A counting-out game or counting-out rhyme is a simple method of 'randomly' selecting a person from a group, often used by children for the purpose of playing another game. It usually requires no materials, and is achieved with spoken words or hand gestures.

Counting-out rhyme, gibberish formula used by children, usually as a preliminary to games in which one child must be chosen to take the undesirable role designated as “It” in the United States, “It” or “He” in Britain, and “wolf,” “devil,” or “leper” in some other countries.

However, it is unique in its use of a counting-out rhyme scheme, which gives the poem a playful and sing-song quality. This is particularly evident in the first and third stanzas, which repeat the line "Silver bark of beech, and sallow."

Discover a rich collection of Counting out with lyrics and history.

"Eeny, meeny, miny, moe" – which can be spelled a number of ways – is a children's counting-out rhyme, used to select a person in games such as tag, or for selecting various other things. It is one of a large group of similar rhymes in which the child who is pointed to by the chanter on the last syllable is chosen.

This simple counting-out rhyme originally from the United States is now popular all over the English speaking world. It is a fun game to play in kindergarten or preschool alike but older kids may enjoy it as well.

A counting-out game is a simple game intended to select a person to be "it", often for the purpose of playing another game. Many such games involve one person pointing at each participant in a circle of players while reciting a rhyme. A new person is pointed at …

May 11, 2013 · Today I wanted to share some counting out rhymes with you. See if you remember any of them. Most of the rhymes are said as children are standing in a circle or line-with one lead person pointing out each person as they say each word-eliminating players in the group until only one is left to be ‘it’ first.

Feb 5, 2010 · Counting out rhymes help choose who goes first in a game, or who’s “It”. I found these rhymes below in a book of games called What Shall We Do Now?: Five Hundred Games and Pastimes (1907) by Dorothy Canfield Fisher.

Counting-out rhymes are simple rhymes used to select teams or a person to be "it" for a game. These short rhymes reinforce phonemic awareness. Big one, small one Skinny one, tall one, Old one, fat one, I choose that one. One potato, two potato, Three potato, four. Five potato, six potato, Seven potato, more.