When we look back at our childhoods, we often find that the games we played hold a special place in our hearts. Whether it was the thrill of hide and seek, the challenge of catapult or the strategic moves in a game of Chowka Bhara, these traditional games defined our early years and brought us so much joy as kids. They were more than just pastimes; they brought laughter and helped us bond with our friends and family. They were a delightful part of our innocent days and even today, they continue to evoke feelings of warmth and nostalgia.
It is known that playing any kind of sport is good for our physical and mental health, especially for growing children. In fact, games and sports should continue to be an integral part of our lives, no matter what age. To honour sports, a special day, National Sports Day is celebrated on August 29th each year in India. This day honours the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand, one of the greatest hockey players of India. It is a day dedicated to promoting the importance of sports and physical fitness and aims to encourage people of all ages to engage in physical activities, celebrate sporting achievements and recognise the contribution of athletes to the nation’s health and unity.
On this special day, join us as we explore a few classic traditional games that not only connect us to our childhood but also remind us of the joy they bring to our lives.
Surely, many of us remember heading to the mango fields, hoping to use our catapults or gulel to hit at and get some delicious mangoes? The sturdy catapult, often made from simple materials like wood and rubber bands, was a fun toy that many of us played with during our childhood. It was particularly impressive to use for catching fruits from trees!
The catapult works by using the tension of the rubber bands to launch a stone at a target. The thrill of aiming and the satisfaction of hitting the mark makes the catapult a memorable part of childhood games.
Remember watching the lattu go round and round mesmerised, in a bid to see whose lattu spun the longest? Spinning tops or lattus are small, often colourful wooden toys that spin rapidly on a pointed tip. With just a flick, a spinning top can whirl around for minutes, captivating anyone watching. As a child playing this game, it was not just about seeing how long we could make the top spin, but also about mastering the technique to get the best spin possible.
Today, teaching your child to master the spinning top will not just make them sharp and competitive but also add a healthy dose of fun in their lives sans screens.
Chowka Bhara, also known as Fourfold, is a traditional board game played on a square board with a grid layout. It involves moving pieces across the board to capture one’s opponents’ pieces to achieve a set goal. The game requires strategy and careful planning, as players must decide the best move to outwit their opponents.
An indoor game of skill and strategy, players of all ages can enjoy chowki bhara.
For a lot of us, summer holidays were incomplete without a daily game of Kho-Kho with our friends and family. We took turns chasing and evading each other, in a bid to make our respective teams win.
A classic and an absolute favourite of most, Kho-Kho is a tag game where the chasers try to tag the runners, while the runner speeds to avoid being tagged. Kho-Kho is known for its emphasis on teamwork, strategy and quick reflexes. It’s a game that not only keeps you active but also builds camaraderie among teammates.
We’ve all seen this game played in many Bollywood movie scenes. It holds a special place in many of our hearts for the pure nostalgia we feel everytime we chance upon it. Lagori is a game that uses a soft ball and a stack of seven stones placed on top of each other. The goal is to knock down the stack of stones with the ball and then try to rebuild it, while the opposing team tries to stop you by throwing the ball at you! You have got to keep your wits about you to master this one!
Kabaddi! Kabaddi! Kabaddi! The moment we hear these words, we are instantly transported back to our childhood, right? Kabaddi is a team sport where players take turns raiding the opposing team’s half of the field, while chanting ‘kabaddi’ and trying to touch opponents without being tackled. Full throttle of a game!
A test of your sense of coordination and fitness, Kabaddi is an evergreen game for all ages.
We’ve all heard our parents speak of the game of Gilli-Danda with fondness. It is a traditional game played with two wooden sticks: a small stick called the gilli and a longer stick known as the danda. The aim is to strike the gilli with the danda to make it fly into the air and then, hit it again to send it as far as possible! A far more fascinating version of cricket, we think!
Playing Gilli-Danda requires precision and strength and it’s a fantastic way to enjoy outdoor play with friends.
In the simpler times, during the 80’s and 90’s, we often saw our streets and roads marked with chalk drawings of numbered squares — it meant somebody or the other had played a game of hopscotch or langdi.
As the name of the game suggests, players hop on one foot between the marked squares on the ground to progress. The game usually starts with one player tossing a marker onto one of the numbered squares and then hopping through the other squares to pick it up. The number of squares they successfully hop to for collecting the marker is the score to beat for the next player.
Easy to set up and fun to play, langdi requires balance and coordination. It’s a unanimous favourite of kids—after all, which child doesn’t enjoy hopping?
These traditional games are more than just pastimes; they are a part of our cultural heritage, filled with moments of laughter, competition and skill. Each of these games offer a lesson in teamwork, strategy and physical activity. So, let’s bring these games back and indulge in some unfiltered fun on our lazy afternoons!
Some traditional games that many people enjoyed during their childhood include catapult, spinning tops, Chowka Bhara, Kho-Kho, Lagori, Kabaddi, Gilli-Danda and Langdi.
Traditional games are important in our childhood because they help develop various skills such as coordination, strategy and teamwork in children.
Games like catapult and spinning tops help in child development by improving hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
National Sports Day marks the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand, a legendary hockey player who has made a significant contribution to the field of sports in India.
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