Portuguese Games
Erasmus Students
Eliana, Joana Pereira, Mafalda
Santa-Marta and Maria Biscaia
Frog’s game:
The objective of this game is to toss a disc into one
or more holes. There is also a high point hole, this is
represented by a toad's open mouth. If inserted this
gives the highest points (usually 100 points). Once all
discs are thrown, the playing the score is totaled based
on hole point values and the person who scores the
most points wins.
Ring’s game
At a specified distance, 4 rings are
tossed onto a target stick. Each stick is
numbered either (1,2,3,4 or 5). The center
stick carries the highest points. The
person who scores the most points wins.
Cheese game
The object of this game is to roll the
wooden wheels up the ramp and knock
down the pins that contain points. Again
totaling the points determines the winner.
Andas’ game
Races over a predetermined distance take place on
stilts. Trying to keep your balance is a tough task.
Scarf’s game
• More than six children place themselves in wheel, with
the hands behind their back. Another child, chosen
previously, runs around the outside of the wheel past the
other players with scarf in hand.
• Nobody in the wheel can look backwards, being able
hardly will spy for between his legs when the player with
the scarf passes. When the child who has the scarf ('the
Placer') understands, he/she drops it discreetly behind
one of the companions of the wheel and keeps on
running.
In the meantime, the colleague of the wheel who discovers that the
scarf has been placed behind them, ('the Chaser') they then try to seize the
Placer. If the Chaser cannot catch the Placer, before he/she gets back to
the hole/void left in the circle by the Chaser leaving, then the roles in the
game change and the Chaser now becomes the placer and the process
repeats itself.
If a child of the wheel does not see the scarf behind themselves, then
once the Placer has run around the circle, he/she must pick it up again and
place it at the feet of another participant. The process repeats itself.
It is common that the child who runs sings, repeatedly, one of next
verse:
"O lencinho está na mão,
Ele cai aqui ou não,
quem olhar para trás
leva um grande bofetão.”
or
“ O lencinho vai na mão,
vai cair ao chão,
quem olhar para trás
leva um grande bofetão”
or
“ Lencinho cai cai,
ele está para cair,
Quem olhar p'ra trás
leva um bofetão”
Malhas’ game
Material:
• 4 wood dishes (wood, metal or rock) – 2 for each team
• 2 bolts
Players:
• 2 teams (2 players each)
How to play:
Put the bolts on a flat playground facing in the same direction (with
about 15/18 meters’ distance between each one). Each team puts
itself behind the bolt. Teams play by turns. The main goal is to drop
or to place the dish the nearest to the bolt throwing it only with one
hand.
Scoring: 6 points each drop; 3 points for the nearest dish.
Wins the team that achieves 30 points. Game is composed of 3
rounds; to win one team must win 2 of the 3 rounds.
Traction in line game
Material:
• 1 rope
• 1 handkerchief (tie it on the middle of the rope)
Players:
• 2 teams with the same number of players.
How to play:
On a flat playground 2 equal teams (number and strength) hold the
rope at the same distance from the handkerchief. Mark one line on
the soil between both teams. The game consists in pulling the rope,
each team pulls to their side, the winning team is the one which
drags the 1st player of the opposing team to cross the line on the
floor. If one team falls down or releases the rope the other team
wins. Players can’t wrap the rope around their bodies or dig their
feet into the soil.
Running with bags
Material:
Large bags (one per player)
Players:
Flexible
How to play:
Mark a line on the soil with a line of departure and goal.
All the players stand behind the departure line. At the
departure signal each player enters into the bag, holding
it with both hands and runs straight to the goal line. The
one to cross first the line wins.
Ring’s game
It is a game that involves music, song and
dance. The participants stand in a circle each
holding the same length of string where a ring is
introduced. One of the players enters the center
of the circle and looks for the ring that is
beginning to circulate as the other participants
sing and dance moving in a clockwise and anticlockwise direction which can alternate at
random. When the ring is found, the person who
has it will be lightly touched on the hand, and
then he or she will take their turn in the center.
