We all play many games with our neighbourhood friends. Every region in our country has some games that are specific to that region. In this chapter, we will learn to play and enjoy some games that are played across the country. While playing these games and enjoying together, we will learn to treat each other with kindness and become better human beings.

The Seven Stones game is known by many names in our country. For example, it is called Satolia, Pitthu, Lagori, or Nargoloi. It may have a different name in your region. You need seven flat stones and a sponge ball to play this game.

 

• Split the players into two teams. One team is the Throwers and the other team is the Defenders.
• Place the stones on top of each other to form a small tower, each stone smaller than the one below it.
• One player from the throwers’ team tries to knock down the stack of stones with the ball from a fixed distance.
• If the throwers’ ball misses the stones, the defender team tries to catch the ball on bounce and the player is out. Another player gets a chance to hit the stones.
• If the player knocks down the pile of stones the fun begins! 
• The defender team picks up the ball and tries to hit the players of the throwing team.
• Players from the throwing team dodge the ball and try to place the stones back in the tower.
• If any player from the throwing team gets hit by the ball the whole team is out.
• If the throwing team succeeds in putting all stones back they shout ‘Satolia’ or ‘Lagori’ and get one point.
• The team then switch roles.
  

Golaap means Rose flower and Togor means white flower. This game can be used for learning different vegetables, fruits and places.

• Form two teams— Team A and Team B— and select a leader for each team.
• Draw a line in the centre of the play area. The teams stand at equal distance from the line facing each other.
• The leaders secretly assign names to their players based on fruits or vegetables.
• The leader of Team A then blindfolds one team member and calls the assigned name of a player from Team B. For example— “Please come Mango”, or “Please come Brinjal”.
• The invited player from Team B approaches and taps gently on the back of the blindfolded player from Team A.
• The blindfolded player guesses the real name of the player who tapped on the back. One point is given for every correct guess.
• The leader of Team B now does the same.        
  

This is a very commonly played game in all parts of India. It may be known by a different name in your region.

• Select one player to be the denner (den). The other players are the runners.
  
• Define the boundaries of the playing area so everyone knows till where they can run.
• The den stands in the middle of the playing area while the runners spread out within the boundaries.
• The den chases the runners and tries to touch them.
• Any runner touched by the den immediately becomes the next den and the game continues.

Note for the teacher

Purpose Developing agility, speed, quick reaction time, determination and endurance.

Variations   • Instead of running, you can hop or jump.  • Decrease or increase the area to change the difficulty level.

Circle Time  Discuss what you can do to avoid physical injury while playing.

This is a simple game which can be played in various patterns.

• Select one player to be the den. The other players are the runners.
• Define the boundaries of the playing area so everyone knows till where they can run.
• The den chases the runners and tries to touch one of them.
• When any runner is touched, that player joins hands with the denner to form a chain.
• The den and the newly joined players form a chain and chase the runners together. Gradually new members are added and the chain increases in length.
• The game continues till all runners become a part of the chain. The last runner remaining is the winner.

This is very popular game in India and played with various names in different states like Bengal, Assam, Odisha and Tripura. Aankh means an eye and Micholi means closed. What is the name of this game in your region?

• Define the boundaries of the playing area so everyone knows where they can run and hide. Select one player to be the denner.
• One player whose eyes are covered with the cloth is made to stand in the centre of the play area. 
  
• Other players spread out in the play area and keep singing “Aao khelen aankh micholi.”
  
• The denner tries to chase the other players and touch them based on the direction from which the sound is coming.
• The denner has to identify the player who is touched. If it is correct, the player becomes the new denner and the game continues.

Note for teacher

Bitta means open strectched palm and Kud means jumping. This game is played either with a hand or using a cloth or a wooden stick as shown in the picture below.

• Form teams of two players each.
  
• One pair is selected as the den. This pair sits on the ground holding a stick or a cloth as shown in the picture below.
• All the players have to jump over this stick.
• If both the players from any team fail to jump over the stick they become the new den.
• If all the teams jump over the stick successfully the den increase the height of the stick. The game continues till all the players are tired.     
  

This game is known by various names like Staapu, Ekhat-Dukhat, Gutti, etc. in different parts of our country.

• Mark the ground with eight squares as shown in the picture on the previous page.
• The first player stands behind the starting line and throws the marker (a small flat stone) into square-1. It must land inside the square without bouncing out or touching the lines.
• The player hops from square-1 to square-8 and back, skipping the square in which the marker is placed. The player hops on one foot on a single square, and on both feet on double squares with one foot in each square.
• While hopping back, the player stops at square-2, picks up the marker, and hops over square-1 to come out. The player continues to play by throwing the marker in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th squares.
• If the marker doesn’t land in the correct square, or if a player steps on a line or hops into the wrong square, or loses balance, then their turn ends. Next time, the player starts from the square where their turn ended.
• The player who completes all the squares first wins the game.

