Overview

“Cinderella Dressed in Yella” is a playful children’s rhyme repurposed as a classic picking game to decide things like who takes the role of “it” in games like tag. Players sit or stand in a circle, while the reciter sings the familiar tune and points to each participant, ultimately selecting “it” through a fun, fair process that combines rhyme and counting.

How To Play

Here’s how to play:

• Gather Players – Get everyone intending to participate in the game together and form a circle. Someone is chosen to recite the rhyme (sometimes this is the oldest child playing, sometimes it is the winner of another choosing game, other times it is whomever comes out as winner in a great debate over who should have the job.)
• Recite Rhyme – The reciter chants: “Cinderella, dressed in yella, went upstairs to kiss her fella. Made a mistake, kissed a snake, how many doctors will it take?” while going around the circle and pointing at a new player with each word.
• Selection Process – The player they’re pointing to on “take?” picks a number. The reciter then continues pointing at players while counting to that number, starting at the next player. The person they’re pointing at when they reach the chosen number becomes “it.”

Multimedia

No video exists from the hundreds of times I went through “Cinderella Dressed in Yella” to get a game started in the late 70s and early 80s; the internet didn’t turn up any examples either. So, the next best thing is a couple renditions of the song. Here’s audio:

And here’s a video of a skilled jumper of ropes singing her rendition of the song:

Equipment

No equipment is required—just a group of players ready to play who know the “Cinderella Dressed in Yella” chant.

Tips

Here are tips for using “Cinderella Dressed in Yella” for choosing:

• Keep It Fair – Rotating the reciter gives everyone a chance to lead.
• Syllables Instead Of Words – Some reciters prefer to point to the next person with every syllable instead of word.
• Pick Wisely – If you have the privilege of deciding how many doctors it takes, be aware that a low number—5 to 10—keeps things moving but a high number—73 or 116—is likely to bring laughs and groans from your playmates.

History

Though “Cinderella Dressed in Yella” is best known as a jump rope rhyme from the mid-20th century, its use as a picking game likely stems from playground traditions. It’s likely that one day, some forgotten child on some forgotten playground who knew the song from jumping rope repurposed it for picking kickball captains. It delighted her friends and spread.

It was A Thing during my youth and I observed it in use in the 90s and early 2000s while running early learning and school-age programs. Rhymes like this, passed down orally, have long helped kids fairly choose players.

Variations And Related Games

Check out these variations and related games:

• Elimination Option – The chant is changed to “Cinderella, dressed in yella, went upstairs to kiss her fella. Made a mistake, kissed a snake, and you are not it.” The person pointed at on the last word is eliminated and the chant is repeated until only one person is left.
• Shortened Rhyme – When everyone’s ready to start the game, the chant is sometimes shortened to “Cinderella, dressed in yella, who’s it gonna be?” pointing to each player, with the last one picked as “it”.
• Reciter Inclusion – Sometimes kids include the reciter in the picking, but other times they do not.
• Bubble Gum – “Bubble gum, bubble gum in a dish, how many pieces do you wish?” Players pick a number, and counting selects “it.”
• Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe – “Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, catch a tiger by the toe, if he hollers let him go, eeny, meeny, miny, moe.” Players are pointed to with each word, and the last one is “it.”

Learning

The “Cinderella Dressed in Yella” picking method boosts development in two key areas: Social-Emotional and Cognitive. Socially, it teaches fairness, cooperation, and self-regulation as kids take turns and respect outcomes. Cognitively, reciting the rhyme enhances memory, while counting sharpens number skills.

Cinderella Dressed in Yella Wrap-Up

“Cinderella Dressed in Yella” offers a no-fuss way to kick off tag or other games. Next time you’ve got some choosing to do, try this classic—it’s a timeless pick. For example, I used it recently to decide which slice of pizza to eat next.

Have a game or game variation I should add to the catalog, or a fun story from your own playtime? Scroll to the bottom of this page and drop it in the comments or contact me—I’d love to hear from you and keep growing this collection. If you like the post, share it; that’s always appreciated!

Credits

Big thanks to these sources for the details:

• Mama Lisa’s World for rhyme origins and variations.
• Playground Jungle for historical context on playground rhymes.
• Fun Games Kids Play for related picking game ideas.

Contribute content to Playvolution HQ
Brought to you by Explorations Early Learning

Browse Trainings