What do children play in China. Folk games and entertainments of ancient China. Glass ball game

Incredible diligence, determination and patience of the Chinese people are largely due to the specific education system adopted in this largest Asian country, which shows rapid economic growth and enviable sports success. We would probably call this system authoritarian and even cruel, but the Chinese themselves consider it absolutely natural and the only true one.

The infamous slogan "One family - one child", put forward by the government in the 80s of the 20th century, forced families to approach the birth of a child with special care - they had no right to make a mistake. A woman decided to have an abortion, even if she was not satisfied with the sex of the child (for a long time, the birth of a boy is considered a great joy in China, and the birth of a girl is a failure), and the birth of a baby with possible deviations was out of the question. In rural areas, however, this rule was never adhered to, “illegal” children were either not registered at all, or they were used to giving birth and paying taxes. Now the state, convinced of the inefficiency of the old strategy, has put forward a new slogan - two children, however, many Chinese women who have decided on sterilization will no longer be able to use it.

The policy of birth control forces parents to raise their only baby (maximum two) very strictly so that he grows up to be the best, most talented, educated, successful. "If you are not the first, then you are a loser" - the usual slogan of Chinese parents. This is not cruelty, but a sober calculation and concern for the future of one's child, because it is not at all easy to “break out into the people” in a country of a billion people. The ability to survive in a competitive struggle is instilled in kids from childhood.

In contrast to the values ​​that develop in Western society, Chinese society puts at the forefront not the personality of the child and its harmonious development, but leadership, diligence and the ability to achieve goals. Teachers and parents do not complicate the process of education with such concepts as a tender child's psyche, self-esteem, trusting relationships with a child, etc. On the contrary, they believe that it is the Europeans who are too "bothered" by the problems of children's individuality. Chinese children are taught submissiveness, and displays of spontaneity and ordinary emotionality are considered a sign of immaturity and inability to control oneself. If there are problems, Chinese parents will never take their child to a psychologist, they will rather punish him or even flog him.

An ambitious state, understanding the value of the "human factor", sets the goal of the comprehensive development of children. From the age of 3 months, the state takes over the upbringing of children, who can already be sent to a nursery. From the age of 1.5, the child begins to receive a detailed and, I must say, quite high-quality education: children are taught music, drawing, and develop mental and physical abilities. From 3 to 6 years old, children go to free kindergartens, which are not much different from Soviet and post-Soviet ones - here, without unnecessary frills, children are taught to work and collective coexistence, they begin to teach literacy. Attention: a child who does not know how to serve himself at the age of three (eat, dress-undress, go to the toilet, wipe his buttocks, etc.) will NOT be taken to the state kindergarten. There are also private kindergartens, where technical equipment is better, more attention is paid to cultural and aesthetic development, fewer children and more caregivers. From 6 to 12 children attend primary school, the next three years are devoted to compulsory secondary education. But only those who study worthily get into high school, and the competition is very high.

Schools in China require a separate paragraph. In them, children do not just study, but by our standards, they simply “work hard”. Every day the student gets up at 5 am to repeat and complete the lessons. Children are in the educational institution all day in order to give parents the opportunity to fully work. Officially, they study until 5-6 pm, but in practice, after circles and extracurricular activities, they come home after 10 pm! During the holidays, they are given so much that they need to study every day for at least 2 hours, and before the start of the school year, they need to come to school and hand over the assignment to the teacher. The most surprising thing is that nervous breakdowns and overwork with such a rhythm of life are not characteristic of Chinese children (or are demanding parents and teachers simply not noticing them?)

One gets the impression that a child for the Chinese is a kind of project that in the future must necessarily justify all the hopes of parents. And here, mom and dad can be truly ruthless: make them play scales for hours, not allowing the child to eat, drink and rest until he succeeds, the way he should. Or tear up your mom's birthday card if it's not well made. They go to blackmail, threats, deceit and harsh punishments, if only the children meet the bar set for them. Wasting time watching TV or computer games The Chinese don't allow it. The choice of a university and a future profession for a child is also made by adults. And it’s better for impressionable parents not to know at all about what the victories of small Chinese athletes cost.