Song:
Passou passou passou
Agora agora agora
Passou a bocadinho ainda não há meia hora (x2)
Paspalhão que estás no meio
Não te facas foleirão
O anel já aqui passou e não lhe deitastes a mão (x2)
Passou passou passou
Agora agora agora
Passou a bocadinho ainda não há meia hora (x2)
Paspalhão que estas no meio
Não te ponhas a pensar
Vai à caça do anel antes dele aqui passar (x2)
Refrain
Paspalhão que estás no meio
Vem apanhar o anel
Ainda agora aqui passou na pontinha do cordel (x2)
Refrain
Paspalhão que estas no meio
Podes ganhar um tostão
Se apanhares o anel ao passar na minha mão (x2)
Paspalhão que estás no meio
Não te deixes humilhar
Vê se apanhas o anel antes do jogo acabar (x2)
Ball to the wall game
Material:
1 ball of rags or a ball.
Players:
One against one or two against two.
How to play:
Each player successively hits the ball with their hand
against a wall. If a player misses or does not hit the ball
before it touches the ground, his or his teams turn is
over. The next player or team then play and the player or
team who hit the ball the most times against the wall
wins.
Rope’s game
Material:
Length of rope (skipping rope, one or two, long or short)
Players:
Depending on the length of rope. Short rope: one or more players, Long rope: minimum
of three participants.
Objective:
To jump the rope for a stipulated time.
How to play:
With the short rope and a single player is all that is required. The player must
jump the rope for a stipulated amount of time. If there is more then one player the
participants must take it in turns to skip with the rope for a stipulated amount of time.
The stakes can be raised by skipping the rope twice with one jump.
With a long rope a minimum of three players is required. One player jumps in
the middle while the other two players hold separate ends of the rope and swing it in
a circular motion. If there are more than three players the other participants will line
up and wait for their turn to enter the rope and jump for a stipulated amount of time.
The player who just finished their turn will back around and join the line.
Berlinde’s game
Material:
Marbles (three dimensional spheres made from glass or metal)
Players:
Unfixed
Objective:
To put the marbles in the pits
How to play:
The game must take place on a flat area. 3 pits are dug. Each
player takes their turn to launch their marble at the closest pit. If the
first player misses the pit it is the next players turn. If the first player
makes the first pit he scores an extra turn and will launch his marble
at the second pit and then finally the third and then back again. If a
player is skilful enough the other participant may not even get a
chance to launch their marble.
Button's game
Material:
Buttons
Players: minimum of two
How to play:
A button is placed on the ground near to a wall.
Players must take it in turn to bounce their button off the
wall with the objective of making it land closest to the
button on the floor. The player who lands closest to the
button on the floor wins one of the other players buttons.
The winner is the player with the most buttons or all the
buttons.
Top’s game
This game has been played, especially by
boys, since the first half of the 20th
century in the playgrounds of
Portuguese schools.
Initial arrangement:
A circle is drawn on a flat, hard surface,
conducive for spinning tops. The
participants stand around the circle.
The players who's top stays in the
circle and spins the longest is the
winner.
Development:
The movement results from a string rolled
up around the top. The string is held
with the hand and pulled through
making the top revolve.
Players:
It can be played by one or more persons.
Material:
Top and string.
Snail’s game
Material:
small rocks and chalk.
Land:
The land must be flat and clean without
holes.
Players:
Unfixed.
Objective:
To reach the centre of the drawn Snail
without losing.
How to play:
A big snail is drawn on the
ground. The player while skipping on
one foot must try to push the stone to
the centre of the snail without letting
the stone pass over the lines of the
snail. If the player's other foot touches
the ground or the stone leaves the
snail it is the next players turn.
Sailor’s game
Land:
Big space.
Players:
Unfixed
Objective:
To obtain the biggest number of individuals.
How to play:
Two players hand in hand choose a name of an animal, country, fruit or any subject that
they may want. The other players without hearing the subject others make a line and
sing the song:
- (oh sailor man let me pass, I have little children and I cannot support them ..., it will
pass, pass, but someone will leave, it will not go away to mother of the front he is the
son there from behind)
When they pass under the arch that two boys are making with their arms, the last player
in the line when underneath the arch is asked. To chooses one of the names of the
subject that the boys have proposed. Depending on which name of the subject he
chooses he will join that respective players line. When all the players have chosen a
line, they have formed two groups, according to the chosen names.
A line is drawn on the ground, between the groups, by holding and pulling the groups
must attempt to make the other group cross the line.
