This document provides instructions for several traditional Polish games that can be played outdoors with few materials. It summarizes Ciuciubabka (blind man's buff) where one player is blindfolded and tries to catch the others, Klasy (hopscotch) which is played by throwing a rock into numbered squares and jumping through them, and Chowanego (hide and seek) where one seeks while the others hide. It also describes Gra w gume (playing with rubber bands) where children jump over an elastic band, and Berek (tag) where one child tries to catch the others to become the new tagger.

1. Who wants to
play with me?
Polish traditional
games

2. In Poland we have a lot of traditional games.
You don’t need many complicated things.
You can play outside. So let’s try!

3. CIUCIUBABKA – THE BLIND MAN’S BUFF
Blind man's bluff should be played in a spacious area, such as playground or in
a large room free of dangerous obstructions so that the “Ciuciubabka” will
not hurt herself.
1. Ciuciubabka should be blindfolded. You can use a scarf.
2. Before the game startes, the leader of the group or one of the players turns
“Ciuciubabka” around and the players say a chant:
Children: Grandma, grandma, what
are you standing on?
Ciuciubabka: A barrel.
Children: What’s in the barrel?
Ciuciubabka: Acid.
Children: Then catch us!
3. Now Ciuciubabka should catch someone in the circle by hearing voices.

4. KLASY - HOPSCOTCH
To play Klasy one needs just a bit of the pavement or sidewalk somewhere out of
the way, a piece of chalk (or something to draw squares) and a small rock
or a stone.
1. At first you should draw on the ground something like that.
2. The participant starts by throwing a rock into the field with
number "1" - then she/he jumps on two or one leg and picks the
rock up. Jumping is continued on the same leg through all the sections
keeping the balance, making sure that the leg does not touch the
line.
3. If the participant makes this fault - the next person starts and
she/he needs to repeat it after waiting for her/his turn again.
4. After the participant finishes a tour successfully, she/he can
continue by throwing the rock into the field number "2" and
repeating the same thing until she/he successfully finishes all 6
rounds.
5. The first one who finishes all rounds wins.

5. CHOWANEGO – HIDE AND SEEK
The rules of the game are very simple: one person is chosen to be a seeker and
must look for everyone else.
1. The rest of the group must hide in the designated area in designated amount
of time.
2. The time is designated by counting by a seeker up to the chosen at the
beginning of the game number, e.g. 20 or 50.
3. Children decide and agree upon a spot to be home base. The person who is
the seeker stands on the home base, covers his/her eyes and counts to
a previously agreed number.
4. When he/she finishes counting, hey say loudly, "I’m seeking!" and runs to find
the other players.
5. The hiders must remain very quiet, and the first person to be found becomes
the next seeker.
6. The participants can rescue themselves against being a seeker by running to
the home base before the seeker does it and saying “One, two, three for
me”. That means that the player is better than the seeker.
7. The seeker should also announce finding everyone by saying “One, two,
three (Adam)”.

6. GRA W GUMĘ – PLAY WITH RUBBER
BANDS
During school breaks and after school we often play by using rubber bands.
1. Two children have to stay opposite each other and keep the rubber band.
2. The third child can jump in many combinations. Who makes a fault should
stand in the rubber.
3. As the game continued, the level of jumping got higher and higher. For
example: ankle high, knee high, waist high, and under the shoulder.

7. BEREK – THE TAG
BEREK is one of the most popular children’s games.
1. Children are running around the playground.
2. One person – called Berek – has to catch another child.
3. Touched child becomes Berek.