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Are tag and hide-and-seek getting a little boring during recess for your little ones? International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association and the Voice of Play encourage you and your children to check out these fun playground games for kids from around the world. Let us know which one is your child’s favorite!
Playground Games for Kids From All Over the World
1. Dog and Bone – Ireland
Recommended age: 4+
Minimum number of players: 5
In this playground game for kids, one child plays the role of the dog and sits on a chair blindfolded. The bone, which can be any object (e.g., a pencil, a ball, etc.) is placed under the chair. The rest of the children stand around the chair in a circle.
Another child plays the role of the leader. He or she gestures to one child to try and take the ‘bone’ from underneath the dog. This child sneaks up to the chair, but if the dog barks in the direction of the child trying to steal the bone, the child must leave the bone and return to his/her spot in the circle.
If a child successfully takes the bone without the dog barking, the children in the circle put their hands behind their backs. The dog must then try to guess who took the bone, without the blindfold. If the dog guesses correctly, the game continues. If the dog guesses incorrectly, a new dog is chosen and the game restarts.
3. Stick in the Mud – Scotland
Recommended age: 7+
Minimum number of players: 6
This playground game for kids requires two teams. The children on one of the teams are the ‘catchers’ and the children on the other team are trying not to be caught.
If a child is caught, he must stand still with his legs apart and wait to be freed by another member of his team. A player is freed when a member of the team crawls through the child’s legs. The game continues until everyone on the opposite team has been caught. Then the two teams can switch roles.
3. What Time Is It, Mr. Wolf? – Australia
Recommended age: 4+
Minimum number of players: 6
One child plays the role of the wolf. The rest of the children stand approximately 30 feet behind the wolf, who has her back turned.
The rest of the children can ask the wolf, “What time is it?” and the wolf replies with a certain time. For example, the wolf could answer, “It is four o’clock.” The child who asked can then take four steps closer to the wolf.
The wolf can respond at any point, “It’s dinnertime!” The wolf then turns and tries to tag a child. If a child is caught, he becomes the wolf. Alternatively, if a child reaches the wolf and tags her before she yells “It’s dinnertime!” then this child becomes the wolf.
4. Statues – Greece
Recommended age: 4+
Minimum number of players: 4
One child stands with his eyes covered and starts to count. He must count to at least ten, but there is no limit. The point is that only the child who is ‘it’ knows when he will open his eyes. The other children can run around waiting for the child who is ‘it’ to yell, “Agalmata,” which is statue in Greek.
Once the child yells “Agalmata,” the other children must freeze and take on the poses of famous statues they have seen (e.g., the Statue of Liberty, the statue of David, etc.). If any of the statues are moving, the child who is ‘it’ tags them and they are out. Any remaining statues must hold still while the child who is ‘it’ tries to make them laugh or move in some way. The last statue standing is ‘it.’
5. Ounch Neech – Pakistan
Recommended age: 5+
Minimum number of players: 4
This Pakistani playground game for kids is a fun spin on the regular game of tag. “Ounch” means up and “neech” means down, which all players will need to know.
The game begins with one child being ‘it’ and yelling either, “Ounch,” or “Neech.” If the child selects ounch, then being up is not safe – for example, if one of the children is on playground equipment, on top of a bench or on a sturdy tree stump, they can be tagged by the child who is ‘it.’ If the child selects neech, then the ground is not safe – children must be up on something, including playground equipment, a bench, etc., so that they are not chased and tagged. The first child who is tagged is ‘it’ for the next round.
Photo Credit: iStock
6. Red Rover – United States
Recommended age: 7+
Minimum number of players: 10
Two teams line up opposite each other, no more than 30 feet apart. Each team holds hands and forms a chain. The game starts when one team calls out, “Red Rover, Red Rover, send [name] right over.” The named player runs towards the opposing team and attempts to break through their chain. If the player breaks through, they can take one person back to their team. If they do not break through, they join the opposing team. The game ends when all players are on one team.
7. Duck, Duck, Goose – United States
Recommended age: 4+
Minimum number of players: 5
Children sit in a circle facing inward while one child, the “it,” walks around tapping each child on the head saying “duck” for each tap. When the “it” child taps someone and says “goose,” that child must jump up and chase the “it” around the circle. The goal for the “goose” is to tag the “it” before the “it” can take their seat in the circle. If the “goose” fails, they become “it” and the game continues.
Photo Credit: iStock
8. Four Square – Various Countries
Recommended age: 6+
Minimum number of players: 4
This game requires a ball and a large square divided into four smaller squares, labeled A, B, C, and D. Players stand in each of the squares, with the highest-ranking square being A and the lowest D. The player in square A serves the ball to any other square. The receiving player must hit the ball to another square without letting it bounce more than once in their square. If a player fails to hit the ball into another square, they move to square D, and everyone else moves up. The aim is to get to or stay in square A.
9. Hopscotch – Various Countries
Recommended age: 5+
Minimum number of players: 1
A series of squares is drawn on the ground, and players throw a small object (stone, beanbag, etc.) into one of the squares. The player then hops through the squares, skipping the one with the object in it, to retrieve the object and return. The game continues with the player throwing the object into the next square. The aim is to complete the course. If a player steps on a line, misses a square with the object, or loses balance, their turn ends.
Photo Credit: Pexels
10. Capture the Flag – Various Countries
Recommended age: 6+
Minimum number of players: 6 (3 per team)
The playing area is divided into two territories with each team having a flag. The objective is to capture the opposing team’s flag from their territory and bring it back to your own territory without being tagged. If tagged, the player is frozen until freed by a teammate. The game requires strategy, teamwork, and stealth.
11. British Bulldog – United Kingdom
Recommended age: 7+
Minimum number of players: 10
One player is selected as the “bulldog” and stands in the middle of the play area. All other players stand at one end of the area. The game starts when the bulldog shouts “British Bulldog!” and all other players run to the opposite end without being caught (tagged) by the bulldog. Those who are tagged join the bulldog in the middle in subsequent rounds. The last player remaining untagged wins and becomes the bulldog for the next game. This game emphasizes speed, agility, and dodging skills.
12. Kabaddi – South Asia
Recommended age: 8+
Minimum number of players: 14 (7 per team)
Kabaddi is a team sport that doesn’t require any equipment. The game is played in two halves on a field or court. One team sends a “raider” into the opposing team’s half to tag as many defenders as possible and return to their half of the court without taking a breath. The raider must chant “Kabaddi, Kabaddi” continuously to show they’re not inhaling. The defenders will try to stop the raider by tackling them before they return to their half. Points are scored for each player tagged by the raider, while the defending team scores a point for stopping the raider. The game requires endurance, strength, and strategy.
Photo Credit: Pexels
Get your kids active and stimulate their minds with playground games from across the world. While we’ve talked about the benefits of play and the science of play in-depth, sometimes the only thing missing is the right game to get your children up and moving. Try these out, and if you have more suggestions, we’d love to hear them!
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