The Internet in general and Mudcat in particular could be a great way to collect, share, and preserve children's rhymes and game songs
EXCEPT that most posters don't include any demographics such as when and where {city, state, country} these rhymes were recited and these games were played..

not to mentioned who played them {girls only; boys only?? girls & boys ???};, the age ranges of children playing them; the method of play; and how the rhymes and game songs were learned...

also not to mention the race and ethnicity of the children performing rhymes and game songs {since it is possible that just as differences are likely to occur over space and time, differencs may occur among different ethnic & racial groups...

[For instance, in my limited collection of rhymes in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area over the past 8 years, I have found that some rhymes differed from one African American neighborhood to another African American neighborhood within the same time in the same city]

Of course, even when such information is provided over the Internet, there is a question about authenticity. People could misremember or horrors of horrors!!-people could even lie about which rhymes they recited and which games they played as children.

But, still, I'm convinced that we 'Catters in particular are missing a wonderful opportunity to document children's rhymes and game songs.

Having the words to these rhymes "beats a blank", but please think about future generations who will be interested in knowing more about the games children played and the rhymes children rhymed in the bad ole days of the middle & late 20th century & the early 21st century.

Thank you.