Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

All DS' therapists say crisscross applesauce. One says, "sit like a pretzel".

I guess I did not realize people did not know that the term is pretty common with educators.

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

I don't think it has anything to do with being "PC". As a teacher of elementary age kids myself as well as other teachers use the same phrase to get kids to sit Indian style. I am not trying to be "PC"...........it's just another cute way to say the same thing.

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

It's not supposed to "make sense". It's just a quick, easy, and catchy way of getting kids to sit criss-crossed!

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

Never heard it

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

I remember this too!!! I don't think the point is to really "make sense", I think it's just to rhyme.

ETA: just realized this was the parenting board

Message edited 12/20/2010 6:26:03 PM.

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

When I worked in daycare, we would call it "pretzel legs".

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

That is what they call it in DD's preschool as well.

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

I don't think it's really a way to be PC, it's just an easy way to remember...rhymes work great for that

And yes, the rhyme is:
Crisscross applesauce
Spiders crawling up your spine
Cool breeze, tight squeeze
Now you got the chillies!!

I do that with my 1st graders every year and they tickle each others' backs. It's so cute.

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

We always called it Indian style as kids but I call it sitting like a pretzel now. They always call it either that or criss cross applesauce in any class my kids have been in. I just asked my DD what I was doing and sat in that position and she said criss cross applesauce.

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

I'm 28 and I remember hearing this all my life. I have vivid memories of learning it from my kindergarten teacher. It's not supposed to "make sense," it's just a silly little rhyme, and they get the point to criss cross their legs. I don't think it's a PC thing.

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

Posted by TaraGotHutched

I don't think it's really a way to be PC, it's just an easy way to remember...rhymes work great for that

And yes, the rhyme is:
Crisscross applesauce
Spiders crawling up your spine
Cool breeze, tight squeeze
Now you got the chillies!!

I do that with my 1st graders every year and they tickle each others' backs. It's so cute.

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

Criss cross applesauce
Sit like a pretzel


eh - whatever it works to get those little butts to stay put!

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

So I wonder.....
Since I'm Indian...would it be non PC of me to say to sit Indian style???


I just heard this crisscross applesauce for the first time in September when DD1 started kindergarten

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

Ive never heard that term before. I think its cute.

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

I tell my son crisscross applesauce all the time...got it from his therapists.

Never ever thought it was a result of being PC...just a cute and playful way to tell him to go indian style. And he responds to it. So be it.

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

I teach 1st grade and use this phrase all the time. I never thought of it as PC but the easy way to get them to sit criss cross! They get into the position quickly.

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

Never heard of crisscross applesauce as indian style. Pretzel legs yes. Not crisscross applesauce.

Like mentioned above, I know it as a game where when you get the that part, you draw an "x" on the kid's back "crisscross" and then tickle the spare tire part of the waist for "applesauce". Something with crack and egg on your head, let the yolk roll down, crack and egg on your head let the yolk roll down....

ETA: Just googled because now I was curious... not that it has to do with your post... seems like there are all combinations of the song but it was just a tickling the back thing. Crack and egg on your head, let the yolk drip down, stab a knife in your back, let the blood drip down, squeeze and orange on your shoulders let the juice drip down and then we added the criss cross applesauce at the end. We were usually sitting indian style while doing it!

Oh and my highschool team was the Redmen and from what I hear from my nephews in the school now, they no longer use the indian head as the mascot/logo but they kept the name as the school colors are red and white.

Message edited 12/20/2010 10:07:56 PM.

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

My sons preschool sings:

Criss cross applesauce, give a little clap.
Criss cross applesauce, lay them in your lap.
Criss cross applesauce, quiet as can be.
Criss cross applesauce, eyes on me.

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

What I learned in camp was:

Crack an egg on your head. Let the yolk drip down, let the yolk drip down. (make a motion of cracking something on the other person's head and letting something run down the body).

Stab a knife in your back back, (poke the person's back)
Let the blood drip down, let the blood drip down (run your fingers up & down the person's back).

Spiders running up your arms. Spiders going down your arms (tickle up and down the arms).

Criss Cross, apple sauce (do a criss cross along their back). Now you've got the chills.
..................

I guess that is not very politically correct, either. The kids did this to each other constantly and many did say that they got the chills. I wouldn't do the "knife in your back" thing as a counselor but I did let the kids try to give me chills. What can I say? It was the 80s and things were different.

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

I've never heard of this either... Thanks for the heads up. I would have no idea what it meant.

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

YUP! Used to say Indian style I guess it;s not PC.

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

Ive been a teacher for 15 years and everyone says this but I honestly didnt hear it before I started teaching

Re: Crisscross applesauce..... Seriously?

I am so with you! I had no idea if wasn't PC to say Indian style... And I first heard it a year or two ago when my kids were in nursery school.... I actually cringe when I hear crisscross applesauce.