How do children from other nations play?
Whether it’s building blocks, dolls or toy cars – we seem to know what our children like to play with. But do we also know what the children of other nations like to play with? Here you can read to what extent the playing behavior of children in different countries is similar and how it differs. We have also put together a selection of games from other countries for you and your child.
Who doesn’t know them, the famous children’s games? On the one hand there is “Catching”, “Blind Man’s Buff”, “The Plumpsack is going around” and “Mother, Father, Child”. On the other hand there are the dolls, dream castles, building blocks and racing cars. Our age may have become highly digitized and digitization may have long since found its way into our children’s playrooms (just think of the game consoles: every fifth household in Germany now owns at least one), but these classics are still with the children popular pastime. But what about other nations? Are there similar games or similar toys there?
Europe and the USA: colourful, digital and sustainable
The corresponding children’s games can often be found in European countries and in the USA. They just hide under a different name. In the USA, for example, blind man’s buff is called “Blindman’s buff” (literally translated: the leather of the blind man), in Spain “Gallina Ciega” (literally translated: the blind chicken). This and other classics can also be found in Great Britain, France, Spain, the Czech Republic, Italy, Austria and Switzerland. The furnishings in the children’s rooms are also similar: almost every child in the world knows dolls and the like. Germany in particular has contributed to these trend toys since teddy bears and dolls were developed and produced here at the beginning of the 20th century, and their sales have continued to increase over the years – even spilling over to the USA.
Africa, Asia and South America: creatively handcrafted
Unfortunately, such trends are often a question of cost, which is why DVDs, video games and CDs are primarily sold in the industrialized countries of Europe and in the USA. But although children in developing countries often have to do without expensive toys, they are in no way inferior to children from Europe and the USA in terms of their love of play and imagination. They often show a great deal of improvisational talent in the use of their toys.
In addition to the increasing popularity of computer games and consoles, the motto of this year’s toy fair in Nuremberg draws attention to another trend: sustainability and ecological materials are also important and sometimes even decisive criteria for buying toys. It should also be colorful. Toys with learning functions and high tech are also becoming increasingly popular.
On the contrary: In many developing countries, children build their own toys because they lack the means to buy doll houses and leather footballs. Here you play with footballs made of clay and with dolls made of sewn scraps of fabric. There are no limits to children’s creativity. But even if the children have to make their own toys, their play behavior is very similar to the behavior of European and American children – albeit not quite as consumer-oriented or technically oriented due to the given circumstances.
Climate influences gaming behavior
In addition, the climate influences children’s play behavior: In warm countries it is common for them to spend a lot of time in nature and play outside. In colder regions, such as some regions of Russia, children are more likely to adapt to the more domestic environment: famous are the matryoshkas, small wooden dolls that fit together and are played with a lot at home. In contrast, children in South America and Africa often grow up in the countryside together with many animals that move their center of life and play outside.
Different countries, different conditions – but everyone likes to play a lot
Children’s natural play instinct is therefore present all over the world. However, the playing behavior often differs in material things and climatic conditions. But through creativity and a talent for improvisation, children’s play instinct prevails all over the world and thus contributes to children’s development. You can find out why playing is so important for children and how you too can promote your child’s creativity and self-confidence in our articles: ” Why playing is so important for your child ” and “Promoting creativity and self-confidence through play”.
Known games from other countries
From Israel: apple, pear, cherry
Age: from 4 years
Number: 5-8 players
What you need: a rope to jump
How it works: Each child is assigned a fruit name, for example apple or pear. Two of the children now swing the rope, which must be big enough for the children to jump through. Those swinging the rope call out the fruit names and the child whose fruit name was called has to jump on the rope. Several fruit names can be called out at the same time, so that more and more children jump in the rope.
From the Philippines: The Gordian Knot
Age: from 4 years
Number: 8-10 players
What you need: enough space
How it works: The children stand in a large circle and close their eyes. Now they have to run towards each other and hold hands. When they open their eyes again, the so-called Gordian knot is formed. The children must continue to hold hands and try to free themselves from this knot by climbing and stepping over other players.
From South Africa: Give me the ball
Age: from 6 years
Number: ideally from 10 players
What you need: a ball
This is how it works: The children divide into two groups of equal size and stand with approx. one meter apart in a row. The front child bends down and passes the ball through their legs to their backers. When the last child in line gets the ball, they have to dash forward and pass the ball back. The group in which the first player from the beginning is back at the head of the group wins.
From the Czech Republic: Steeplechase
Age: from 6 years
Number: 8-10 players
What you need: some larger items, e.g. boxes, piles of wood, etc.
This is how it works: The children have to set up a course with the objects. They form two groups and appoint approximately two runners and two pilots in each group. A child is the referee. The two runners are blindfolded and line up one behind the other at the starting line. The man behind holds the man in front by the shoulders. The two pilots must now try to guide the blind runners through the course by shouting. Then it’s the other group’s turn. The group with the fastest runners wins.
From Spain: Jump over the sheep
Age: from 3 years
Number: from 3 players
What you need: Ingenuity
This is how it works: This game is all about fun and creativity. There is no winner or loser. One child lies down on the ground and is the sheep, the other child is the “stupid sheep”. It must attempt to “artfully” jump over the sheep. If it takes a run up, it can do somersaults, roll on the ground, or do other things. Several children can also lie one behind the other. The more sheep, the more difficult it becomes for the so-called “stupid sheep”.
From Australia: Who will find the treasure?
Age: from 4 years
Number: from 2 players
What you need: a few hiding objects (they shouldn’t be too small or too pointed/sharp) and a sandy area, e.g. a sandpit, playground or beach
Here’s how it works: First, the children have to mark out an area in which they want to hide the objects. You also have to set a time frame in which to find the hidden objects. When one child hides the objects in the sand, the other child has to look away. Then it has to search and find the items that have been hidden in the given time frame. Then it is the other child’s turn to search.