This document provides descriptions and instructions for several traditional children's games from Turkey. It begins by noting that vocal expression is an important aspect of local Turkish games, including songs, rhymes, tongue twisters, and riddles. However, the popularity of these local games has declined with the rise of indoor games like video games. The rest of the document then describes the rules and gameplay of four specific Turkish children's games: "Open the Door Head Merchant," "Grab the Handkerchief," "I Sell Butter," and "Burning Ball." Each game involves singing, team competition, and/or physical skill. The document encourages enjoying life through the spirit of children's games.

1. “Games are the most elevated
form of investigation.” (Aristo)
“Games are the work of
children. “ (Einstein)
Comenius Project 2012-2014
“MOVE TO IMPROVE YOUR BODY AND MIND”

2. In Turkey, the most important aspect
of local games is vocal or verbal expression.
Four main categories of verbal expression may
be distinguished in Turkish local games: songs
and chants, rhymes, tongue twisters, and
riddles.
UNFORTUNATELY, the intrusion of both
indoor and outdoor games such as
computer games and football has taken
away much of the popularity that local
games and sports once enjoyed.

3. OPEN THE DOOR HEAD
MERCHANT
AÇ KAPIYI BEZIRGAN
BASI

4. Material needed : A piece of rope
How to play :Two of the children hold their
hands together like a bridge, and the others
go under in a line. During the game, they sing
this song:
- Open the gate, head merchant.
- I’ll open it, but what will you give me?
- Take the scoundrel behind me.
- One rat, two rats, three rats.
Whoever is under the bridge when they come
to the end of the rhyme is caught by the
children making the bridge.

5. The doormen who are holding the bridge
asks which of the doormen he wants. The
rat, the child caught by the doormen, says
the name of one of the doormen whose
team he wants to be in and queues behind
him. When all the players caught by, a line
is drawn on the ground. The teams facing
eachother pull a rope and tries to pull the
other team out of the line. The team which
can’t stand behind the line loses the game.

7. video

8. GRAB THE
HANDKERCHIEF
MENDIL KAPMACA

9. Material needed: An handkerchief
How to play: The children divide into two equal
teams.Each player has a number. The “judge,”
sitting in the middle of a circle holding a
handkecrcief, calls the players by numbers.
One of the most common bluffs used in the
game is to make as if one will grab the
handkerchief, and allow the opponent to catch
the handkerchief and catch him. Whichever
team succeeds in grabbing the handkerchief
the most times, wins the game. The losing
team is “punished” by being made to carry the
other children on their backs, sing a song, or
forced to do some ridiculous act. Sometimes
the winning team gets a prize put in the
center.

11. video

12. I SELL BUTTER
YAG
SATARIM

13. Material Needed: An handkerchief
How To Play: First someone is chosen to be
“it.” Then the players sit in a circle on the
floor facing each other. The player who is “it”
takes a handkerchief, ties a knot in one
corner, and sings the song that gives the game
its name:
I sell butter, I sell honey
My master has died, and I sell it
My master’s fir is yellow
If I sell it, it’s 15 liras
Zam-bak Zum-bak
Turn and take a good look behind you.

14. As the child who is “it” walks around, he/she
places the handkerchief behind one of the
players without him seeing it. As soon as the
player notices the handkerchief, he grabs it
and starts chasing the “it.” If the “it” manages
to sit in his place without being caught, the one
who got the handkerchief then becomes “it.” If
he is not caught then he continues as “it.” In
another version, the player who chases the “it”
hits him with the knotted end of the
handkerchief until he manages to sit in his
place. Then the child with the handkerchief
continues as “it” in the next round.

16. video

17. BURNING
BALL
YAKAR
TOP

18. Material needed: A ball
How To Play: The players divide into two equal
teams, which stand facing each other a certain
distance apart. The area where the teams are is
called the kale (fortress). The teams each send two
people, called “ambassadors,” to the opposite team.
One of the teams throws a ball into the air towards
the opposite team. As soon as they do, one of the
“ambassadors” on the opposite team runs quickly
towards the team that throws the ball. One player
on the opposite team then catches the ball and
throws it at the fleeing “ambassador.” If he hits
him, the ambassador “dies” and is out of the game.
Then the second team throws the ball and the other
team throws it at their ambassador. The game
continues with new ambassadors. The team that loses
all its ambassadors loses the game.

20. video

21. “Enjoy the life in a sense of a chidren game”

22. Arif Nihat Asya Primary School
Umraniye-Istanbul / TURKEY