At the same time, Chinese parents are always friendly and really love their children. How does all this affect the psyche of children? It is difficult to say, because in infancy they are taught to obey their elders, not to be capricious and be content with little. But the thing is - Chinese children are completely open, smiling, not "twitchy", affectionate towards their elders and perceive their "hard labor" life as the norm. They don't shoot at schools, they don't hate teachers.

So, the Chinese style of upbringing is the absolute opposite of the European one, but the hardworking and disciplined Chinese are the absolute opposite, for example, of the infantile and lazy Spaniards. Something in the Chinese upbringing will seem unacceptable to us, and something quite reasonable. And if we reduce the level of authoritarianism and make allowances for cultural characteristics, we will recognize in him the good old Soviet upbringing. Which is sometimes very lacking for my children.

Ball in the palm

Bowl competition (China)

On a signal, the player goes to the big bowl and tries to pick up the ball with tongs. Then he carries it to his bowl and puts it there.

Whoever takes all four or five balls into his bowl first wins.

Rules:
A player can only carry one balloon at a time.
You can not touch the balls with your hand.
If the player drops the ball, he must again pick it up with tongs, take it to the common bowl, and from there pick it up again and take it to himself.

Catch the dragon's tail! (China)

The dragon's head is trying to catch its tail. The line is in constant motion, the body obediently follows the head, and the head tries to grab the last player. The line never breaks. Players on the tail side prevent the head from grabbing the tail. If, nevertheless, the head grabs its tail, the last player in the line goes forward, becomes the head, and the new tail is the player who was penultimate in the line.
Turtle Nest (Malaysia)

One of the players is a turtle. He guards his nest. The rest of the robbers. On the ground they draw a circle with a diameter of one and a half meters - this is a nest. 4-5 stones are placed in the nest - turtle eggs. The turtle stands in a circle, the rest are located outside the circle and try to steal the eggs. To do this, they choose the moment when you can sneak up on the stones. But you have to be careful not to let the turtle catch them. Whom she grabs, he changes places with her and begins to guard the remaining eggs. The game continues until all the eggs have been stolen. Then the stones are hidden, and the turtle (while they are hidden, it closes its eyes) must find them. If she fails to collect everything, she pays bail.

Japanese tags

If a large group of people is playing, several drivers are chosen.

Rock, paper, scissors (Japan)

Two players face each other with their hands on their backs. At the same time, they say in chorus: “Yan-ken-pon!” When pronouncing the last syllable, each extends his hand forward, representing with his hand a stone, scissors or paper. (These three items mean the words yan-ken-pon). A clenched fist is a stone, an open palm is paper, the middle and index fingers apart are scissors. The stone wins over scissors, as it can make notches. Scissors beat paper because they can cut it. Paper wins over stone, because you can wrap a stone in it, you can hide it there. So, the winner is the one who is “stronger”, who has chosen the “stronger” object. (If the game is not played on the account, then the loser receives a punishment. The winner can painfully flick his opponent on his outstretched and turned down palm.)

Chinese traditional games are very diverse and suitable for all ages. Many games originated in ancient times and were widely used throughout China for many centuries. Most ancient Chinese games are considered progenitors modern species sports. These were very simple games, so they did not require a long explanation, which made it much easier to start the game. Most importantly, no special equipment was required, the games used only what could be found on the street or did not require special skill in manufacturing. Therefore, children from the poorest families could also participate in the games. This also applies to more modern games that gained popularity during Mao's reign. There were no toys back then, everything was made by hand. But on the games you can trace the friendship of the Russian and Chinese people, they have a lot in common and it’s hard to say where the borrowings came from. All games of ancient and modern China, except for verbal games, developed physical health, endurance and reaction.

Consider games common in Ancient and Medieval China

- "Spin top" (yula).

