Games from Around the World

The games below were submitted by generous leaders when we were earning our World Neighbors badge as Juniors. Many thanks to all. If you have a game you would like to see added to this page, please e-mail us at Lisa4@dublin.com under the heading INTERNATIONAL GAMES.

 

Jamaquack

(active/circle)

Jamaquacks are rare birds from Australia. Being from down under, they always stand bent over, with their hands grasping their calves or ankles and shuffle along backward. They are nocturnal by preference, and when they are out in daylight, they always try to wander off somewhere.

Only a third of the players can be jamaquacks at a time. The rest must form a jamaquack pen by holding hands in a circle facing the center. Two players create a hole in the pen by dropping their hands. The jamaquacks gather in the middle of the pen, heads together and begin quacking and moving backward with their eyes closed, trying to find the way out. While the birds are trying to escape, those forming the circle do their best to jam the quacks back inside the pen by GENTLY knee-bumping them. Once outside the circle the jamaquacks can finally stand upright and open their eyes but they should keep quacking to let their species mated locate the hole.

Jon Cam Pon (active)

 

Same as "Rock Paper Scissors"

 

Lonely Little Ghost (active)

(Ireland)

A lonely ghost would love some company. He wants to make a ghost friend. His ghost friend won't be me.

 

One child is chosen to be the lonely little ghost. He sits on a chair in the haunted house. Indicate a certain area for that purpose. The other children speak the verse and sneak into the haunted house. They tease the ghost. Any child he catches or tags within the boundaries of his haunted house becomes a ghost and joins him to try to catch the remaining children, who return again and again to tease and try to avoid being caught by the ghosts. The last child caught is the winner and may be the lonely little ghost the next time the game is played.

British Hopscotch (active)

Our girls have enjoyed British hopscotch. It is played in a spiral pattern- like a snail shell shape. We just take chalk & draw a simple spiral on the pavement & divide it into 10 spaces w/1 in the center. They toss their marker into the spiral. The first round is hopped on 2 feet, skipping the marked space. Second round is hopped on 1 foot, skipping the marked space. They must hop back out also. Have fun.

Pat

patwhit@softhouse.com

Fording the Stream

  Level: JR/CAD

Participants: 10-16

Equipment: Ball, Boundaries

Time: 10-15 minutes

Country: Scotland

 

Make two lines about 12 feet across to form the stream. Throw the ball high over the heads of the players. The player who catches it before the ball hits the ground may cross the stream. They then toss the next ball. This continues until your run out of players. If the ball is dropped, your are out of the game. If a player accidentally touches the stream without having the ball they are out too.

Sharon

sshix@juno.com

Kangaroo Tag

 Level: D/BR

Participants: 10-30

Time: 5 - 10 minutes

Country: Australia

 

All players must hop and hold their hand up in front like kangaroos. Two people are it (they hop too). Regular tag rules apply.

Sharon

sshix@juno.com

Korean Twirl

 Level: D/BR

Participants: 2-16

Time: 3 - 6 minutes

Country: Korea

Safety: Play in a big open field

 

Have the players stand about eight feet apart. Players hold their right ear with the left hand and the left ear with the right hand. Now everyone twirls clockwise. If you fall down or let go of your ears, stop and sit. The last one spinning wins.

Sharon

sshix@juno.com

Torii Tag

 Level: JR/CAD

Equipment: 6 - 18

Time: 10-15 minutes

Country: Japan

 

Two players form an arch, torii, leaving enough room for the other players to pass between them. The remaining players form a single line, holding hands with the players in front and behind them. The line circles around the torii once, then passes slowly under it. When the last player walks under the torii, the line drops hands and scatters. The two torii players drop hands and act as taggers. If you are tagged your are out. The last two players tagged become the new Toiri.

Sharon

sshix@juno.com

Chinese Puzzle Game

 

One player is "it." She turns her back to the group. The other players form a chain by clasping hands with the player in front and behind. The leader then leads the chain in and out under the hands into any position possible without dropping hands. "It" is called to untangle the chain without breaking the links.

Sharon

sshix@juno.com

GORELKI

( Russia) 

This game is popular in many parts of the world. In Togo and Ghana, Africa, it is played without the rhyme and is called "Two Friends." In the USA the game is known as "Last Couple Out." Swedish children call it the "Widower's Game" and play a slight variation.

 

EQUIPTMENT: None

 

Method: One player is chosen to be "it." The other players line up behind her in pairs. "It" calls:

Burn bright, burn bright

Fire must not die tonight

Look above the sea

Birds are singing

Bells are ringing

One, two, three.

 

As "it" says "three" the last couple separates and runs forward, one on each side of the line. As the players run by "it", she runs after them trying to tag one of the two before they join hands. Should "it" succeed in tagging one of the players, that player becomes "it's" partner and they become the head couple. The other player becomes "it". But if "it" does not tag one of the players before they join hands, she continues to be "it" until she catches a friend.

