The Games Children Play

Today’s kids are often labeled the ‘PlayStation Generation’ with many preferring to sit in front of their computers and games consoles rather then going outside to play with friends. Make sure your kids still get out in the fresh air by introducing them to some new, fun and exciting children’s games from around the world.

Corre, Corre la Guaraca

This Chilean game translates simply as “Run, Run, la Guaraca.” with la Guaraca simply being a nonsense word. The game is played by children sitting in a circle. One child then runs around the outside of the circle with a handkerchief in his or her hand. The children in the circle close their eyes and chant “Corre, Corre, la Guaraca.” The aim of the game is for the runner to drape the material on the back of one of the seated children and try and complete one lap of the circle and pick it back up before the seated child notices. The runner drops the handkerchief on a child’s back and runs, with the aim of the other child not noticing until they are back again. If the runner makes it around the circle before the player realises that the handkerchief is on their back, the seated player is either out, or becomes the runner.

龙 (The Dragon)

A little like the English children’s game of chain tag, ‘The Dragon’ involves children forming a human chain with each kid placing their hands on the shoulders of the child in front of them. This simple, yet fast and exciting game involves the child at the front, the head of the dragon, trying to catch the child at the end of the chain, the dragon’s tail, whilst the rest of the children, the body, remain connected as a chain. When the the lead child eventually catches the tail, the last child moves to the front of the chain and he or she becomes the new dragon’s head.

Las Cuatro Esquinas

This popular Spanish game translates as ‘The Four Corners’ and traditionally involves 5 players and somewhere with four corners although more players can be introduced by simply using chalk to mark extra ‘bases’ on the floor. One person is “it” and stands in the middle of a square. When this person claps their hands the other children must swap corners or bases. The idea of the game is for the person who is it to secure an empty corner or base with the person who is left without corner then being ‘it’.

Skippyroo Kangaroo

This Australian children’s game is a great way to help youngsters get to know each other and learn one and others names. Children sit in a circle with one child in the center. The child in the center is the ‘Skippyroo’. The Skippyroo crouches in a ball with their head tucked in, looking down at the ground with their eyes closed. The children sitting in the circle then sing “Skippyroo, kangaroo, dozing in the midday sun, comes a hunter, run, run, run.” At this moment an adult will point to one of the children sitting in the circle, who must then touch the Skippyroo on the shoulder and say out loud “Guess who’s caught you Skippyroo?” The Skippyroo must then try to name the child who toughed them. If they guesses correctly, then the children must swap places swaps places, otherwise the adult selects a new child to touch the Skippyroo on the shoulder.

This collection of children’s games has been collected by Chessington Holidays – official short break provider for Chessington World of Adventures.