The old game of spinning top appeared during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), only at that time it was called "Thousands". Special rules and preparations for the game are not required. Everything is very simple, the children needed to find a needle-shaped object about three centimeters in size. Stick it in the middle of a small plate, such as wood or ivory. It turns out something remotely similar to a modern spinning top. Then you need to spin the toy. The essence of the game is also very simple: whose top spins the longest, he won. As a rule, each player made his own spinning top. The more modern name of the game "top" appeared much later, during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Already during this dynasty, the toy could be purchased in the city markets. The toy was wooden and slightly modified with a long rope. According to the rules, it was necessary to throw the top and pull the rope so that it began to spin. As soon as the toy began to slow down, it was possible to pull the rope again. So, spinning the top, you could play indefinitely. The game was very popular all over China. Until the formation of the Republic of China, children were fond of this game.

Much later, a more modern version of the game was somewhat different. Children chose a small stick 8-10 cm long. They tied a rope to it and “lashed” the top, spinning it. They often played in pairs.

- A game of swallow.

There is another name for the "Chicken Game". The origin of the game is attributed to the time of the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD). But the game gains popularity during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). In one of the books of that time there is a legend about this game. One wandering monk arrived in Luoyang City (a city district in Henan Province). While walking through the streets of the city, he spotted a 12-year-old boy. He tossed the shuttlecock with one foot 500 times on each leg. And never once dropped the shuttlecock on the ground. The boy earned this attraction, entertaining spectators on the streets of the city. The monk was amazed at the boy's abilities. The wanderer turned out to be a monk from the Shaolin monastery and invited the boy to study. Since then, the game has gained unprecedented popularity. It was believed that thanks to the skill of the legs, it was possible to get into the students of Shaolin. Over time, several varieties of the game appeared: in one, a couple for a couple, four for four, etc. The goal of the game remained the same: do not drop the shuttlecock for the longest time. The swallow game reached its peak during the Qing Dynasty. (1644 - 1911). We can say that the swallow was played in all corners of China. The game has no age restrictions, it can be played by the whole family. One more distinctive feature is its mobility. The Chinese have always paid attention to their health Special attention. And playing swallow is very useful for maintaining physical fitness. That is why the game is still so popular in parks in any part of China, however, now this game is popular among the elderly population. Then absolutely everyone played it, especially teenagers loved it. The game was so popular that many songs, poems and even paintings have been preserved about it. This is truly the most family and folk game in China.

– Playing kunju or juggling diabolo (with a rope).

Simply put, this is a Chinese yo-yo. The appearance of the game is associated with the period of the Three Kingdoms (220 - 280 years). It was then that the first references were found in the poems of the poet Cao Zhi about the precarious game of the yo-yo. Since the Ming Dynasty ( 1368-1644) also has a children's song about the yo-yo. All this only proves once again how Long story at this game. It was during the Ming Dynasty that the first general rules games and materials. The toy was made of bamboo or wood. The yo-yo is shaped like a reel. It is hollow, and small holes are made on the sides in circles. There can be from 4 to 6 holes. Wooden blocks are inserted there so that a sound is made during torsion. Then, the player pulls the rope on two sticks. Raises overhead and throws a yo-yo. The goal of the game is to spin faster and longer than other rivals. An important role was played by the sound emitted by the yo-yo. Mostly children of all ages participated in the game. The game was very helpful physical development children, reaction speed.

Already during the Jin Dynasty (265-419) they became a favorite pastime at court. And during the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties, swings become unheard of in popularity. Every palace during the Tang Dynasty had a swing set and was considered the "Game of the Demi-Goddesses". Court girls spent a lot of time on the swings, playing word games. In the Song era, thanks to the swing, acrobatics is born. This is no longer just the entertainment of the girls at court. A way to support the physical health of men, develop endurance and flexibility. Demonstrations were held in summer and autumn. Everyone, from peasants to the emperor and his concubines, came to watch the performances. Before the start, two ships were put on the water, a swing was installed on the bow of each. Then the drums called the audience and announced the start of the performance. Acrobats, slowly swinging the swing and proceeded to acrobatic stunts. They spun in the air, jumped into the water, did somersaults on a swing. The performances were attended by young physically developed men, often from the emperor's army. For the development of the future of the sport, these performances occupy an important niche in Chinese history. It is believed that victories in artistic gymnastics and acrobatics are ensured by Chinese athletes precisely by the historical love for these sports.

