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Tell Unicef UK the playground games you loved as a child - £300 voucher to be won!

687 replies

EmmaMumsnet · 14/01/2019 09:56

NOW CLOSED

Unicef UK are launching this years Soccer Aid Playground Challenge and would love to hear about the playground games you used to play at school and what games your children play now. The playground is the highlight of the school day where children can burn off all their energy and play with their friends; share below what you loved to play when you were at school and if any of the games have passed down generations.

Here’s what Unicef has to say: “This year, we’re asking all schools across the UK to join us for the Soccer Aid Playground Challenge to help raise money to help give more children around the world a childhood full of play. The idea is simple – teachers team up with their pupils, design an obstacle course that they will take on together, and fundraise to help children in danger in June 2019. Ask your school to sign up here and we’ll send everything you need for kick off - including fundraising and teaching resources to bring Soccer Aid to life for the whole school.”

Alex, Head of Sports for St Dunstan’s RC Primary School, Manchester says: “The Playground Challenge was the perfect way to get the whole school together for a great cause. Everyone (including staff!) had the best time raising money to help children all over the world.”

So what playground games did you love as a child? Were you Queen of hopscotch? Or perhaps you practised your circus skills with stilts? Maybe you created your own playground football league or were seriously skilled at skipping? Do you know if your children still play the same games now at school?

Everyone who posts below will be entered into a prize draw where one Mumsnetter will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list)

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Terms and conditions apply

Tell Unicef UK the playground games you loved as a child - £300 voucher to be won!
Tell Unicef UK the playground games you loved as a child - £300 voucher to be won!
Tell Unicef UK the playground games you loved as a child - £300 voucher to be won!
OP posts:
Ronsters · 21/01/2019 19:57

What time is it, mr wolf, statues, oranges and lemons. Various ball juggling games with songs.

DassDass · 21/01/2019 19:58

Games my best friend and I invented called 'Leaps' and 'The Sky is Falling Down'

Ikea1234 · 21/01/2019 19:59

We used to love marbles at school. We had a row of small drains in the playground, so we'd all be lined up in pairs playing in the summer. Winter games were bulldog, it, leapfrog, stuck in the mud and even kisschase, to try and keep warm!

LauraMMM · 21/01/2019 20:03

Firstly, what a fantastic idea I know my kids would love that! I remember in my Primary school you were outside to play in most weathers. Our headteacher would join us on a Friday lunch break with some other teachers who took a big box of equipment and they would join in on hopscotch, hoola hoops, football and more. On days me and my friends play we would make daisy chains, practice gymnastics such as headstands and cartwheels. And when the classes came together we would play games such as bull dog, football, tig and manny. My son is abit young but certainly loves to run about and play football or tig. My daughter plays outside alot i am very lucky and in school she plays on the climbing frames, play tig and bull dog but she hasnt mentioned any equipment such as ropes, beanbags, footballs etc, I am going to find out if the schools provide this for children to play.

debskeay · 21/01/2019 20:12

i used to love - you'd put a tennis ball in a long sock /tights and stand at a wall and swing it onto the wall

Chloe96 · 21/01/2019 20:16

loved playing hopscotch

Carlieling · 21/01/2019 20:17

We loved British bull dog but that got banned! Then we played piggy back rugby also got banned (not suprised)! So 40/40 in was always a good one. Looking back it was always whole class games we enjoyed the most which is nice as we didn't go off into little groups at playtime and everyone joined in!

lynsmagoo · 21/01/2019 20:20

my fav playground game was red rover, although someone was always guaranteed to get injured!!

socat · 21/01/2019 20:21

Oranges and Lemons, Hopscotch, Marbles, Cats Cradle, Hide n Seek and Skipping were all fun.

NatashaRB · 21/01/2019 20:23

I always loved 'chatting'!! Probably links in to how I'm not very physically active now... I remember trying to round up my friends, saying 'let's just sit and talk!'

FogCutter · 21/01/2019 20:24

Skipping
British bulldog
Rounders

MamaMiaOoLaLa · 21/01/2019 20:31
  • I remember playing jump rope games and similar jumping games with elastic bands stretched between two "holders". I don't think the health & safety rules allow those kinds of games now :(
  • We also played a bouncing ball game, using a football or basket ball. Four players standing in a square facing each other, and took turns bouncing the ball to each other randomly. The ball could only bounce once before you bounced it to the next player or you were out.
  • There was also a game where we drew a spiral on the ground with chalk or a stone and then - my memory fails on the exact details - but it was something like one person was the "witch" who stood in the centre while the other players walked slowly around the spiral with a countdown before the witch gave chase.
  • we also played marbles. The rules were along the lines of boules I think. You had to push other marbles out of the way and if your marble got across the finish line you won the other marbles in the game.
I don't think my children have EVER played any of these games, and my eldest is ten!!
DenCop1 · 21/01/2019 20:35

Oh my goodness now this made me think straight away of 'What's The Time Mr Wolf' and 'Hopscotch' absolutely loved playing these as a youngster and play it with my own children in the garden, fabulous for helping them count

Nikita90 · 21/01/2019 20:38

I loved skipping! We would take turn as to who would hold the rope and someone (or several) of us would jump in the middle with the rope getting faster and faster until you was out! So much fun! We also loved running and hopping over the rope whilst it was moving! The simple things!

cocochips · 21/01/2019 20:41

I used to love tag

annarack99 · 21/01/2019 20:46

British Bulldog and Kiss Chase!

MSHGW · 21/01/2019 20:47

Hopscotch, skipping games, Hide and Seek, Sardines, What time is it, Mr Wolf?, and clapping games.

Wolfcub · 21/01/2019 20:50

Bulldog lots of skinned palms on the wall for that one
What’s the Time Mr Wolf

disdream84 · 21/01/2019 20:55

I loved skipping and also 'what's the time Mr Wolf'. Another favourite was kerbie!

pennwood · 21/01/2019 20:59

Hoola Hooping and skipping was what the girls mainly favoured. The boys played football, and annoying the girls by trying to join in skipping (very badly.) The children now are more restricted due to H & S and cannot take things of their own into the playground to use. They do have climbing bars in use.

kimthomasandaimee · 21/01/2019 21:03

British Bull Dog was the favourite - at least until I fell over and smashed my front tooth out XD

vixxx666 · 21/01/2019 21:05

We use to play rally 1-2-3 and british bulldog, like most schools, it got banned!

tiddles12 · 21/01/2019 21:12

Loved playing Kiss catch, hopscotch, and skipping

Carriecakes80 · 21/01/2019 21:16

Bulldog
Bus 21 (pretty much Hide & Seek!)
Red Rover (two groups of kids made a line holding hands, and sing 'Red Rover Red Rover send ( insert name here) right over!'
They would have to send that person to run at the line as hard and fast as possible, and if they got through, they won and went back to their line, if they couldn't break the link, then they were caught! No way would kids be allowed to play this now!
1000 ways to die (where you had to come up with unique ways to fall down dead!! lol)

Oh so many games, but my favourite was marbles! I won so many marbles such as Windmills, Steelies, Oilies, Pearlies or Pearlers, Chinkies and Cats Eyes and the fun we had come pocket money day going up the post office to buy new ones....Again, most schools don't allow games like these anymore. Sad really!

Tell Unicef UK the playground games you loved as a child - £300 voucher to be won!
holey · 21/01/2019 21:21

Skipping with the long rope at dinner times.
What we used to call "elastics" where two people would have a long circle of elastic around their legs and we'd jump in and out of it (really bad description! Confused)
Juggling two balls against a wall (I was ace at that!)