This book presents a unique annotated collection of some 2000 playground games rhymes and
wordplay of London children. It charts continuity and development in childlore at a time of
major social and cultural change and offers a detailed snapshot of changes in the traditions
and language of young people. Topics include: starting a game counting-out rhymes games
(without songs) singing and chanting games clapping skipping and ball bouncing games
school rhymes and parodies teasing and taunting traditional belief and practice traditional
wordplay and a concluding miscellany. Recorded mainly in the 1980s by primary schoolteacher
Nigel Kelsey transcribed verbatim from the children's own words and accompanied by extensive
commentaries and annotation the book sets a wealth of new information in the wider historical
and contemporary context of existing studies in Britain Ireland and other parts of the
English-speaking world. This valuable new resource will open new avenues for research and be of
particular interest to folklorists and linguists as well as to those working across the full
spectrum of social cultural and educational studies.