In the original version, the game was called "Autumn Battle" or "Autumn Mood". The game got its name for two reasons. The first is that in ancient writing, the hieroglyph "Autumn" resembles the image of a cricket. And the second, this is due to the fact that crickets live only in autumn and only 100 days. It was during this period that a serious struggle was played out among peasant families. The game appeared during the Tang Dynasty. In the books of those years there is a mention that one of the emperor's concubines always put a cricket under her pillow before going to bed. Then she began to carry crickets everywhere and everywhere in a special cage. It is said that this is where the science of entomology originated. First, there was interest in crickets and their effect on sleep (at the suggestion of the same concubine), and then to the insects themselves. There are competitions of entire families to catch crickets. Every evening, the participating families gathered with their catch and counted the number of crickets. The family with the most crickets wins. In the Ming era, the game is gaining popularity.

– cuju (ancient Chinese ball game)

The game is considered one of the forerunners of football. In fact, both games have similar features, but the difference between them is quite profound. In the ancient Chinese version of football, you had to give all your best. During the Han Dynasty, cuju was regarded as a form of martial art. The game developed dexterity, endurance and skill. Despite the strict requirements for the selection of players, it became widespread not only in the imperial army, but also at the palace of the aristocracy, and then everywhere. And it all started with the first emperor of the Han Dynasty, Liu Bang. He did not deny himself pleasure. For days on end, he watched the performances of musicians and dancers. But nothing impressed his spoiled taste. The days seemed cool. They got the blues. Then great-grandfather told him about his favorite hobbies: cockfighting and cuju. Liu Bang not only became interested in the game, but also became an excellent player himself. It was under him that the game spread at court. And then cuju becomes the folk game of the lower layers. During the Han Dynasty, it was not just entertainment, but a duty. Everyone had to be able to play.

During the game, it was necessary not only to score a goal to the opposing team, but also to have time to show the skill of possession of the ball, hands, feet or head. The main difference from modern football is that there were no wide gates. And in the ground a hole was pulled out into which a ball could fit. That's where the ball should have been. This is much more difficult than wide gates. And besides this rule, there were no other rules. Pushing, tripping, everything that is now considered foul play was welcomed. That is why the players have always been in excellent health.

Early names "air zither", "kite", "paper kite". Flying a kite into the sky is a traditional Chinese occupation. A game with a truly very long history. Previously, the kite was not paper, but wooden. Descriptions of how "a wooden kite soars in the air" have survived. More than 2,400 years have passed since the first wooden kite was made. And even then, somehow, it was launched into the sky. Under the Eastern Han Dynasty ( 25 - 220 years.) the first paper kites appear. And the new name of the game is "Paper Kite". Then the kite was launched by children. Each was proud of his paper kite. Interestingly, during the Tang Dynasty, one of the emperors used a snake to transmit secret letters and was very successful in this. It was during this dynasty that paper toys of various shapes began to be made. There are craftsmen making toys. The progenitor of modern apartment bells is considered to be a Chinese paper toy. One of the emperors was very fond of music. And I decided to combine a flute and a paper dragon. The flute was put into a paper dragon and hung up. When the wind blew, the toy made a melody. This is where the modern name "Kite" came from.

The game originated over 2400 years ago. Back then, the Chu Kingdom had a powerful army and warships. Military clashes mainly took place on the water. Then an ancient Chinese weapon was invented to capture a retreating enemy ship, in other words, a special hook. When the enemy was defeated and intended to hide in the endless waters, the military threw a hook on the ship and dragged it. The military on the shore often loudly recounted and showed the events of the past day, depicting throwing a hook. And so the idea of ​​tug-of-war came about. The first competition among the military appeared. But the game quickly spread to the masses. During the Tang Dynasty, a bamboo stick was pulled. Then came a rope about 16 meters long. The tug-of-war competition attracted thousands of spectators. There are references that even foreigners who come to China enjoyed attending such events.

