Traditional childhood games from our country

1. ROMANIAN TRADITIONAL OUTDOOR
GAMES
FIT FOR FUTURE PROJECT
ȘCOALA GIMNAZIALĂ NR. 1 DICHISENI/CĂLĂRAȘI/ROMANIA
TEAM

2. • Traditional games, collective games in
general, gives children the opportunity to
socialize, interact with each other,
consume energy to express the need for
freedom and personality.

3. ROMANIAN CHILDREN TRADITIONAL OUTDOOR
GAMES

4. 1. COUNTRIES/ȚĂRILE
• The children are sitting in a circle. In the middle of the circle
sit the leader of the game who has a ball in the hand.
• He throws the ball in the air, calling in the same time the
name of a country. The child that has its name must run to
catch the ball before it touches the ground. If he doesn't
succeed, he is eliminated.
• The leader of the game has to call all the countries that the
participants had selected.
• Win the participant who catches the ball the most often.

5. 2. SHEEP AND WOLF/OILE ȘI LUPUL
• All players but two are at one end of the ground.
They are "sheep". The "Shepherd" is at the other
end, and in between is the "wolf". The shepherd
calls out "Sheep, sheep, come home!". The sheep
answers desperately "No, no, we afraid". "Who are
you afraid of?" "The great big wolf". "There is not
any wolf", says the shepherd. "Sheep, sheep, come
home". While the sheep try to reach home, out
jumps the wolf. The sheep that is caught becomes
the "wolf". Then the shepherd goes to the other
end of the ground and the dialogue is repeated.

6. 3. SOLDIERS GAME/ȚARĂ, ȚARĂ VREM
OSTAȘI
Two children teams play this game. The first one
starts the game saying: "Country, country, we
want soldiers!" The other team replies: "Whom?"
One of the children is chosen to be "soldier". The
team of the child chosen has to make a wall
holding their hands. The other team must be able
to break the wall. If it succeeds the chosen one
goes to the adverse team, if not, he/ she remain
on his/ her team. The game continues in this way.
The winner is the team who succeeds to gather
more soldiers.

8. 4. THE CASTLE
Two children teams are involved. The first
one put five stones one on another building up "a
castle". The second team throws the ball at the
castle. If they put it down, they put the ball near it
and run away. The first team tries to rebuild the
castle. Meanwhile the children of the second team
hit them with the ball. If the first team don't succeed
in rebuilding it, they are the losers and the second
team gains a point. And on the other hand the
second team loses if the first team rebuilds the castle
gaining one point. The game goes on. The winner is
the team with the best result.

9. 5. The Bear Is Sleeping/ Ursul doarme
From among the children it is chosen "a
bear", counting. He/ she is tied at his/ her
eyes and feigns that he sleeps. The children
sing:
The bear, the bear is sleeping
What can we give him to eat?
Milk or coffee,
To catch somebody.
To the end of the verses "the bear" wakes up
and tries to recognize a player touching
him/her. If he guesses, the two children
invert the roles.

10. 6. LEAPȘA
• "Leapsa" has a Romanian ethimology. It means to hit someone. We think that could be a version
of the “Tag” game.
The children stand in a circle. One of them chooses the "leapsa" by a counting out rhyme:
• One, two the sky is blue;
Three, four go to the door;
Five, six, crosses and ticks;
Seven, eight don't have late;
Nine, ten, a glass of cold water
For the man in sweater
And a bit of cheese
Get out, please!
• One, two, tell the true,
Three, four open the door,
Five, six, can you fix?
Seven, eight, sorry, I'm late,
Nine, ten you start the game!
• The child on which the last syllable falls becomes "leapsa".

11. LEAPȘA - VARIANTS
The Perching "Leapsa"
During the game, the children are free to move on the playing area. They must avoid the
"leapsa" to touch them when they are on the ground. When they are in danger to be
touched, they must perch on bench, a box, a tree-stump and other objects on the playing
area. The child who is touched before perching becomes "leapsa".
"Leapsa" In Circle
The children are moving in a circle in the same direction repeating the following words: "He
can't catch me!" The child who is "leapsa" stays in the center of the circle. At the starting
signal, all the children start to run on a limited area and the "leapsa" tries to touch one of
them. If the one who is chased crouches in time, before being touched, he/she is safe. If the
chaser touches him, and says "Leapsa!", they change the roles and the game goes on!