This is a variation of a popular game called Langdi (one leg-skipping).

• Draw a circle on the ground depending on the number of players.
  
• Every player needs to be inside the circle.
  
• The purpose of the game is to push other players out of the circle or in such a way that they are forced to stand on both feet.
  
• The competitor starts the game with one leg to hop on and one hand resting on their shoulder.
  
• The game is won by the last person to remain on one leg inside the circle.

Kumir means crocodile and Denga means bank of the river. This is a popular game in many parts of the country and is known by various names.

• Use chalk powder to mark the ground in multiple ‘land’ and ‘water’ areas as given in the picture below.
• One player will become the crocodile (Kumir) and the rest will be the runners.
• The runners are safe in the land areas but in water areas, the crocodile can attack.
• The runners should keep moving from one land area to the other while teasing the crocodile player.
• If the crocodile player catches any runner in the water areas, then the caught runner becomes the new crocodile and the game continues.
  

This game is played with different slogans in local languages. To make it meaningful, new slogans may be created for your school.

• Draw a straight line on the field.
• Form two teams that will stand on opposite sides of the line at some distance.
• The first team walks towards the line and says, “We walk on the road of flowers” (Hum phoolon ki sadak par chalte hain).
• The second team also approaches the line and replies— “We walk in the cool breeze” (Hum thandi hava me chalte hain).
• Then the first team asks— “Who do you want to take?”
• The second team responds by taking the name of a player from the first team. For example, “Gouri.”
• Then the first team again asks— “But with whom?”
• The second team then takes the name of a player from their own team. For example, “with Radha.” 
• The first team accepts the challenge and responds— “Take her if you can”.
• Now these two choosen players stand on the opposite sides of the line and try to pull each other.
  
• Whoever gets pulled becomes a member of the opposite team and the game continues with two new players.
  

We walk on the road of flowers.

We walk in the cold air.

This is a popular game played in all regions of our country. A softball may be used in the game to avoid injury.

• Select one player to be the Den. The other players can be the Dodgers.
  
• Draw a big circle on the ground. The den will stand in the centre of the circle while the dodgers will stand on the boundary of the circle.
  
• The den tries to hit the dodgers using a soft ball.
  
• The dodger who gets hit becomes the new den and the game continues.
  

This is a popular game played by people of all ages. It is played with a table spoon, and a lemon or a marble.

• Draw a start line, a finish line and tracks for the players to run.
• All the players stand behind the start line with the spoon (having a lemon or a marble on it) in the mouth.
  
• On the blow of the whistle, players start walking towards the finish line.
  
• The player who reaches the finish line first without dropping the lemon or marble wins.
  

This is a popular game played in all regions. A softball may be used in the game to avoid injury.

• Make a cloth ball and define the play area.
  
• To start the game, one player takes the ball in hand and asks, “Are you all ready?”. The other players say, “Yes” and start running around.
  
• The player with the soft ball tries to hit the other players with it.
  
• Whoever gets the soft ball hits the nearby players.
  
• This goes on till everybody is tired.
  

Tug of war is an ancient game played all over the world. In some parts of India it is known as Rassa-Kashi or Vadam-Vali. It is a centre of attraction in various local fairs. It should be played with care to avoid injuries.

• Draw a line in the centre of the play area and make the two teams stand on the opposite sides of the line.
  
• Take a big rope and all the players hold it firmly as shown in the picture below.
  
• The game starts on the blow of the whistle. Each team pulls the rope towards their side.
  
• The winner of the game is the team that pulls the opposite team beyond the centre line.
  

This is a common game played all over the country. One of its versions, with some variations, is played in paralympics.

• Form teams of two players each.
  
• Tie the right leg of one player with the left leg of the other using a piece of cloth to create three legs.
  
• Every team runs to the finish line. The team that reaches the finish line first is the winner.

This game has different names in different regions like Jal-Thal, Talyat-Malyat, Kullam-Kara, etc.

• Draw a large ring. All the players stand just outside the ring and follow the teacher’s instructions.
  
• When the teacher says Kullam (pond), the players jump inside the ring and when the teacher says Kara (bank), the players jump outside the ring.
  
• The teacher gives random instructions of Kullam and Kara, The players who make a mistake in following the instructions are declared out.
  

This game is known by various names such as Dhoop Chaanv, Andhiyaari Anjori, etc. Andhiyaari means shade and Anjori means light.

• Form two teams, a Light team and a Shade team.
  
• The Shade team will take position in shadows and the Light team will be in light.
  
• Both teams will then try to move into the opposing teams area. If a Shade team player is touched by any player of the Light team in light, then that player becomes the player of the Light team and vice versa.
  
• This keeps going until there are no more players in one of the groups.