Classic Games
A recent research says that most of the Children are connected to Social Networks with Outdoor and Indoor Games almost being eradicated. While conducting a session at Swagat Children Library, it was revealed that many children did not have time for play. Their free hours were watching Television or hooking to Facebook or searching Google for Project work. They have neither heard nor played games that we use to play in our childhood! While discussing games, the session soon escalated into a full-on debate about over favourite childhood games; from the delights of car games, Mario, Pokemon to excitement of hide ‘n’ seek to playing Passing the Parcel and such fun.
And so, Kidsfreesouls decided to list Favourite Childhood Games – many of which we wish we could still indulge in and play. Here’s the compilation and am sure, it will be a lot excitement if you conduct Games Session in classrooms or in groups while children make Connections, making friends.
Monopoly
Monopoly is one of the most popular business board games in the world. Funskool Monopoly is the most selected India Edition Board Game which brings this game with an Indian touch. All the places that you can buy, sell or trade in this version are Indian cities. This is a fun game for both girls and boys as it helps them understand how a business works. It is suitable for anyone aged 8 and above. The Funskool Monopoly India Edition comes with 10 main pieces per carton along with play money, hotel and house pieces. You play this multiplayer game by taking turns and throwing the dice which also includes a speed die in this version. The speed die makes the game faster which prevents long drawn-out games that tend to be boring. Beat your opponents by bankrupting them by charging them rent when they land on your property.
Scrabble
SCRABBLE Brand Crossword game was invented by Alfred Mosher Butts, a young out-of work architect, in the midst of the Great Depression. The games fall into three categories: number games, such as dice and bingo; move games, such as chess and checkers; and word games, such as anagrams. The game was originally named Lexico, but Butts eventually decided to call the game “Criss-Cross Words.”
You should have a game board, 100 letter tiles, a letter bag, and four racks.
Before the game begins, all players should agree upon the dictionary that they will use, in case of a challenge. All words labeled as a part of speech (including those listed of foreign origin, and as archaic, obsolete, colloquial, slang, etc.) are permitted with the exception of the following: words always capitalized, abbreviations, prefixes and suffixes standing alone, words requiring a hyphen or an apostrophe.
Place all letters in the pouch, or facedown beside the board, and mix them up. Draw for first play. The player with the letter closest to “A” plays first. A blank tile beats any letter. Return the letters to the pool and remix. All players draw seven new letters and place them on their racks.
Hopskotch
Hopping is a traditional game of yester years. Hopping in a straight line, on a chalk drawn board. In India, this game is still being played by girls. Replaced with Twister Hopscotch, the game is an innovative retake on the favorite outdoor game. Make up your own way across the board with the durable, slip-proof rings and follow the directions dictated by the spinner. The movable rings of the Games Twister Hopscotch allow your to chart your own path, and customize your game for a new experience each time you play. It makes a great indoor game. Now you can play hopscotch all year round with this exciting game. The game is suitable for boys and girls who are aged 6 years and above. The Twister Hopscotch Game comes with 13 movable rings, 16 ring clips, a spinner with an arrow and base, a carrying case and instructions. Master the skills of balance and coordination to win this must-have game.
Blindman’s Bluff
Photo credit: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A traditional children’s game, Blind Man’s Bluff is just as fun when played together in groups. Select one player as the blind man and have this person put on the blindfold while he is standing in the center of the room or area of play. Spin the blind man around a couple of times so that she becomes disoriented. You can also ask that she counts to 100 to give the other players time to move away and hide.
Pass the Parcel
Photo credit: TomGough, Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/people/45072550@N03)
Children play at parties and can also be a great game for adults just by making slight variations. The idea is to pass around a parcel wrapped in many layers that has a gift in the middle. In the musical variety, the parcel can only be passed when music is playing. As soon as the music stops, one layer can be unwrapped until the surprise in the last layer is reached. Three variations on this game are provided here; two musical and one descriptive. In another version, when the parcel is passed, music plays and when music stops, the person who has the parcel in hand gets the punishment – can be dancing, singing, acting, etc. as decided upon.
Skipping Rope
Photo credit: RichardBH (http://www.flickr.com/people/81076746@N00)
Skipping rope is the traditional game played by children since decade. Many skipping games and rhymes have been sung while doing so. Children have found ways to play, pass on, skip and hop, jump and sing-a-along. Also fun game for exercising and is often now used at gyms.
Hide and Seek
Hide ‘n Seek Print
Hide and go seek is the theme of the game. Number of Children hide and one go in search spree to find where they’re hidden! When the hidden child is found, his turn begins to find the others. Fun when played together in turns for searching the hidden. For some, trouble of finding hidden friends is bit scary sometimes as they cannot be found. Also naughty children run away to play other games leaving the younger one alone hidden to be found. A traditional game played through years.
Musical Chairs
Buy the Game from Amazon.com
A party game – for kids and adults alike who love the fun. Chairs are placed in a line in opposite directions. When the music begins, players walk all way round through all chairs and when the music stops, the players have to grab and sit on the chair. One player is eliminated who don’t get a chair. If there are 15 chairs and 20 players, 5 will lose the game. Played in open, in homes or classrooms, there comes Electronic version too. iPlay Action Games have Electronic Musical Chairs with 6 different tunes and a classic party game in a box.
