Polish Traditional Children’s Games

Outdoor games The games played by children in the open and fresh air.

Paper Chase (Podchody) Paper Chase is a game which is played outdoors, best in the forest. There are two groups of players. One group runs away leaving behind clues in form of paper shreds, arrows, letters or different puzzles. The second group must catch the first one.

Bricklayer (Murarz)  Bricklayer is a game that can be played in the playground.  We choose one person (Bricklayer) and chalk a line (10-15 m) along which he can move.  The children stand in front of the bricklayer and when he gives a sign they run across the line to the other side.  The bricklayer mustn’t step out of the line. He tries to catch or touch the players. They are his „bricks” – when caught they sit on the line and he bulids the wall of them.  The winner is the last person whom the bricklayer couldn’t catch.

Blindman’s buff (Ciuciubabka) The game is simple. One of the players is blindfolded. His task is to catch another person. When he does it he is a winner.

Tag (Berek) It is a playground game. Children run around and one person has to catch or touch another child. The caught child becomes a „Tag - Berek”.

Silly Johnnie (Głupi Jaś) Children stand in a circle. One of them comes to the middle. He is ”Silly Johnnie”. The rest throw a ball to each other. Silly Johnnie must catch the ball. When he does he goes outside the circle. The person who threw the ball comes to the middle and is now ”Silly Johnnie”.

Colours Players stand in a circle. They throw a ball to one other and say colours: blue, orange, black, white and many others. When a player catches the ball on a white or black he is out of the game.

Baba Yaga (Witch) is watching! One person (Baba Yaga) stands back to the group and covers her eyes. She says: „One, two, three Baba Yaga is watching „ and then turns. When she stands back the children walk to her but when she turns they must „freeze”. Baba Yaga walks around the group and checks if anyone is moving. If yes, the child must go to the start line. Baba Yaga turns again and repeats: „one,two, three Baba Yaga is watching.” The one who touches Baba Yaga first is a winner and a new Baba Yaga.

Cold and warm (Ciepło – zimno)  One player hides a thing somewhere.  Another player must search for it. He is helped by the hints: „cold” when he is far away, „warm” when he gets a little closer and finally „HOT” when he is close to the hidden thing.  After finding the object he hides something and the game continues.

Indoor games

Farmer It’s a board game. Children throw dice and choose the animal pictures. The winner is the player who collects at least 1 animal from each species.

Checkers (Warcaby)  It’s a board game for 2 players. One player has dark pieces and the other has light ones. Players start with 12 pieces each.  They take turns moving their pieces.  Players move them diagonally.  When a player jumps over the opponent’s piece, he can take that piece from the board. The first player who loses all of his pieces loses the game.

Computer games Nowadays the most popular games among the children are computer games. They are the real winners!!!

Thank you for your attention  Prochalski Jakub 6a  Palenga Patryk 6b