- acrobatic stunts or a pole.

They were common in the Han era as a special sport. From childhood, children were taught to handle the pole, climb it and show certain acrobatic tricks. From the palace chambers, the game quickly spread to the streets of cities as street gymnastics. Performances fascinated by the complexity and danger of tricks. Later, a royal team was created that traveled around the cities and selected talented acrobats. And the winner was a trickster with more complex acrobatic elements on a pole. Today, in ethnic minority areas in China, the ancient traditions of pole acrobatics are still preserved. In some cities, it is true that you can still meet speakers on the streets.

This national ball game appeared during the Tang Dynasty. Before the start of the game, it was necessary to divide into teams. Each player has a stick in their hands, which needs to hit the ball. The goal of the game is to hit the opponent's goal. The game is vaguely reminiscent of modern hockey. During the Song Dynasty, the game becomes a sport. Well-known coaches appear who traveled around the cities. And the game becomes not a team, but against each other. The game was played mainly by adult men.

– word game chain verses

The game is suitable for women's quarters, and then for the development of children's speech. This is a kind of game of figures of speech. The first girl reads a line from a verse, an idiom or a proverb. The second girl continues the sentence using the last character in the first sentence. The next players continue by analogy. The game perfectly develops the culture of speech and vocabulary of children. It was from this game that riddles, tongue twisters and rebuses appeared. This interesting game instantly won people's love among the Chinese. It could be played at any time, without being distracted from household chores.

- Riddle games or "Tiger Hunt"

The riddle was written on a red lantern and passed to another person, if he could not guess, he passed it again. Another name for the game is tiger hunting. At first, children played riddles in the yards. Then the lovers took over the game. This way of playing red-lanterns appeared in the Song Dynasty.

-Eagle caught a chicken game

This game has several names: “Yellow hawk eats chicken”, “weasel eats chicken”, in Cantonese it is called “eagle grabs chickens”. The exact time of the appearance of the game is not known, tentatively during the Ming Dynasty. This is a fun group game that involves a large number of participants. Always takes place outdoors because it requires a lot of space.

One player becomes an eagle, his task is to grab and pull out the chicken. The remaining players are attached to each other in a row. The first person in the row is the chicken, the rest are the chickens. The task of the chicken is to protect the chickens from the eagle. The chicken that was pulled out does not participate in the further game. Only in the next round he will be able to participate. The game was attended by children of almost all ages. It was the favorite game of all children. In the game, physical health and endurance developed well, because I had to constantly run.

- Fight with eggs

Traditionally, the game was held annually on March 3 according to the lunar calendar. First of all, this is a children's game. In early March, in the evening, parents cooked for the children. For each child, a grid of eggs. The net had to be hung around the neck. Eggs can be either chicken, goose or duck. All eggs are colored red. There are no rules in the battle with eggs, there are only a pre-agreed number of participants. The main thing is to save as many whole eggs as possible. It was possible to shorten from the enemy or attack.

It is the progenitor of the game of hide and seek. The exact release date of the game is not known. Children especially liked the game of fish younger age. The main attribute of the game was a rope and a scarf. The rope marked the circle, the boundaries of the game. One of the players was blindfolded, and the other was given a bag of pieces of wood. The task of the blindfolded player is to grab the player with the bag.

A special fun in ancient China among the adult population was considered a contest of strength. Such competitions allowed to stay in good physical shape. And the competition appeared thanks to Emperor Qin Shi Huang. After the reunification of China, the emperor forbids the possession of weapons. Thus, bare-handed fights appear. It can be considered that this is the progenitor of modern fights without rules.

During the Han Dynasty, the performance of Chi Yu appeared among the people. This is a kind of struggle in which participants with bull horns on their heads attack each other. In such battles, two people participated and gathered a large number of spectators. Much later, wrestling acquires a special cultural content. In the 70s of the 20th century, a painting on silk was found in the tomb of the Han Dynasty in Shandong province, which depicted two wrestlers in their arms. Spectators are all around.

