How do you teach babies to clap?

[Happybunny]

Ok, I know it might sound obvious, but I have been modelling clapping since day one and holding April's hands and clapping them with her, but we are nowhere near independent clapping. I know babies do things when they are good and ready, but should I be doing anything to help her? (Pushy parent alert!!!! )

She has quite good manual dexterity. She can manipulate things well, pass things from one hand to the other and coordinate two hands to hold a bottle. When I try to get her to clap, she only opens one hand and keeps the other as a fist. She looks like she is threatening to punch someone

How old was your little one when they began clapping? How did they learn, from watching or doing with you or both (or something else?)

 

[Bee]

Still waiting

He'll clap your hands and pee himself if you clap but is only just getting his sorted

He plays with his hands all the time as well - just won't clap them

 

[Beatlesfan]

If you're happy and you know it song got Imogen clapping after our many attempts...
we only used to clap when she did something you know we'd go "yay!" and clap, but she'd just watch. but with the song, she anticipated what was coming then clapped!

Now she claps herself for doing quite a lot of things.... walking, putting shapes in sorter, playing peek a boo..... she's so cute!!

another song is wind the bobbin up...

 

[KJL]

Layla started clapping at about 8 months. She picked it up from gymboree music class. One day when she was watching baby motzart i noticed her clapping, since then she claps at everything! We're now on to blowing kisses

 

[charlie84]

We played alot of pattacake Calleigh loved and still does love holding onto each of my hands whilst i clap.
Her first attempts at clapping were one hand closed fist and the other open and she would clap like that, hands not always meeting
Then all of a sudden she just clapped one day to Kings Of Leon on the telly (quickly went and got the cam to record )
Now she loves clapping at music, when she drinks from her sippy cup and she even claps when she goes to bed

 

[beanie]

OH spent ages teaching Seren to clap only for her to do it when he wasn't there. Cally just started clapping one day without either of us encouraging her.

 

[mummykay]

Jam jus started doin it one day, he always used to clap my hands then decided when he was ready lol

 

[Mrs_Jay]

Jack didnt actually do it until he was about a year but now he does it whenever he thinks hes done something clever. but we only did what you are doing

 

[Meggiewoo]

I was wondering this as well, and waving! Canny wait for that! Oh and hugging and kissing and....................
..................................

Kim x x x x

 

[daftscotslass]

We did the same as you and just clapped her hands with ours on top and clapped our hands in front of her while saying "clap your hands". Didn't take her long to pick it up though she needed reminded what to do at first. It was late September she started doing it so she was about 5 and a half months - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMaJjGIEsc0

Waving she just seemed to pick up by herself - OH said "bye" to her one day about a month ago and she just waved back at him.

You say you want her to learn but just wait until she starts doing it in the middle of the night

 

[Squiglet]

Clap your hands for daddy coming on the wagon way...
With a pocket full of money and a bag full of hay yaaa yaaa...


While clapping she was about 4 months... started doing it... and she joined in one day.. and whenever we have a tantrum now we sing this song and she stops and starts clapping..

 

[Happybunny]

Awww thanks for the cool vids Squig and DSL!! Fantastic! I sing that song too! April LOVES it when I clap and it distracts her from meltdown, however, we are still no closer! Every time I tried to hold her hands today, she would grab my fingers to pull herself up!! The tinker!

 

[trixipaws]

melissa was clapping independantly VERY early (about 4 months) but i dont think its something i ought to boast about as its only due to the amount of jeremy kyle, loose women, ricki lake, trisha and jerry springer she is subjected to

she hears clapping all the time, and just copies. she is already starting to chant "jerry! jerry! jerry!" along with her chav-chic/trailer-trash-vogue loving mummy

 

[Gem & Leland]

im still waiting , his only just waved this week

 

[purple13]

connor's clapped in a vague sort of way this week (for the first time) but he's promptly forgotten how to do it again.

i keep pushing his hands together to remind him but he just gives me a sort of look

 

[Magic Monkey]

Ella clapped about 2 weeks ago, with a fist and a flat hand to begin with and then properly. We clap when she does things, and she just started joining in, now when you say clever girl she claps herself!

 

[Tillytots]

James just started clapping last Sunday. I sit with him every night and play pattacake and he just started clapping to music on the TV He hasnt stopped since, he opens his eyes in the morning and starts the day with a clap

 

[CoreysMummy]

Hmmm... I need to get clapping at him then!

*Runs off to wake Corey from his nap and at him all day*

 

[GBLiz]

anjali started clapping a couple of weeks ago....we didnt do anything particular to initiate it, maybe from watching deal or no deal every day!!!

 

[littlepip]

Ryan started to clap a couple of weeks ago. he just started doing it one day lol i always clap when's he's done something good, but ive never intentially taught him how to clap. Now whenever i say well done good boy he starts to clap (how vain lol) Or if i clap he will copy