INTRODUCTION

Children's games provide a creative

and fun way to view other cultures.

Quite often, traditions and traits

of peoples are reflected through the

games their children play.

It is quite amazing how many

worldwide games are common to

children everywhere. If there is one

thing that is widespread throughout

the entire world it's that children

love to play games.

The purpose of this e-book is to

encourage european understanding

and trust. Through these activities,

our pupils have the opportunity to

achieve a deeper understanding and

appreciation of other cultures.

We hope you enjoy this selection of

european children's traditional

games!

The teachers and pupils of

E.U.R.O.P.E. Comenius project

AUSTRIA

Ente,Ente,-Fuchs - Duck, Duck, Fox

Description:

The children form a circle and sit down on the floor.

One child walks around the circle and touches the head

of every child with his hand

and says: duck, duck, duck, duck, duck ...... but when

the child says fox, the chosen child has to stand up and

try to catch the other child.

If the first child reaches the free place without being

caught from the other child, it has to sit down. So the

new child has to walk around the circle and the game

starts again.

If the first child is not able to reach the free place it

needs to do it again and the chosen child can sit down

on his place.

Variation: Instead duck, you can say your favorite pet,

for example: My favorite pet is a cat, so you have to

say cat, cat, cat ... fox.

BULGARIA

Cat and mouse

Children catch hands and form a circle. One of them is

a cat - it is outside the circle, and another mouse is -

inside the circle. The song starts and children are

turning circle:

"There is a mouse at home. It nibble cheese. (2)

A cat outside, throw a mouse.

Run, run mouse will get the cat. (3)

The last sentence "mouse" comes from the cycle, a cat

starts to chase. Other children do not run "mouse" to

enter the circle. The game ends when the "cat" catch

"the mouse" or when "mouse" able to enter the circle.

Winner selects which of the two rounds of changes to

overcome.

GREECE

Agalmatakia (statues)

Players: Four or more; ages 4 and up

1. A person starts out as the "Curator" and stands

at the end of a field. Everyone else playing stands

at the far end (distance depends upon playing

area selected). The object of the game is for a

"Statue" to tag the Curator, thereby becoming the

Curator and resetting the game.

2. The Curator turns their back to the field, and the

"Statues" attempt to race across and tag the

Curator.

3. Whenever the Curator turns around, the Statues

must freeze in position and hold that for as long

as the Curator looks at them. The Curator can

even walk around the Statues, examining them.

However, the Curator needs to be careful –

whenever his back is turned, Statues are free to

move.

4. If a Statue is caught moving, they are sent back

to the starting line to begin again (or thrown out

of that round, whichever way is preferred.)

Usually, the honesty of the Curator isn't enforced,

since being a Statue is more desirable.

HUNGARY

“Paca”

Time: as long as the children are enjoying

Age: 5+

Number of players: 8-30

Location: inside or outside

The players choose a child how is going to be the ‘Paca’

(meaning a kind of patch or smudge). The Paca has to

stand in the middle and the child standing the closest

to him throws up the ball while all the players have to

run away (to different directions). When the Paca cathes

the ball, he tries to target a child with the ball. If he

succeeds, the child who was hit by the ball becomes a

‘Paca’ too. Now again a child throws up the ball and of

the ‘Pacas’ tries to catch it. The other Paca can run with

the other children. The children who are the ‘Pacas’ can

throw the ball to each other so that they get close

enough to the children to target and hit them with the

ball. The game goes on until all the children become a

‘Paca’.

ITALY

“ONE, TWO, THREE... STAR!”

See who is going to be the fairy that

turns to the wall and counts.

Place the player along a start line

parallel the wall.

The fairy counts “One, two,

three...Star!” and quickly turns.

While the fairy is counting the

players quickly move towards the

wall.

The players care not to be seen

moving by the fairy.

Whoever is seen must go back to the

start line.

The winner is whoever gets to touch

the wall saying “Big Star!”.

The winner will became the fairy.

LATVIA

"Hut is burning"

Lets stand in a circle.

There is a rag in my hand.

I'am gonna go around the circle, then stop near

someone and raise my hand between 2 players and

say "Hut is burning"!

Than both run around the circle, each to different

direction.

