A compilation of games for children to play by themselves or with adults £3 Traditional Games of the Playground Introduction you, or rekindle in you, the game traditions that are part of Traditional games are returning the children’s heritage. to playgrounds (did they ever go away?) as parents, teachers Benefits and playworkers recognise the social, physical, cultural and Children interact with each educational benefits of these other and change the games to activities. suit new circumstances. These games as well as being about As is made clear in the book fun and companionship, also ‘Children’s Games in Street and help children grow healthily. Playground,’ traditional games We have shown at the have been passed from child to beginning of each section child throughout the some of the core skills that generations. They make the children can develop thorough case that children’s games are their play, such as: one of the last true spoken u Fundamental movement traditions left in the British Isles. skills such as running, Games are excellent ‘peer jumping, throwing material’ for sharing, and by playing together, children also ABC Agility, balance, and share thoughts and ideas, (hand-eye) co-ordination dreams and fears. J Improved personal Research into school confidence and self esteem playground games has also (from making choices and shown that children tend to taking decisions) take their games ‘underground’ if they feel they are not wanted I Familiarity with and by adults; the play continues respect for other ways of but away from adult gaze! doing things (cultural awareness) Of course, the games are not just played in school yards but O Understanding of team and can be adapted to a variety of group relationships (working play spaces. Our intention with co-operatively, working with this compilation is to remind a leader) The focus in most play is about Games of the fun, fitness and practising basic muscle skills, rather than British Isles competition and winning. Basic As this booklet is a compilation muscle skills acquired at this of traditional games, many are stage will provide a sound base to do with competition and for continued involvement in challenge - and consultation has play, sport or other forms of shown that children want more active recreation, and therefore of this in their play. Some lead to positive, lifelong benefits elements of the games and some in health and social skills - of the language used may not meet with some adult especially if children are expectations. Remember that the encouraged to play active games play is for the children; they for at least one hour everyday. need to learn their own lessons in their own way. We hope you These benefits may be useful to can acknowledge the changes in supervisors when planning a society by using the games as a programme of activities over positive learning experience. school lunchtimes or for a Start a discussion (after the playscheme. Don’t forget the game!) about the changes and children should be encouraged how a combination of tradition to play the games they want to; and new ways of doing things but they will also react well to have always influenced cultures. new games - especially if introduced in a fun and pleasant way. World wide games Some of the games are Safety recognisable the world over. We know that these games and the While these games can be names used (“Kingy” and played in most open spaces, “British Bulldog”) are what with a minimum of equipment, young people still play in Britain always make sure that the play - even in our multicultural area is safe; free from glass etc. society. In a playscheme, make sure that you have a fully stocked First Aid In researching this topic, we kit - and someone who is discovered that most of these qualified to use it. If you are games are played in one form or adapting an indoor space, move another worldwide. For example all tables, chairs, bins etc. to one in Korea, ‘Kongi Nori’ has been side. played for centuries; it is known in the UK as ‘marbles’. In Korea there are as many variations Flexibility and fun of ‘marbles’ as there are here in Britain. Before beginning an activity, look at the various abilities of In Bangladesh, ‘Dariabandha’ the children. If you have some is played in school children who may find a playgrounds. Like a more game too difficult, try to complicated version of adapt the game so that all the ‘Bulldog’, this game is also children can