Hello Hivers
Howdy!
In my blog today I'll be responding to the topic for the Weekly Featured Contents;
Week 07:- Edition 02:-
"MY FAVORITE CHILDHOOD GAMES"
Designed by me
Childhood could never have been fun and unforgettable without the indoor and outdoor games that we indulged ourselves in far back when we were kids. Unfortunately, I can't indulge myself into playing some of these games now because I am now an adult. But looking back to my childhood times, when all I did was wake up, have my bath, eat, go to school, play and all those other kids' stuff, I wish I could turn back the hands of time because truly, adulthood is very "HARD" and filled with lots of seriousness.
As a child that grew up in Nigeria, and fully did not grow up in big cities where childhood wouldn't have been so sweet as I would have been limited to indoor games alone, I fully participated in all kinds of outdoor childhood games that you could think of. My parents were very strict with allowing me to play with other kids but I made sure I had my way no matter what the consequences would be. I was born in the 90's and if you were a child during this time, you'll agree with me that there were games that were trending for us then. Outdoor games like "Ten Ten, hide and seek, who is in the garden, ayo, Suwe(actually called this game swell馃槀 but got to find out the real name recently) sandman and so many others really made childhood fun. I'm so elated with this contest because it really brought back memories of the fun I had during my childhood times and I'm happy sharing them as well.
MY FAVORITE CHILDHOOD GAMES
AY脫
This was my all in all game when I was kid. Even if a fellow player is not available, I'll go ahead to play with my imagination player馃槀 because the game requires two players. Ay贸 game or "Izu aku as we call it in Igbo language is normally played in a carved wooden box with holes but back then, I preferred playing it in a dug hole on the ground at any backyard that has space and that was the most fun part of it. Digging twelve holes (6 holes on each side) wasn't a big deal at all as long as I was digging for this game. Then we used concrete stones, almond fruit seed and udara seeds in place of the normal ayo seeds.
HOW I PLAYED THE GAME
Before the game is being played, 4 seeds each are put into the 12 holes, meaning we looked for 48 seeds of whatever was available to play the game.
The first player usually starts by picking up the 4 seeds from his own side of the hole and runs it like that in counter clockwise moves till the seed movement ends in the hole or house of his fellow player with 4 seeds.
He removes the whole seeds from the hole and takes the whole seed as his own while that particular hole where he removed the seed from eventually becomes his.
But if the player continues with the seed movement and eventually has one seed left and lands in an empty hole, he pauses while his opponent continues with the seed movement.
The game continues till the whole seeds are exhausted and if a player wins his opponent let's say 4 times straight up, then the looser doesn't need anyone to tell him that he has lost in the game.
This game was so mathematical because I had to do some quick calculations on my head while playing so as not to make mistakes in removing seeds from the wrong hole that might make me loose out. Truly, it helped me in thinking fast too!
RUBBER BAND GAME
This is another of my favorite childhood game. Those times, I saved up my snack money to buy a pack of rubber band when I ran out of rubber band for this fun game馃槀
One good thing about this game is that it can be played indoor and outdoor. So the times I was restricted from going outside to play with the other kids, I happily played my rubber band game indoor as long as there were free nails hanging on the wall, I was good to go with this game! But it was more fun and enjoyable when played outdoor with other kids.
HOW I PLAYED THE GAME
This game can be played by one or more persons by throwing rubber bands into a stick vertically fixed on the ground.
The stick is fixed according to the number of players available and each player stands in front of his own stick.
When it gets to each player's turn, they throw the rubber band from the marked stand point while making sure it enters into the fixed stick
- The player who has less rubber bands that couldn't enter into the stick becomes the winner for that moment while the player with more is kicked out of the game. The game continues this way till the final winner is known.
This game was so fun and I can't help but laugh out loud when I remember how I used to bite my lips so hard while trying to make sure my rubber bands enter into the stick 馃槀
WHEEL TYRE RACE GAME
This was another game that bruised my knees so much when I was a child. Some automobile mechanics in my area hid their tyres from us because they knew what we were capable of doing with those tyres if we ever get to see them with our eyes. This game is just like a racing game whereby we arranged ourselves in a row and ran as fast as we could while cycling the tyre with our hands to an agreed particular location and the first to come back without missing turns with the wheel tyre or falling down becomes the winner. In a way this was a form of exercise for us but to us we were just having fun then.
WHEN WILL YOU MARRY?
This game is another fun game that I enjoyed playing during my primary school days. I remember how I used to crave for the break time bell to be rung so I could run into a near by bush close to school to get some natural rope. Normally a long skipping rope is used to play this game but then we could get some rope from some weeds that grew in the bush, as we get we tie them together and join until the rope becomes long enough.
HOW I PLAYED THE GAME
Two players hold the rope, one at one end and the other at the other end.
They swing the long rope in a clockwise direction while one or more jumpers jump in.
The remaining players who are still waiting for their turn to reach get to ask the jumpers some questions through a song that goes like this;
When will you marry?
This year or next year? Single forever?
January? February etc
After the whole months of the year,
How many children will you born?
1? 2? etc
So many other questions are being asked as this continues till a jumper misses a step in the jumping process and that evicts him from the game thereby creating space for other waiting jumpers to participate in the game.
Personally, I think I had more fun than the children of this century (ajebota children) who do not have the privilege to explore these outdoor childhood games due to the new era we are in now, how I wish they can experience a bit of these fun childhood games because I feel it's a bit boring for them now. Really childhood was fun and I enjoyed every moment with these games!