M. Sołtysiak „Barabasz” Primary School in Daleszyce

POLISH GAMESPOLISH GAMES

Polish ChildrenPolish Children’s ’s Playground Games Playground Games

Here is the description of a couple of games which children from Poland play. The games are very simple, easy to prepare and learn and they give lots of fun. Of course, in the present times it seems that all the outdoor social games are replaced by either computer or the cable TV. But it is a good idea from time to time to encourage the kids to play outdoor as well and to come back to some traditional simple games.

KlasyKlasy

The participant starts by throwing a rock into the field with name "1" - then she/he jumps with one leg and picks the rock up; continue jumping on the same one leg through all the sections keeping the balance, making sure that the leg does not touch the line. If the participant would make this fault - the next person starts and she/he needs to repeat it after waiting for her/his tour again. After a participant finishes a tour succesfully, she/he can continue by throwing the rock into the field number "2" and repeating the same thing until she/he succesfully finishes all 6 rounds. The first one who finishes the all rounds wins.The game can be modified - if the paricipant would throw the rock in the halfcircle niebo (heaven) instead of section "3" he would have one extra round, if he would throw the rock into pieklo (hell) instead of "6" he would lose one round.

This rectangual game is called klasy, which can be translated as sections or classes

Farmer boyFarmer boyThe game is similar to the previous one - the participant jumps on one leg through the blocks "1", "2", "3", then she/he may rest by putting her/his both legs on the pavement - the left on number "4" and the right on "5" , then jumps on "6" and "7" + "8" with both legs, then she/he flips the legs turning 180 degrees and repeats it again.

There are some variations of these two games - the participant can jump in more difficult versions with only left leg or with the crossed legs.

These two games described above were mainly for girls up to 7-8 years old .

The shape of the figure resembles a boy, so the name is chlopek - in literal trabslation it means farmer boy.

Hide-and-seekHide-and-seek

It It is a is a children’s play children’s play played in a spacious area, played in a spacious area, such as outdoors or in a such as outdoors or in a large room, in which one large room, in which one player covers his or her player covers his or her eyes and starts counting. eyes and starts counting. At this moment the rest of At this moment the rest of the children has to hide the children has to hide somewhere. The person somewhere. The person starts looking for other starts looking for other players. The person who players. The person who will be found as the last will be found as the last one winone wins s the gamethe game..

Two FiresTwo Fires Two FiresTwo Fires means a game in which players try to hit other players with means a game in which players try to hit other players with a a ball and ball and

avoid being hit. This game is typically played in avoid being hit. This game is typically played in elementary schoolselementary schools, but has , but has emerged as a popular emerged as a popular middle school, high school or college middle school, high school or college sport as well. It is sport as well. It is also popular in informal settings and is often played on a also popular in informal settings and is often played on a playground, playground, in a in a gymgym, , or in organized recreational leagues.or in organized recreational leagues.

         

                                 

   

To play it we have to divide the To play it we have to divide the playground into two the same parts. playground into two the same parts. There is one team on each part. Each There is one team on each part. Each team chooses a leader who has to team chooses a leader who has to stand behind the line of the stand behind the line of the opponents’ part. opponents’ part. There are many There are many variations of the game, but generally variations of the game, but generally the main objective of each team is to the main objective of each team is to eliminate all members of the eliminate all members of the opposing team by hitting them with opposing team by hitting them with thrown ball. If a player catches a ball thrown ball. If a player catches a ball thrown by the opposing team he or thrown by the opposing team he or she isn’t eliminated. she isn’t eliminated. The leader and The leader and the players can throw the ball to the players can throw the ball to eliminate the players from the eliminate the players from the opponent team. The person who was opponent team. The person who was hit with a ball is eliminated from the hit with a ball is eliminated from the game. game. Once all the players Once all the players fromfrom one one team are eliminated, the game ends. team are eliminated, the game ends.

PlayersPlayers Four to 15 players start on each Four to 15 players start on each

team's side of the court, though six team's side of the court, though six players per side is most commonplayers per side is most common

Two Fires in our schoolTwo Fires in our school

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