During the Jin era (265-419) another name “sumo” appeared, and during the Tang dynasty, sumo turns into a sporting event in which soldiers of the imperial army participate.

Another popular pastime is walking on stilts. An earlier name is "high legs". Walking on stilts was one of the most popular shows in ancient China. Performances were held in spring and autumn. It is known that as early as 500 BC, walking on stilts was popular in ancient China. There was not only walking on stilts, but also jumping, fighting with swords. Long wooden sticks were used for stilts. The highest stilts reached a height of 1 zhang (Chinese fathom, equal to 3.33 meters). During the Six Dynasties ( 229-589) the game was called "stilt mastery". It was not until the Song Dynasty that the well-known simple name "Walking on stilts" appears. And they began to use sticks from 1 to 3 chi in length (Chinese foot, a measure of length equal to 1/3 of a meter).

– Hidden hook

An ancient Chinese game whose goal is to guess which player has a hook in his hand. According to the legend, Emperor Han Zhao's mother held a small hook in her hand and extended her arms. The little emperor had to guess in which hand the hook was hidden. That's how this one came about exciting game. The rules and the way of playing are very simple. That is why she is so loved. Girls especially love her. They usually use a jade hook or a silver hook. Very often, children would get together and play hook

More modern games relating to the early 20th century and the formation of the Republic of China.

- Rubber band game

At that time, any girl in her backpack had short rubber bands connected to each other into one long one. Usually, jumping into rubber bands, the girls said nursery rhymes, for example: “orchid flower, orchid flower, is not afraid of either wind or rain, the hardworking people of China always say, open the orchid flower faster.” The girls jumped into rubber bands in small groups. In China, it is believed that such a game has only one positive sides: A very active game ensures the physical health of children. The game also helps develop coordination. Hands and feet should be well coordinated. The game of rubber bands according to the rules is no different from our yard game.

– Classics

Also known to us the game. The rules are no different either. Squares are drawn on the ground, there can be 6,12, etc. Then the first circle is determined with wooden knuckles. The bones are rushed to one of the squares, and you need to jump there on one leg. Having jumped into the desired square with the knuckles, the second leg needs to kick the knuckles to the next square.

- Throw a bag of sand

For the game, several rags were required to be sewn into one in the form small pocket. Pour sand into the middle and sew. So it turned out a bag of sand. Preferably play on fresh air and play big company. Players are divided into two teams and stand opposite each other at a certain distance. The order of the game is determined. The first team throws a bag of sand into the opposite team. If the bag hit someone, he should shout "dead." The neighboring player picks up the bag and throws it back. And the one who turned out to be "dead" goes to another team. The team with the most players wins.

– Game to knock out with a stick

First, you need to collect a lot of ice cream sticks. Wash and paint in different colors. During the game, everyone sits on the ground. Each player chooses a certain color of sticks. All sticks are laid out in front of the players. Then the players take turns trying to pull out a stick of their color with an ice cream stick. If there was contact with the wand of another player, then the move is not counted. Who pulled out more sticks of his color, he won.

The game is popular among boys. There are small holes in the ground. Then you need to put pebbles there. Whoever fills all the holes with pebbles the fastest wins. In wealthier families, children used special glass marbles. More simple families used iron and clay balls. There was another way to play. All the same holes, they put a ball on the ground and tried to hammer it into the hole with another ball from a few meters. Sometimes one big hole was pulled out, and balls with 10 meters were hammered into it. The most accurate won.

– pebble fishing

Children first collected pebbles from the river in the amount of five pieces, always small in size. Preferably white color. Then two people sat down on the ground facing each other. One threw a pebble on the ground in front of him. The task of the players is to instantly react and pick up more pebbles than the other player. The one who took the most pebbles wins. Very fast and fun game. The game is very reminiscent of the Russian folk "Flea in a bowl"

Children folded paper into a square envelope or triangle. They threw him on the floor. Then, with the same envelope, the player tries to hit the envelope lying on the floor so that it turns over or changes its location. Then the turn passes to the next player. The game was played in schools during breaks.

