popular picture book, now available on board book format, has been delighting children for nearly a decade. Little ones will jump at the chance to join this menagerie of zany animals and children as they stomp, wiggle, roar, and spin their way through the day, as the rhyming text reinforces important concepts.”
I rated this book with 4 stars. I chose this book because it does have a way of making kids feel good and happy when they read it because they can join in as the read along and rhyme. The funny and colorful characters in it also help bring it to life. I think this book would be great for kids aged 3-8.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rhyming, lyrical text encourages kids to get up and move! The pictures are fun and include a mix of humans and animals. This is a great group read aloud as it encourages listening skills and movement to get out the wiggles and stay engaged. The board book is just the right length for toddlers and babies, while the hardback has a few more spreads and is more appropriate for preschoolers. When I use it in story time for babies or toddlers, I just paper clip a few pages together to shorten it because the board book isn't big enough to be seen by the entire group but the hardback is.

[E & E’s Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a lot of fun, but it will definitely wear a mama out! Each page has a lyrical phrase with multiple actions. I am doing all the work right now while Elliot watches me, either laughing at me or looking at me like I am a weirdo. On the first page, for example, it says "Clap your hands, stomp your feet, shake your arms, then take a seat." The body motions get more active and silly as the pages progress. This will be a lot more fun when Elliot is a bit older and can join in the silly body movements, but it is a favorite in our house already.

[Anjanabiswa]

By Lorinda Bryan Cauley
Summary: This books is about movement and getting readers to move in silly ways and answering questions.
Evaluation of Illustrations/Text: The illustrations cover the whole page in detail and color. The text in a bold text with a sentence per page.
Strategies for Use in the Classroom:
This book can be good for brain brakes and get the students who cannot sit for long to move around in funny and silly ways

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED it! So incredibly interactive! The rhymes are simple and simple to understand for little ones. This would make a fabulous story time book. With just a few omissions, it would make a wonderful closing rhyme book for story time!!!

[Colorado Buck · Rating 5 out of 5]

used for storytime today and loved it. could make it shorter if time is a constraint. it is VERY interactive. Lots of things for the kiddos to do with you. they seemed to really like it. used it for a moving and grooving storytime for preschoolers.

[Emily Farquhar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun book that has students chanting along! Each page is filled with rhymes and emotions paired perfectly with fun dancing pictures that incorporate motions encouraging students to acknowledge the importance of movement.

F&P: G
AR: 1.5

Six Traits:
Voice, Word Choice

[R. L. Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book as a child in an activity box growing up and imagine my surprise and delight when Dixie and I got to read it at toddler story time at our local library! I want to get her her own copy XD

[Annie Flanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really cute book. The illustrations are amazing.

It's a wonderful book for parents to read with their children - and to participate in some - if not all - of the different ways to clap one's hands.

[Mely · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book to play along with. Love all the animals illustrated.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great read-aloud for preschoolers. They really enjoy doing the actions as you read.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun interactive books for toddler storytime.

[Julia Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book for kids to play and participate with.

[Jane Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fun book that will get kids up and dancing! More suitable for 2 year olds rather than age 4+.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of actions! If you skipped a few of them (like "give me a kiss"), it would be great for preschool or toddler storytimes.

[Michelle Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so much fun in my Dance storytime.

[jazzy uriostegui · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter is learning how to talk more to me with this book

[Syntha Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be great for storytime

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so fun and interactive! My toddler had a blast acting out each page!

[Ryanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Son loves this book. So interactive. We love to act out and do what the pages tell us to do.

[Kaylynn Johnsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rhyming story full of calls to actions.