My Junior trooped enjoyed this game.

Joyce

pepper_49@hotmail.com

BIG SNAKE

(Ghana)

 

Equipment: None

 

Method: One player is the "snake" and goes to its "home," a space about 10 feet square. On signal, the snake tries to "catch" the other players by tagging them. When a player is tagged, she must join hands with the snake and help catch the others. (The player originally chosen to be the snake decides who should be caught next) As players are caught, the snake gradually grows larger. Only the players on either end of the snake may tag a runner. Should the snake break because the players let go their hands, the snake must return home. Once back home, players representing the snake rejoin hands and begin the chase again. Runners encircled by the snake may break the snake, causing it to return home and giving the runners a chance to scatter. The game is over when all runners are caught or in a given time.

Joyce

pepper_49@hotmail.com

PASS THE FOX

(England)

 

The fox is a familiar figure in English life, and the game named for him is familiar to everyone. "Pass the Beanbag". or "Pass the Ball" we call it.

 

Equipment: An article representing the fox.

 

Method: Players set in a circle. The "fox" is passed rapidly from player to player. At the clap of the hand, the fox is passed in the opposite direction. Players must pass the fox as quickly and as smoothly as possible. Whoever drops or fumbles the object must either pay a forfeit (i.e. perform a stunt) or go to the center of the circle, depending on the way the group decides to play the game.

 

Variation: Play the game with music. Instead of clapping hands, the game leader occasionally stops the music for a moment as the signal to pass the fox in the opposite direction. Singing or recorded music with a quick tempo helps to keep the game moving.

Joyce

pepper_49@hotmail.com

COCK FIGHT

(Mexico)

 Equipment: Colored strips of ribbon or paper; pins.

 Method: Form a circle with the leader standing in the center. The leader selects two players from the circle to represent two cocks. The "cocks" stand face to face while the leader pins a piece of colored ribbon or paper on the back of each. By moving or jumping about, each player tries to discover the color of the ribbon on the back of her opponent without letting the opponent catch a glimpse of the color on her own back. The winning cock is the one who first discovers the color of her opponent's ribbon. Two other players are chosen to represent cocks for the next game.

Joyce

pepper_49@hotmail.com

FILL THE BOTTLE

(Australia)

(played in teams) 

Each team, standing in a line, has a pail of water at one end and an empty bottle and teaspoon at the other. The water from the bucket is transferred by the spoon, passed from one player to another along the line. The first team to fill the bottle to a fixed mark (you decide and mark the fill line before the game) within a time limit, wins.

I have a troop of 6 - 2nd year Juniors now, and we did this game last October and they had a blast. They wanted to keep going until the pail of water was empty!

Colleen, Leader, Jr. Troop #3133

COLLDOUG@worldnet.att.net

Shopping Basket

(New Zealand)

Played in patrols. Each patrol takes the 'shopping basket' for about 3 minutes. In the basket are ten packets from the kitchen cupboard, e.g. baking powder, cocoa, soap powder, tea. The girls have a good look at the packets. 

Later 20 questions are asked, e.g. What biscuits are pictured on the cocoa packet? What is the weight on the baking powder packet? Where is the soap made? (The answers should be written down.) 

This is a good game for teamwork. (The highest scores will come from the Patrols who distributed one or two packets to each member to study.)

Sheila Pallotta

mailto:pallotta@silcon.com

WET DAY IN CAMP 

(New Zealand)

(played in patrols)

The guider gives each patrol leader an envelope. They are told to continue with patrol time and not to open the envelope until the guider holds up a sign saying "It's Raining." When someone in the Patrol sees the sign, they begin.

 

In each envelope is a card numbered 1 to 6 and six pictures. Pictures are placed on the card in the order in which the patrol thinks jobs should be done in a sudden shower of rain.

 

All the patrols come together to discuss results.

 

This is good for team work: A Patrol working as a team will allot one job to each Guide, therefore all the jobs will be done at the same time!

  

Sheila Pallotta

mailto:pallotta@silcon.com

 

Hoppe-Strikk

(pronounced HOE-peh strik which means jump rope made from

elastic)

 Game from Norway

 

Number of players: 3 or more

What you need: 4 yds of elastic with ends sewed together

 

How to play: 2 players hold the rope at each end around their ankles

Players jump over one side and then the other. The holders lift the rope higher and higher. Players jump in and out. Holders can ask players to jump backward, with their eyes shut,or on one foot. When a player misses she is out.

 

This came from a book Sidewalk Games from around the World.

Suzette

suzette@northnet.org

Junior Leader

Thousand Islands Council, NY