- Storm the city

The game requires a lot of people who are divided into two teams of 6 players each. Then the boundaries of the city are determined, and a fortress is built from improvised materials. The goal of the game is to capture the city. One team must attack, and the second - to defend the borders of the city. Players can only use their hands during attack and defense. If the bodies of the wrestling players come into contact, both are eliminated from the game. The team that loses the fewest players wins.

- Playing blind

It is carried out in a limited space, often in the classroom during recess. The driver is selected, he is blindfolded. The rest of the players should not get caught by the driver. But they should not walk quietly, but be sure to indicate their location to the driver with sounds. The game develops the ability to listen carefully and navigate in the dark.

- Goat jump

AT Olympic Games in gymnastics it is called "Jump over a horse", baby name"jump over the goat". They play in every school. One of the players squats down, the rest must jump over him without hitting him. If there is contact, the jumping player becomes the goat. The game can become more difficult with higher “goat” poses, first squatting then higher and higher.

– Blockhead

The game also involves a limited space. Usually it was played by students during breaks. The leader is chosen, the rest of the players must run away. As soon as the player realizes that he is being overtaken, he may abruptly stand in place, clutch his head and shout loudly "Dumbass". Then the driver cannot pass him the move. This player cannot move until other players hit him. The one who did not have time to shout becomes the driver. The game is reminiscent of Russian folk tag.

Restrictions in the same space than the big circle, or in the classroom, one person chasing other people, run quickly to catch up. As soon as they almost caught up, you need to immediately grab your head and shout "Dumbass". Then you can't move. Other players must be hit in order to be able to join the game again. If he did not have time to shout, he played.

– Cockfight

The game does not require any equipment and preparations. Very simple. Players need to bend one leg at the knee and put it on the other. Embrace your legs with your hands. On the other, supporting leg, jump and push other players so that they lose their balance and drop out of the game. You can attack one on one, or you can divide into groups.

- roll the wheel

To begin with, it was necessary to make an iron wheel and a long hook. With this hook it was necessary to roll the wheel. A bamboo stick could be used as a hook. Whoever can roll the hoop the longest wins.

All over the world, children and adults play games using tin cans, stones, slippers, old socks, wheels...

Bank and slippers

Tumbang Preso is a popular game in the Philippines, a bit similar to our towns: a team of players, armed with their own shoes, tries to hit a tin can, being 5-6 m away from it. One person stands at the jar and guards it, covering it with his shoe. If the jar manages to be knocked down, the "guard" must quickly return it to the circle, at which time everyone else runs after the shoes and they can be tagged as soon as the jar is in place, or captivate someone else's shoe by stepping on it and the jar at the same time. There is a similar game in neighboring Malaysia.

Through thorns

Another traditional Filipino game is Luksong-tinik, which translates to “jump over the thorns of a plant.” Two participants sit on the floor, connect the soles and depict thorns, the rest must jump over without hitting the barriers.

rubber band

In Asia, our favorite game of rubber bands has not been forgotten. It is called Chinese Garter but is more popular in the Philippines than in China. Children jump with a turn and so masterfully that what is happening sometimes resembles a dance. The youth compete in the high jump, the pinnacle of the art is to jump over an elastic band stretched between the necks of your comrades. Rubber band games are also popular among African children.

Chinese Checkers

The traditional entertainment of Chinese men is xiangqi, somewhat reminiscent of chess. Tournaments are often held on street benches, everyone plays - from young people to old people.

jumping

In Ghana, children play a game of songs, claps and jumps Ampe in twos or in a group: the leader starts to jump and, landing, throws one leg forward. Each of the team repeats the movements in turn and, depending on which leg is put out - right or left, gets points and a chance to become a leader.

Mancala

While children jump and run, adults sit at board games mancala: in a special sequence, multi-colored pebbles are shifted along the holes: whoever has more, he won. According to legend, this game originated in Africa, when two caravans stopped in an oasis to water camels and cameleers to pass the time, dug holes in the sand, took grain and came up with rules that have survived to this day.