Who gets the rag first, goes inside the circle, who

doesn't, is the next one who leads the game.

POLAND

FATHER WIRGILIUSZ

Father Wirgiliusz was teaching his children,

He had them all one hundred twenty three.

Come on, children, come on here,

come on here, come on here!

Do everything

that I do, that I do.

Children form a circle, holding hands. One

child - Father Wirgiliusz - stands in the middle. The

wheel rotates in the rhythm of the song. After the words

„one hundred twenty three” all stop, turn to face the

center of the circle and clap their hands. After the

words: „Do everything that I do, that I do” Father

Wirgiliusz shows some simple gestures, exercise (eg.

squats, bows), and all of them are repeated until the

end of the song. Then a new Father Wirgiliusz is selected

and the play begins again.

ROMANIA

Stone Bridge

The song of the game:

Stone Bridge was broken down

The water came and took it away

We will build another one down the river

Another one more lasting and beautiful

__________________________________________________

The song is similar to the English version „London Bridge is

falling down”, though the music is different and the

Romanian song has only one stanza.

During the song, two children standing face to face

have their hands raised together forming a bridge. The other

children pass under the "bridge" (the hands of 2 children)

singing. When the last word of the song is pronounced the

two children put their hands down, catching in their arms

the child passing under the bridge at that exact moment.

Each of the two children forming the bridge choose secretly,

before the game begins, a word (usually something nice like

„chocolate”, „icecream”, „teddy-bear”). When the child is

caught between the arms of the children forming the bridge,

he is asked to choose between the two words already selected.

„What do you choose „chocolate” or „icecream”? According

to his choice he stands behind the respective child and waits,

singing, until all the other kids will be caught and will form

the pillars of the bridge. Then, the two rows of children pull

at each other in different directions, trying to push the others

down. The winners are the children who manage to stand a

longer period of time.

SPAIN

THE SCARF GAME

The scarf is a children's game, and it develops in the

following way:

Two teams are formed, with the same number of

players and are placed at a certain distance from each

other (for example, 20 meters) after reaching a

line.Each player from each team is assigned a different

number in sequential order starting with the one. In the

center of the pitch and a separator line is painted and

a person who kept a scarf hanging from his hand just

above the separator line is placed. The person with the

scarf will call out a number, and then the member of

each team with that number must run to take the scarf

and take it back to where it was. The first to get it wins

the round, leaving the participant no point opposing

team. Also no point is one that: Εxceed the separator

line that is the scarf before the opponent has picked it.

Be touched by the opponent after having taken the

scarf. The trick of the game is to cause as opposed to

rebase line pretending to have caught the scarf, and

outrun the opponent once seized the scarf. When you

have eliminated several players on a team, you can

reorganize assigning multiple numbers to a single player.

The winner team is the one which eliminate all

opponents.

TURKEY

DODGE BALL ( YAKAR TOP)

Dodgeball is a famous and common outdoor game in kindergarten

and elementary school in Turkey. There are two teams and

players on two teams try to throw balls at each other while

avoiding being hit themselves. The main objective of each team is

to eliminate all members of the opposing team by hitting them

with thrown balls, catching a ball thrown by a member of the

opposing team, or forcing them to move outside the court

boundaries when a ball is thrown at them.

RULES:

1. Play will be 4 on 4. A minimum of 3 is required to start

the game.

2. Play will be held inside certain lines.

3. Teams separate in two groups.

4. They try to hit other team members with the ball.

5. Ten (10) minute time limit. Team with the most wins in

the 10 minutes will be deemed the winner. If teams are

tied, there will be a sudden death game to determine

match winner.

6. A player is out if:

• They throw a ball that is caught by the other team.

• They get hit by a ball thrown by the other team. (If the

ball does bounce off an opposing player and is then caught

the thrower will then be out. This is true even if a different

player catches the ball. However if the ball bounces off

another ball, the ball is dead. ). Players may use the ball to

block; however, if the ball is knocked out of their hand

while blocking, they will be out.

• They hit another player above the shoulders.

• They cross the center line.

7. A player is not out if:

• Their ball is caught off the wall or ceiling.

• They get hit above the shoulders.