Leap Frog
Childhood game fun. A nerve-jangling contest of courage and judgement, it’s little wonder that leap frog continues to draw a crowd in playgrounds the world over. Get it right and you’re soaring through the air; get it wrong and you end up collapsing and/or kicking your mate in the head. The game requires enough leap at the right time so as not to bump on.
Tree Climbing
With Environment problems, it’s pretty much impossible to see a magnificent, broad-boughed tree and not rate it in terms of climb-ability. As a child, there was nothing better than finding a big tree with plenty of branches and footing crags to scramble up. A lucky child will have the thrill of swinging on the boughs and climb the tree to sit on the branches and watch a cricket or a hockey match like I did in my childhood!
Photo credit: pgpedia, The Play and playground Encyclopedia (http://www.pgpedia.com/t/tree-climbing)
Snakes and Ladders
Played through years and mostly summer fun, the Snakes and Ladders is the most popular game. The thrill of Snakes & Ladders lies in the potential of being swallowed by snakes at every turn. Success was also marked by the ability to climb ladders if you did well.
Kite Flying
The most famous Kite flying game is popular in Gujarat. Kite flying is done mostly in the month of January esp. 14th January marked as Kite flying day. Flying colorful kites in the sky with the help of a string (the string is specially made) and the wind carry the kite in the sky. The flyer need to master the skill of flying and make the kite float in the air with his tricks. The chilly wind sometimes threaten to tug you off your feet at every gust of wind. Even cut the kites of others to keep yours still flying and it requires skill.
Photo copyright: kidsfreesouls.com
Marbles
Marbles is a game that can’t resist with the colorful wonder. You can trade them, barter with them, smash them into each other or amass them as a sweaty collection in your backpocket. Summer game and playing marbles is a game of wit and sharpness. Also a game of accuracy.
Tops (Latoo)
Photo Credit: Phineasandferb wikia (http://phineasandferb.wikia.com/wiki/File:Spinning_tops_board_game_-_cropped.png)
A very common childhood games played in 50s. Indian children consider this a street game and a game that is often played during summer vacation while playing at noon time. Though there is no fix time to play, there is even no limit to how many Kids can play at a time. The tops have a pointed end on which they can spin. These tops are spinned with a string. The player throws the top down on the ground and jerk on the string to get the top to spin. This requires some skill on the player’s part, since the Top that isn’t tossed properly may break or start to spin off balance on the floor. The player whose Top spins the longest wins the game. There needs to be enough room in the area of play to let each player spin his Top freely. Games like Battle Tops and Spinning Top Board game boxes are available online.
Kabbadi
Two teams and a line dividing the two teams – a game similar to tag that is played in teams. Each team must have at least five players, but there really is no limit to how many Children may be in a team. One player from one team crosses the line that divides the team. The player who crosses the line chants “Kabaddi” over and over again for as long as he can with one breath. As he runs and chants, he tries to turn out at least one member of the opposing team by touching them. Members from the team he is challenging may try to turn out him in the same way. When he has turned out a member of the opposing team or run out of air, he crosses back to his side. Then another player from the first chanter’s team goes out across the line and takes a turn at chanting and tagging. Play continues until all members of one team are turned out.
Gilli Danda
Play the Game: http://www.appup.com/app-details/gilli-danda
Gilli-danda is a game played by using one small stick (gilli) and a large stick (danda) like cricket with ball being replaced by gilli. Often played in summer vacations by two players. The gilli is placed widthwise in a dug hole and hit by danda. The highest hit wins. It is still played in Gujarat and other parts of India too.
statue-statue
A favorite game of the fifties and sixties, Swing the Statue will still be enjoyed by children today. It’s fun to try to hold a pose, but even more fun to watch others in their strange positions. Two players decide to bond in statue. Whenever they meet, randomly the word ‘Statue’ is uttered by one and the other stand as Statue – holding a pose as he is. Fun continues and the statue should not shake until he says, ‘Go’
Sack Race
A game of sack for racing in. Hopping with the sack and trying to win the race without a fall. The game of sack is fun which require patience. The child wears the sack and hops through the line to compete another. The first who reach the line wins the game. No falls or you hurt while sack racing. The Kids Garden Sack Race Game Boxes are even available on the net at http://www.itstoytastic.co.uk
Lemon Spoon Race
Standing in a queue to compete each other with a spoon in the mouth holding the lemon ! When the referee whistles, the child have to run to reach the goal. Neither the lemon that is placed on the spoon nor the spoon should fall down.
Ring a Ringa Roses
Photo credits: Gutenberg (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/20511/20511-h/20511-h.htm)
Rhymes and fun in classroom with Ring a Ringa Roses, Pocketful of Posies. Children have fun going round and round holding hands and fall on ground saying ‘husha-husha, we all fall down. This game is very popular and played anywhere – in classroom, parties, etc. There is strong bond of friendship, unity and togetherness while playing this game.
Tug of War
Two teams. Grabbing a rope and tugging on it very hard from both ends. With no complicated rules, it’s a recipe for lots of yelling and ultimately, sore bums, as half the team collapses in a heap. School games for fun and children learn how to face defeat, striving for winning and unity.
