Ip Dip rhymes and counting out  

 

‘Ip Dips’ are rhythmic counting out games often used in playgrounds to decide who is ‘it’ or ‘on’ in another game. They have been commonplace since the 1950’s and are still used today. Players commonly put their feet into a huddle, and these are counted out in turn until the last remaining is declared on and the games begins. There are lots of rhymes and like skipping rhymes these can have local variants that change over time. 

 Here are some examples including those have been heard in Nottingham: 

Eeny Meeny Miney Mo 

Put the baby on the po 

When it’s done  

Wipe its bum 

Eeny Meeny Miney MO! 

Ip dip dation 

Corporation 

How many buses are in the station? 

(whoever it lands on chooses)…..”4” 

1,2,3,4, so O U T spells OUT! 

Eeny meeny macka racka 

Rair eye dommy nacka 

Chicka packa lolly packa 

Om pom push 

Ip dip pen and ink 

Who did that big stink? 

You shall have it for your supper 

On a piece of bread and butter 

O U T spells OUT! 

One potato, two potato 

Three potato, four 

Five potato, six potato 

Seven potato more 

(uses fists rather than feet) 

As fair as fair as it can be 

The king of Egypt said to me 

The one that comes to number three 

Must be he 1,2,3 

 

Ibble obble black bobble 

Ibble obble out! 

Ip dip sky blue 

Who’s it, not you! 

Ip dip battleship 

You are not it 

O U T spells OUT!