Abstract
When the project of “Scientific Research of Folk Music in Cheju Island”.d.dmembers were Tetsuo SAKURAI (leader) and the present writer.d.dwas achieved from January to February 1976, we tried a field survey of various folk musics including children's game songs. Visiting several elementary schools and alleyways in Cheju city, we gathered (1) picture drawing songs (2) jump rope songs (3) ball bouncing songs (4) hand clapping songs (5) game songs with body movements (note 1).
A general survey of these songs' musical construction shows a certain conjecture, i.e. there might be a relationship between the tension of games and songs.
1) If the tension of games is high, musical construction of songs is rather simple ...difficulty or facilityofthe playing technique is not concerned(picture drawing songs, jump rope songs)
2) The tension in personal play .d.deven if playing technique is complicated. d.dis rather low. So, children can enjoy both games and singing songs. (ball bouncing songs)
3) In hand clapping songs especially, children play this hand clapping game enjoying themselves by singing songs.
In conclusion, a research of game songs in old times seems to be essential to systematize children's game songs.
(note 1) names of these games were cited from “Game Songs of Japanese Children” edited by Fumio KOIZUMI, 1969.
