10 outdoor children's games that are forgotten
There are many games that we played as children but are forgotten today as we forayed into the smartphone environment. But we need to revive those long lost games and also play the games with our children if we want them to restrict their phone use and also develop their other skills, be it leadership skills or risk-taking skills.
Today is a gadget-filled environment and our children are lost mostly in online and the virtual games. It is quite hard to find anyone playing outdoor games. There is also a dearth of outdoor games that could be taken up anytime with any number of people. It is only the crickets, footballs or the basketballs that are being given in the sports classes. But there are many games that were being played earlier in the streets and the grounds but are considered lost now. But do our smartphone savvy children even know about these games? Do the TV channels that our children are glued to so often tell them that even a small place can be turned into a gaming zone.
Well, our children will learn about such games only when we introduce them to those games. Few such games that can be taken up anywhere have been mentioned below.Outdoor games that can be played anywhere
Stapoo/hopscotch
Stapoo or hopscotch was a popular game that required a good amount of jumping. a hopscotch pattern needs to be drawn first on the concrete floor or the sand. A pebble is thrown in the desired box as per the level and the player needs to jump across the pattern to reach complete the level. The game can be played with as less as two players and does not need a big space. 7 stones/lagori/Pithu
We know this game in many names. Few things are required beforehand like a ball, preferably a softball and a pile of flat stones, 7 in number stacked one on top of the other. The players are divided into two teams. One team is responsible for knocking down the stones and then piling them back while the other team does not allow them to do so. The other team throws the ball at the members of the first team so that they are not able to put the stones back. If the ball hits any member, he is considered out. If the team is able to pile up the stones properly, it is declared the winner. Chor Sipahi
This is one of the most common games played in the yesteryears. There is one police in the game and the others are considered robbers or chor. The sipahi tries to catch one of the thieves. This person then becomes the sipahi and he tries to catch the others. Langdi Tang
This game is very much similar to Chor Sipahi. But the twist is that the one catching others does it in one leg i.e. catching the players while hopping in one leg. This can also be played in teams on the lines of kabaddi. Chain
This game can also be played by children in any age group. It's a kind of catching games with a twist. Once the denner touches any player, he also becomes the partner of the denner and both of them carry on with the catching other players holding hands i.e. in a chain. Likewise, once the third player is caught, he also becomes a part of the chain instead of getting out. This way all the players caught form the chain and finally the last player is also caught. The game provides ample opportunity to have fun. Lock and Key/Vish Amrit
This game is again a variation of our traditional chor sipahi game. The denner catches the players. The players can save themselves by sitting down before the denner catches them. This way they are locked by the denner. These locked out players cannot run till they are helped by the other players by giving Amrit or giving the key to the player. Colour Man
In this game, there is a colour man who owns a specific area. The other players ask the denner for the colour they should hold while crossing over the specific area. The denner can catch the player who does not have the asked colour. Post man
Oh! This is one of the games our parents and siblings had taught us as one of the sit and play games. The players sit in a round position with their backs to the denner or the postman. The song is sung by the players and the postman tries to put a handkerchief behind one of the players. Now, this player needs to catch the postman with the handkerchief in hand before he finds a place to sit down in the ring.
We still hum the postman song:
"I sent a letter to my father
on the way, I dropped it
the postman came and picked it up
and put it in his pocket"Poshampaa
Poshampaa is one of the games that can be played with as few as 4 players. Two players sing the traditional Poshampaa song while holding each other's hands in a raised position resembling a bridge. The other players pass under the so-called bridge. The player who is caught in the trap when the song ends and the hands come down is the player considered out. Gilli Danda
The game is very similar to cricket or baseball. Two pieces of wood appropriately shaped are used. The small piece with reduced ends is known as the gilli while the bigger wood is the danda. The danda is used to hit the gilli and send it as far as possible. The hitter tries to make runs while the players in the other team collect the gilli. Other games
The list of the games goes on. Skipping, rope jumping, hide and seek, kancha (marbles), gutte, chousath, lattoo are few such games that can be played by the children today.
There are many other games that were being played a few years back before the smartphone revolution took place. These games can be brought back to our children to help them build up the team culture and be able to socialize.