participate as very old indeed. equals. With a little thought, most games can be adapted From India, ‘Kabaddi’ is a very in this way, making sure that popular game for children no one is going to feel left out and for adults. There it is on account of disability or played in leagues much like because of favouritism. Football Leagues in the UK. This game is like a cross Adaptation is one of the key between ‘Bulldog’ and ‘Tiggy’ skills of any playworker. In and has been shown on TV in play, the rules, equipment and the UK. premises are there to be adapted. The game is there to You may have no difficulty in be enjoyed by all. Anything introducing these games to a that gets in the way, like a multi-cultural group, as they rule that limits the ability of know the basic idea already. someone to take part, should Listen to them; some children be ignored or changed. This in your group may be able to can even be done to the point teach you a new variation on where the game being played the games. shows no resemblance to the original game; you will have a new game you are now playing! And most important of all, join in and have fun! Ted Keen Play Resources Manager Sport and Community Recreation October 2003 Index Ball Games 1. Individual Games 2 2. Individual Rhyming Games 3 3. Piggy in the Middle 4 4. Piggy in the Ring 4 5. Ball He, Ball She or Tiggy Ball 4 6. Animal, Vegetable, Mineral 5 7. French Cricket 6 8. Kingy 7 9. Dodge Ball 1 7 10. Dodge Ball 2 8 11. Dodge Ball 3 8 Skipping Games 12. Run through 9 13. Pick a stone 9 14. Twizzle 9 15. Colours (Guessing Game) 10 16. Bogey Man 10 17. Lady, Lady 11 18. House for Sale 11 19. Chase the Fox 12 20. Bumps or Double Turn 12 21. Backward Skipping 12 22. Hop Skipping 13 23. Forwards, Backwards and Jumping 13 24. Cross-arm Skipping 13 Hopscotch 25. Home 14 26. Send a Letter 15 27. Hopscotch 16 Group Games 28. Simon Says - (O’Grady Says) 17 29. Follow the Leader 18 Chasing Group Games - “Tig” General Rules 30. French Tig (Poison Tig) 19 31. Three stoops and run forever 19 32. Tiggy off ground 19 33. Pirates 20 34. Tiggy Bull 20 35. Shadow Tig 20 Catching Group Games 36. Adders Nest 21 37. Leap Frog 21 38. Farmer, Farmer 22 39. Kings, Queens and Jacks 23 40. British Bulldog 23 41. German Bulldog 24 42. Chain Bulldog 25 1 43. Farm Yard Animals 25 Symbols u = Fundamental movement skills ABC = Agility, balance, co-ordination J = Improved personal confidence I = Cultural awareness O = Team/group relationships Ball Games 1. Individual Games u ABC J Equipment: 1 ball per person - tennis balls are ideal - and a wall The child throws the ball against the wall once in each of the following ways, reciting the appropriate word each time. Word Action Plainsy: throw and catch Under: throw the ball under one leg against the wall and catch Roll the Reel: throw the ball and roll the hands round each other and catch Clapsey: throw the ball, clap once and catch it One hand: throw the ball and catch it with one hand Round the world: throw the ball, spin round on the spot once and then catch the ball Dropsey: throw the ball and let it bounce on the ground once before catching it Backsey: throw the ball, clap once in front and once behind the body and then catch 2 the ball 2. Individual Rhyming Games u ABC Equipment: 1 ball per person The ball is bounced against a wall. A rhyme is recited at the same time. On the accented words the ball can be caught or thrown. One, two, three O’Lary I spy Sister Mary Sitting on the pompalary Eating chocolate wafers Peter Pan, bread and jam Marmalade and treacle A bit for you and a bit for me And none for the naughty people I had a little sausage A little tasty sausage I put it in the pan for my tea I went out playing And I heard the sausage saying Ellen, Ellen come in for your tea For ‘Ellen’, substitute the thrower’s name. One, two, three O’Lary Four, five, six O’Lary Seven, eight, nine O’Lary Ten O’Lary Postman! Old Mrs Black, Black, Black Asked her Mother, Mother, Mother For 15 pence, pence, pence To climb the fence, fence, fence She climbed so high, high, high She touched the sky, sky, sky And didn’t come back, back, back Till the 4th of July, July, July 3 3. Piggy in the Middle - u ABC O several players Equipment: 1 ball per game. The younger the players - the larger the ball. Two players stand about 10 paces apart and throw the ball to each other. A third player, the piggy, stands between them and tries to catch the ball as it passes.