The group that passes over the line loses the game.
Barra game
Two teams are made. Each
player in a group is given a
corresponding number. A scarf is
held by someone not assigned to
a group between the two groups.
A number is announced and the
player who has been assigned the
number from each group has to
run for the scarf before his
adversary from the other group
with the same number.
Corner’s game
Material:
Five nooks drawn in the ground
Players:
Six players
Objective:
To exchange places without losing a
place.
How to play:
Five players hide and five nooks are
drawn in the ground. They must
ask questions before swapping
nooks and the player left without a
nook loses. The players who are
left hide and now one nook less
then the number of players is
drawn. The game should be
repeated until only one player is
left with the last nook.
Monkey’s game
Material: A smooth rock, chalks to draw the
squares that make the house.
Land: A place of land or cement where the
squares can be drawn.
Players: Unfixed.
Objective: To stand inside the squares of each
house; To jump the square where the rock is
without stepping in it; To jump the houses
without falling and not stepping on the lines.
Nail’s game
Play of the nail: An area was outlined, normally a great
circle, in relatively soft land. Then, each player, in his
time, provided with his nail (tops, of beam) began
because of conquering a "territory". It could be
advancing launching the nail and creating an imaginary
line. The distance between each launch could never be
superior to the size of the foot of a player. Whenever the
nail was not sticking in the land, the player was losing his
time and was giving it to one of the adversaries. There
was winning the one who was conquering the totality of
the circle previously definitely.
Bottle-gourd’s game
Land:
The land must be flat and clean, without holes, sticks or
rocks.
Players:
Two
Objective:
While holding one another the players must spin as fast as
possible while keeping their hands joined.
As they spin around they sing:
“Roda, roda, Cabacinha, roda roda cabação”
Until they spin so fast they fall over or let go.
Paulada ao cantaro’s game
Players:
Boys or girls. This play is played in series normally of 5 or 6 participants of
every time.
How to play:
Lifted by a rope, 3 water pitchers are put: 1 with a prize and 2 with mistakes.
Each participant has their eyes blindfolded, At the count of five, each player
with a stick in hand tries to break the water pitcher containing the prize.
The stick to break the water pitcher is the same for all the participants. The
participants play all at the same time and with the blindfolded eyes.
Occasionally they will hit each other.
There is a declared winner who will manage to break the water pitcher with the
prize.
Material:
Stick, water pitchers from clay, first aid kits and prizes (rabbits, hens, pigeons,
black puddings) and for the pitcher that contain mistakes. (water, flour, dirt,
crumbs).
Mouse and cat’s game
The children form a wheel. One of them, the Mouse, is
inside the wheel. Other one, the Cat is out of the wheel.
The Cat asks: " The Small rat is? "
The children of the wheel answer: "No"
The Cat asks: " To which hours he arrives? "
The children answer a time-table of their choice.
The children begin to go round and the Cat is asking: "
Which hours are? " and the children answer: " An hour " " Which hours are? " - " Two Hours " and so up to
arriving to the time-table that they answered previously
of when the Mouse would be near. The children stop
going round and the Cat starts to pursue the Mouse.
The joke finishes when the Cat catches the Mouse and it is
possible to recommence with other children like the
principal characters of the joke.
Killing game
Material:
A ball or a ring.
Players:
Two teams of four players or more.
Objective:
Players try hit the opposing players with the ball. The
players adversaries dodge out of the way or catch the
ball.
How to play:
If a player is hit he is out of the game. If a player throws the
ball and it is caught by an opposing player he is out. If a
player is hit but his teams mate catch the ball he is
saved.
Jumping line
Land:
Land without obstacles
Players:
Between 6 and 8 players
Objective:
Form a line and jump over each other without falling and
reach the end in time not to lose.
How to play:
There's a player folded and others are jumping over him
with their legs spread. When somebody loses, that one
is the next to be folded.
Cock’s game
Rules:
The tray is made of three lines for three columns.
Two players choose a marking each, generally a circle (O)
or a cross (X).
The players take turns to mark their symbol in a gap that is
empty.
Objective:
To get three circles or three crosses in a line, horizontally,
vertically or diagonally (to see figure), and at the same
time, when possible, preventing the adversary from
winning.