Kids Rhymes for Choosing It!

This page enlists some of the most popular rhymes for choosing It. Almost every kid’s game, outdoor or indoor, requires one of the kids to be selected as “It”.

An “It” in any kid’s game is usually perceived as the one who has to do most of the hard work and therefore is a least preferred role. But, if one looks through a positive perspective “It” is the one who actually gets to have most fun. Therefore, the procedure of “How to choose an It” should be impartial, transparent and most importantly… Fun!

Caution to Moms: A few of the following rhymes may sound familiar and friendly as you might have rhymed them yourself as a child. So be prepared to dig out some naughty rhymes for selecting “It” for your child that has a pinch of nostalgia and a tweak of fun!

Engine-Engine

In this rhyme for choosing “It” all the kids will stand in a circle and one of them will recite:

“Engine-engine, number nine,
Going down the Chicago line,
If the train falls off the track,
Would you want your money back?”

The kid on which the last word of the rhyme i.e. “back” has ended has to answer by saying either Yes or No. Accordingly, one of the kid after him will be eliminated (YES means the third child after him and NO means the second child after him) i.e. safe for being chosen as “It”.

A new cycle will start with the remaining number of kids and shall continue in this fashion till all of the kids gets eliminated but one who becomes the “It”.

My Mother-Your Mother

In this rhyme for choosing “It” all the kids will stand in a circle and one of them will recite:

“ My mother & your mother were hanging out the clothes,
My mother punched your mother one right in the nose,
What color was the blood?”

The kid on which the last word of the rhyme i.e. “blood” has ended has to answer by naming any color. Accordingly, one of the kid after him will be eliminated (RED means the third child after him and GREEN means the fifth child after him) i.e. safe for being chosen as “It”.

A new cycle will start with the remaining number of kids and shall continue in this fashion till all of the kids gets eliminated but one who becomes the “It”.

Blue Shoe-Blue Shoe

In this rhyme for choosing “It” all the kids will stand in a circle and one of them will recite:

“ Blue shoe, blue shoe,
How old are you?”

The kid on which the last word of the rhyme i.e. “you” has ended has to answer by telling his age. Accordingly, one of the kid after him will be eliminated (7 years means the seventh child after him and 5 years means the fifth child after him) i.e. safe for being chosen as “It”.

A new cycle will start with the remaining number of kids and shall continue in this fashion till all of the kids gets eliminated but one who becomes the “It”.

Potato-Potato

In this rhyme for choosing “It” all the kids will stand in a circle and one of them will recite:

“ One potato, two potatoes, three potatoes...four,
Five potatoes, six potatoes, seven potatoes…more!”

The kid on which the last word of the rhyme i.e. “more” has ended will be eliminated i.e. safe for being chosen as “It”.

A new cycle will start with the remaining number of kids and shall continue in this fashion till all of the kids gets eliminated but one who becomes the “It”.

Ika-Bika

In this rhyme for choosing “It” all the kids will stand in a circle and one of them will recite:

“ Ika bika soda cracker,
Ika bika boo,
Ika bika soda cracker,
Out go you!”

The kid on which the last word of the rhyme i.e. “You” has ended will be eliminated i.e. safe for being chosen as “It”.

A new cycle will start with the remaining number of kids and shall continue in this fashion till all of the kids gets eliminated but one who becomes the “It”.

Eenie-Meenie

In this rhyme for choosing “It” all the kids will stand in a circle and one of them will recite:

“ Eenie-meenie meinie-moe,
Catch a tiger by the toe,
If he hollers make him pay,
Twenty dollars every day,
My mother told me you are not it you dirty old dishrag you!”

The kid on which the last word of the rhyme i.e. “You” has ended will be eliminated i.e. safe for being chosen as “It”.

A new cycle will start with the remaining number of kids and shall continue in this fashion till all of the kids gets eliminated but one who becomes the “It”.

Inka-Binka

In this rhyme for choosing “It” all the kids will stand in a circle and one of them will recite:

“ Inka Binka bottle of ink,
The cork fell off and you stink,
Not because you're dirty,
Not because you're clean,
Just because you kissed a girl
Behind a magazine!”

The kid on which the last word of the rhyme i.e. “magazine” has ended will be eliminated i.e. safe for being chosen as “It”.

A new cycle will start with the remaining number of kids and shall continue in this fashion till all of the kids gets eliminated but one who becomes the “It”.

Mickey Mouse

In this rhyme for choosing “It” all the kids will stand in a circle and one of them will recite:

“ Mickey Mouse -Mickey Mouse,
How many nails did it take to build your house?”

The kid on which the last word of the rhyme i.e. “house” has ended has to answer by saying any number. Accordingly, one of the kid after him will be eliminated (3 means the third child after him and 5 means the fifth child after him) i.e. safe for being chosen as “It”.

A new cycle will start with the remaining number of kids and shall continue in this fashion till all of the kids gets eliminated but one who becomes the “It”.

Hands On!

All the kids will stand in a circle with each child placing (not holding) one of their hands over the other, as shown in the picture.

One of the kids will yell “Hands On” upon which all the kids will spring their hands in air, simultaneously, for a second and would come back to show either the Front side (lighter side) or the Back side (darker side) of their hand.

Check for the minority group and those kids will be safe. For e.g. out of 10 kids 4 have shown Front side and 6 have shown Back side, then the minority group of 4 kids will be safe.

A new cycle will start with the remaining number of kids and shall continue in this fashion till all of the kids gets eliminated but one who becomes the “It”.

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