Real Life Games Every Pinoy Should Try in the Day of iPads and Smartphones

Take away technology: smartphones, tablets, PC’s, PS4’s. Throw in plenty of kids and a lot of sun. In no time you’d see fun by the truckloads – a circus of young people playing games. Yes, traditional games.

No, we’re not against technology.It certainly made life easier for every Juan of us – OFW’s including. And will definitely be a great help, if a giant meteor falls by the sky by some stroke of bad luck. But technology can also become a drag. One fine example: children’s games. Just take a common scenario for instance. Where kids would have been content playing with no props whatsoever, you’ve got yourself graders who just can’t put a smile on their face without putting their hands on their PSPs and i-tablets. Yes, you may take a swipe at these traditional games but they’re classic –they’ve proven their worth to the children of yesteryears.

Move over Android, welcome the Top 10 traditional games that brought countless moments of “pure fun and laughter” to young Pinoys – for generations. Dying as the breed maybe.

#10: Patintero

This one’s a classic. Very suitable for the beach. Somehow, the game is a simplified version of American Football. Played by 2 teams, one team guards the other attempts to move forward. The goal: Get past the defenders without being tapped or touched. Never easy actually. Unless you’re Superman or Flash.

Minimum number of players: 4

#9:LuksongBaka

No! Don’t get us wrong. You won’t need a cow to do LuksongBaka.The game got its name by the fact that to play one of the players, the It, has to bend over while the rest of the players take turns in jumping over him. And sometimes on all fours just like a cow. Should anybody fall or touches the It in the process of jumping, he becomes the new It. This game could have been easy if the It does not rise a little higher after each round of jumps.

Minimum number of players: 2

#8: Taguan

Hide-and-seek is everyone’s favorite. And it’s easy to play too. Players must choose – usually employing rock-paper-scissors or what-not – an It. Once chosen, the It must allow the players to hide counting up to 10 while facing a wall on the agreed home base. After which, he must hunt down each one. Each players must sneak into the base without the It finding out and catching him.

For certified goose-bumped horror-movie fanatics, Taguan bears a close resemblance to the hide-and-seek portrayed in the horror flick Conjuring. Except for the clap part, the hanky and yes, the disturbing ghosts.

Minimum number of players: 3

#7: Sipa

For all its worth, this used to be the national sport of the Philippines- before modern arnis strut its stuff. Nobody’s complaining about sipa, though. Especially those energetic graders. To play the game you keep a small rattan ball up in the air by kicking. A more popular street-version of the game uses metal washer with straws attached. To win you have to display the most number of kicks. Or make sure your opponent does not kick the ball after your last kick. Pretty solid.

Minimum number of players: 2

#6: Piko

All you need are two players and you’ve got this game going. Plus the markings on the ground, a pattern of numbered sections called house. To play, just complete a round, stepping on those houses in order without stepping on the line or touching the house where your marker – a piece of stone or broken pot usually does it – is located.

Minimum number of players: 2

 #5: Chinese Garter

Were this the national sport, you’d have young people jumping like grasshoppers – it’s remarkable. Object of the game is to jump over a horizontal garter held by two people without tripping or having any part of the body touch the garter. Chicken feat actually, before the garter starts to rise each round and end up taller than a person.

Minimum number of players: 3 or 2 using a pole or a tree

 #4: Langit-lupa

Just a simple catch-me-if-you-can game with a twist. Players may be caught when they’re on the ground (Lupa) but may get immunity when stepping up on an elevated location (Langit) like a chair or a cemented seat.

Minimum number of players: 3

#3: LuksongTinik

This game’s like Chinese garter without using the garter. Instead obstacles for jumping are formed by the hands and feet of the It team – collectively called “Tinik” or thorns. Objective of each member of the jumping team is to jump without tripping. Meaning: touching the obstacle. However, a designated Mother of the jumping team may save any member by jumping the “Tinik” should he fail to do so.

Minimum number of players: 4

#2: Agawan Base

Just as the name suggests, two teams – of equal number – compete by trying to steal the other team’s base. Prior to starting, each team must establish their own respective bases. Each player of each team may then attack the base of the opposing team. However, if he gets caught in the process he becomes a prisoner. One can catch an enemy so long as one is “fresh” and has stayed in his base longer than the enemy had stayed in his. Prisoners may be exchanged.

This is a good game of strategy and speed. What makes the game all the more exciting is the fact that players must make an extra effort to stay “fresh”.

#1: Tumbang Preso

This must be the Holy Grail of children’s games. Easy to play and very much fun. Another classic game which should make all those childhood memories flood into your mind. The game’s rather simple really. Designated It has to guard an empty tin placed inside a square-shaped marked surface – making sure it always stands upright. Using slippers, players will take their turns targeting the tin can. They can only get back their slippers once the poor can is down or else make a run for it. If caught, he becomes the next It.

Minimum number of players: 3

Minimum number of players: 4

For more True Blue Pinoy games for every Juan,please click here.

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Ain’t that right, homie!