Fun russian kid games

The leader catches up to a player and tags her. The summer version of Koldunchiki is to run around and try to spray each other with water from bottles. Cossacks and Thieves. Source: Elena Pochetova. Players are divided into two teams: Cossacks and Thieves. The two teams agree on the area that they are going to play in. This can be a courtyard, staircase, street, or even several courtyards. The Thieves think of a secret word.

The Thieves escape, leaving chalk marks on walls, trees, curbs, etc. The Cossacks then have to use the marks to find the Thieves. The Cossacks have to bring each of the Thieves to a prison and guard him, trying to get him to cough up the secret word. The Cossacks win when they either catch all of the Thieves or manage to get one of them to say the secret word. This game develops basic scouting skills and navigational abilities and teaches children not to rat others out.

The Vishibali Bouncers - two players — stand on opposite sides of the yard. The rest are in the center. The Vishibali have to pass the ball back and forth while trying to hit one of the players in the middle. The players in the middle have to dodge the ball. Anyone who gets hit is out of the game. When only one player is left in the middle, he must dodge the ball as many times as his age.

If he can do it, all the players who were out come back into the game. All players sit or stand in a row. The lead player throws a ball to one of the participants and at the same time calls out an object. If the object is edible, the player catches the ball.

If not, he bounces it away. The leader tries to confuse the player, for example, by saying "apple - melon - carrot - potato" in a row, and then suddenly saying "iron. The faster the leader throws the ball and calls out the object, the more exciting and fun the game becomes. Players mark a circle on the ground. The knife can be thrown over the shoulder, with a turn, from nose level and even over the head.

This game develops the ability to handle weapons, improves attention span, and fosters a sense of caution. Gorodki became recognized as a legitimate sport in when the rules were codified and 15 standard pin patterns were adopted.

Although its popularity has waned in recent decades, pickup games of gorodki are still played at camping sites, community parks and factory courtyards. During the long Arctic winters, Russian children bundle up for an outdoor round of Steeple Bell.

Shuffling their feet through the deep snow, they mark out squares and lines for the playing field. Marching along the lines, the players ring then pass the bell. When the guard claps and removes the blindfold, the bell holder drops it into the center square.

The guard picks up the bell and pursues the dropper while the other players try to steal the bell. The energetic round ends when the guard catches the culprit, who becomes the next guard. Largely unchanged since the 14th century, lapta is believed to be the precursor to American baseball and English cricket.

Two kids stand on opposite sides of the playground and throw a ball to hit the others. Players move about freely, and those who are hit must get off the playground.

The last player standing tries to avoid the ball as many times as he is old, plus one. If he doesn't, then he switches places with whoever hit him.

Another rule says each player who is hit immediately changes places with whoever hit him. This old and popular game is like team hide-and-seek. Players split into two teams, with one hiding Bandits , while the other searches and attacks Cossacks.

Their goal is to confuse the Cossacks. If the Cossacks learn the password - they win. Prepared by Maria Gavrilova. This is an abridged version of the original published in Russian by Arzamas. If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.

This website uses cookies. Click here to find out more. Aug 04 Are your children bored this summer, or totally engrossed in their iPads, iPhones, or other digital device?

Then show them some old-fashioned fun.