“Applaudis des mains” — Clap Your Hands Song in French for Kids

In “Applaudis des mains” (Clap Your Hands), kids sing key French words like applaudir, mains, en haut and en bas, going back and forth between English and French, so the meaning is never a mystery. It's a next-step (A2) song from Unit 13: Actions & Movement, 2:05 long, made for ages 2–8.

🇫🇷 French
Level: A2
Unit 13 · On Bouge !
⏱ 2:05
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“Applaudis des mains” lyrics with English translation

Every line as it's sung, with its meaning beside it. French is shown in teal.

Song lyrics with translation. French lines are shown in teal.
Sung	Meaning
Ready, little hands?	Prêtes, petites mains ?
Oui, maman!	Yes, Mommy!
Clap your hands!	Applaudis, tape dans tes mains!
Applaudis, tape dans tes mains!	Clap your hands!
Hands up high!	Les mains en haut!
Les mains en haut!	Hands up high!
Hands down low!	Les mains en bas!
Les mains en bas!	Hands down low!
À toi, maman—tape dans tes mains!	Your turn, Mommy—clap your hands!
I clap my hands!	Je tape dans mes mains !
Clap, clap, clap your hands!	Tape, tape, tape dans tes mains!
Tape, tape, tape dans tes mains!	Clap, clap, clap your hands!
Up, up, hands up high!	En haut, en haut, les mains en haut!
En haut, en haut, les mains en haut!	Up, up, hands up high!
Down, down, hands down low!	En bas, en bas, les mains en bas!
En bas, en bas, les mains en bas!	Down, down, hands down low!
Clap your hands, tape dans tes mains!
What is “to clap”?
Applaudir—say it with me!
Applaudir! Applaudir!	To clap! To clap!
What are “hands”?
Les mains! Les mains!	Hands! Hands!
Up means en haut!
En haut! En haut!	Up! Up!
And down?	Et en bas ?
En bas! En bas!	Down! Down!
Clap, clap, clap your hands!	Tape, tape, tape dans tes mains!
Tape, tape, tape dans tes mains!	Clap, clap, clap your hands!
Up, up, hands up high!	En haut, en haut, les mains en haut!
En haut, en haut, les mains en haut!	Up, up, hands up high!
Down, down, hands down low!	En bas, en bas, les mains en bas!
En bas, en bas, les mains en bas!	Down, down, hands down low!
Clap your hands, tape dans tes mains!
Maman, clap with me!
Oui, je tape avec toi!	Yes, I'm clapping with you!
Can you clap softly?	Tu peux taper tout doucement ?
Oui, tout doucement!	Yes, very softly!
Now clap together!	Applaudissons ensemble!
Applaudissons ensemble!	Now clap together!
Un, deux, trois—clap, clap, clap!
Clap, clap, clap your hands!	Tape, tape, tape dans tes mains!
Tape, tape, tape dans tes mains!	Clap, clap, clap your hands!
Up, up, hands up high!	En haut, en haut, les mains en haut!
En haut, en haut, les mains en haut!	Up, up, hands up high!
Down, down, hands down low!	En bas, en bas, les mains en bas!
En bas, en bas, les mains en bas!	Down, down, hands down low!
Clap your hands, tape dans tes mains!
Applaudir, les mains en haut, les mains en bas!	To clap, hands up, hands down!
Clap your hands!	Tape dans tes mains!
Tape dans tes mains!	Clap your hands!
Bravo! Encore une fois!	Bravo! One more time!

Key French words in this song

The 4 words and phrases this song is built around.

French	English
applaudir	to clap
mains	hands
en haut	up
en bas	down

How to use this song with your child

1
Count the “mains”s
“mains” means “hands” and comes up on 19 lines. Keep count on your fingers together; older kids can try to predict when it's coming next.
2
Split the parts
Once the song is familiar, you sing the English lines and your child sings the French ones, then swap. It turns listening into speaking.
3
Make it a routine
At 2:05, play it once a day at the same moment for a week. Play freeze dance: pause the song and call out one of its French action words to restart.