4 traditional games to keep the children busy
Are you running out of ideas on how to keep the children busy during the national lockdown? Here are four no-tech games that you and your children can enjoy.
POLOKWANE – These games can be played by all ages and are also great way for the children to burn off some extra energy – all you need is an open space, so move those couches aside or take it outside.
Piggy in the middle
With this game, you can play it with as many people as you like, as long as they can catch the ball and keep it off the person in the middle who is the “piggy in the middle.”
What you will need to play ‘Piggy in the middle”:
• a ball.
• an open space.
• quite a number of people.
How to play the game:
• Place two of the children (or anyone) about 10 metres apart and the third person in the middle, they are the “piggy in the middle.”
• The two players on the outside throw the ball to each other while the one in the middle (piggy in the middle) tries to catch it.
• If the ball is dropped, any of the three players can recover it.
• If the person in the middle catches or recovers the ball, the person who was the last to throw is now the “piggy in the middle” then the one who was previously in the middle returns to the group circle of people who will throw the ball until the middle one catches it and so on.
Double Dutch or skipping
In this game, your timing and rhythm is put to test. Double dutch is harder than it looks. The game requires coordination and good timing, but with practice, it gets easier. Like other childhood games, double dutch helps children develop coordination and strong motor skills, such as jumping, and promotes good sportsmanship, competition, teamwork, and healthy exercise.
What you need to play:
• Two skipping ropes.
• Open space to be able to turn the ropes.
• Three players or more.
How to play it:
Two people stand at opposite ends, turning two long jump ropes in opposite directions with one or more players jumping inside the rope, depending on how many people you would like to place.
Wool around the knees
What you need to play the game:
• A long wool (about eight to ten meters long). You can even use an old pantyhose and cut it into a thin string.
• Two or more people to play in teams.
How to play the game:
• First level starts with two people facing each other with the wool placed around the ankles, then the person (opponent) jumps in and out of the wool in different styles.
• Second level, the wool moves to the hips and the opponent jumps in and out the wool.
• Third level, the wool is now moved to under the arms (armpits) and the same routine of jumping in and out takes place.
• Fourth level, the wool now moves to the neck, then the head and even higher of you would like.
To make the game challenging some use fingers and even wrists then the opponent must try to go in and out without fail.
Tshere Tshere
What you need to play to the game:
• A chalk to draw lines with.
• A light (nicely shaped) stone.
• Two or more people.
How to play it:
• Draw eight blocks; (one horizontal straight row of three thick blocks, then on top in a different direction, combine (draw) six more vertical blocks (different direction to the horizontal blocks).
• The six blocks should be on top of one another, which means there will be three blocks going horizontal, and two rows of six more blocks going in a different direction on top of the horizontal blocks (three blocks on top and three blocks at the bottom.
• One player will then throw a stone and hop with one leg in all the other blocks, without jumping in the block where you threw a stone. The player must hop through all the blocks in a row, going all around the blocks, until they reach the start again.
• The same routine is repeated, but this time the stone is thrown inside the second block, then you must now skip two blocks and hop and jump from the third block until they return.
• The same routine where the player is supposed to jump and hop inside all the blocks that were not yet thrown a stone in, until the blocks are all done, and that person who completes without fail (missing to throw a stone in a block) is a winner.
Most of these games can be changed or improved by making up your own rules. Use your imagination and let the fun begin.