World Games

Wheel and stick

Rolling a wheel with a stick is a game with a long history: it was played by children and youth of Ancient Greece, Rome, Byzantium, in China it existed 1000 BC. e. Back in the 19th century, small inhabitants of Europe, Asia, Africa and America had fun with hoops. Now this simple game is played in Africa, India and Malaysia.

shuttlecock kicking

Throwing a shuttlecock or a ball with your feet is an international youth game common in America, Europe and Asia, known by various names. Its prototype is the ancient Chinese game Jianzi (Jiànzi), which originated in the 5th century BC. e. In China, the game has not only survived to this day, but has also become a national sport. Not only children, but also adults are happy to kick balls in parks, squares and in the market, waiting for buyers. There are several variants of jianzi: a duel between two players, in a circle like team game, as well as through the grid.

Footback

In America similar game appeared in 1972 in Oregon, called footback, or Hack The Sack. A small soft ball is used as a shuttlecock. The game came to Russia in the early 90s, it was called the socks - often the ball was made from a sock and stuffed with grits. In Central Asia, including in Kazakhstan, there is more than one century similar game langa: instead of a shuttlecock, a piece of goat or sheep skin is used with a lead plate sewn to it.

marble balls

Another international game is marbles, marble, or clicker, in Afghanistan - Tushla bazi, in Malaysia - guli. Children from prosperous countries like America, Canada, Australia also like to play marble colored balls. The rules are simple: a circle is drawn on the sand or earth, a small hole is made in the center, the players move a distance and try to get into the hole, in another version - knock the opponent's balls out of the circle. Archaeologists suggest that the game came from Pakistan, as the earliest stone and clay balls were found at the excavations of Mohenjo-Daro. Many centuries have passed, and boys around the world continue to fight for "treasures", stuffing their pockets, and growing up, become collectors of "marbles".

Today's children spend less and less time outdoors in the fresh air. For them, modern games do not seem as interesting as for their parents. With the onset of the computer age, children are more likely to play computer games than yard games. However, it does not apply too much to Chinese children, who continue to play a variety of national yard games. It should be noted that Chinese children do not disdain buying various elements in order to make their logical - free games have become more perfect. Similar stores with game attributes in the Middle Kingdom are located at almost every turn, and most children can afford them. Educators notice that the more extraneous elements are present in the game, the more it captivates.

One of the most popular Chinese games is Catch the Dragon's Tail. This game is not fully suitable for Russia and European countries, since in our countries children rarely gather in a company of more than ten people. In China, on the contrary, usually ten or more people participate in yard games. However, such a game is perfect for a holiday or birthday - an adequate number of people in this case is guaranteed. By the way, it does not require any extraneous things and elements. The essence of the game is simple: children initially form a row and build one after another, after which they put their hand on the right shoulder of the one who is standing in front of them. With the help of lots, the tail is selected - the person standing at the end of the row and the head - the person standing at its beginning. The meaning of the game is that the head must catch its tail. The body of the "dragon" is in motion and, accordingly, makes the task of the head more difficult. Gradually, the children change roles, and everyone can feel like a “dragon”. In general, a very exciting and active game, suitable for any company. In China, it is wildly popular due to the lack of electronic entertainment.

Another game that is popular among Chinese kids is “Da Zrr”, which can be played with a small number of people.

This game requires certain tools - two sticks 70 cm long and 10 cm long. A 70 cm long stick is a kind of bat. The second, 10 cm long, should be pointed at both ends.

On the ground or asphalt, you need to draw a square, each side should be at least one and a half meters.

A “baton” is given to one of the players, and a “stick” 10 cm long is placed in a square. The player with the club hits the stick and it takes off, and the moment it is in the air, the player must hit it again and throw it as far as possible. The second player from the place where the “stick” is located must throw it as accurately as possible into the square. If he succeeds, he gets a point. The rules are usually adjusted according to the wishes of the participants.