Luksong Tinik (Jumping Over Thorns)

Luksong Tinik (Jumping Over Thorns)
Minimum number of players: usually 3 but 2 can also work (more players is usually much more fun!)

Equipment required: a grassy field with lots of room to run and tumble

First children decide among themselves who will play first and who will be the two who will act as the “thorns” in the game. Thorns have a very important as well as difficult task in the game. Jumpers take turns passing the levels. The jumpers form a queue and the thorns take their position.

The “thorns” (A & B) sit, facing each other with the soles of their feet touching. This is the first level that jumpers must successfully jump through without touching any of their body parts with those of the thorns’ body parts.

Next level the two thorns must adjust their distance a bit towards each other so they can comfortably and successfully create level 2, where one of “thorn A’s” foot is used as base, and another of “thorn B’s” foot as the second level above the base.


Then it is thorn A’s foot as base, thorn B’s foot as second layer of base then thorn A’s other foot as 3rd level.


Then is is both A and B’s feet alternating to create level 4. Then it is all four feet plus thorn A’s hand: Level 5. A & B’s feet and one hand each: Level 6. A& B’s feet and two of A’s hands and B’s one hand: Level 7. Finally Level 8 has all four hands and feet alternating.


Successful jumpers are cleared and pass on to the next level. The group decides how many tries will be given for each attempt. For example, you get one more try. So if you were unsuccessful the first attempt, you step aside and wait till everyone has their turn jumping over the “thorns”.

After this, all the unsuccessful ones take their second attempt. If you still did not clear that level, you are out of the game and spend the remaining time watching the rest of the kids complete all the rounds. Then you are candidate for the thorns so that the thorns of the current game can take their turn as jumpers in the next game.

Shatong

Shatong
Variations of the name: chato/chatong, shatung

Number of players: 2 teams with at least two players

Equipment needed: lots of open space, preferably land so you can dig an elongated shallow hole that you need in order for your team to score the 'shatong points' (you’ll see later how this works) and two pieces of stick about an inch in diameter one long, about a foot and the other short, about half a feet.

First, you (including your opponents) must create a shallow furrow on the ground, where you can do this (see image):


Now that everything is set up and the first to play has been decided, this is how the game is played.

Each team member takes turn. The first one hurls the short stick off the furrow using the longer stick. Now he/she must be careful that the opposing team does not catch the short stick. If the other team catches is, the current team loses their turn and the opposing team takes their turn to hurl/launch the short stick.

Now if “shorty” (the shorter stick) gets hurled with none of the opposing team catching it, all the members of the hurling team will go to the drop site (the exact point where shorty fell).

From here, except for the person who hurled shorty, (so if it’s a two-man team, only one will do this) will have to run up to the furrow shouting “shatoooooooooooooooo!” The opponents will be with you all the way to make sure you did not lose your breath or stop saying the “magic word”. If you failed to reach the furrow and ran out of breath and stopped, the opposing team takes their turn to hurl, and no points are made.

If you are successful, then you partner (the one who hurled shorty) gets to count the distance from the drop point up to the furrow using the longer stick (known here are “LS”).

See image below as example:



If the hurler hits shorty with LS as he launches shorty off to open space, and the “shato” runners don’t lose their breaths; then the count is using LS X 2. If the hurler launches shorty and hits is twice before it goes off to its drop point, then instead of LS, shorty is used to count the distance from the drop point to the furrow (making the score much higher).


If the hurler hits shorty three times before it drops, then not only is shorty used to measure the distance from drop point to furrow, but also the count is increased to threes!

Teams note their scores and the team with the highest points wins the game.

What children learn:
- play as a team; take turns
- good math practice, counting in 2s, 3s
- free exercise that is also lots of fun
- fresh air, love for nature and the earth
- some pretty mean “batting” skills (hitting ‘shorty’ is not that easy!)

Stealing Bases (Agawan Base)

English: Stealing Bases

Filipino: Agawan Base

Equipment: markers to be used as the base, 2 pcs. (you can use two trees or two slippers or two chairs as your bases)
Number of players: minimum 4, two in each team (more players for more fun recommended) Minimum age: 5 years old

Mechanics: There are two bases, each base has equal number of members. There will be one person assigned to guard the base. The others may leave the base to run and try to catch another members of the other team or to try to steal the opponent's base. If you touch the base of your opponent first, before members of that team tag you, you steal their base and your team wins.

Another main goal is to catch as many of the opponents as your team can. A captive opponent becomes a prisoner and stands on the captor’s base until a member of his own team saves him by touching/tagging him. Once he is tagged and “saved”, the prisoner is freed and goes back to his base.

The game can be as small-scale as teams just facing each other and trying to tap the opponents to catch them or as large as team members hiding and strategising whom to catch first – for example, the weakest links or the slowest runners. If there are no more members at large, meaning all opponents have been captured, all members of the stronger team will have to try and get the base from the “guard” by tagging it. The one left must try not to leave the base lest it be overtaken by the opponents. In this case, the stronger team wins.

What do you learn from this game?
1. Speed and agility, not getting caught by the other group.
2. Loyalty, save the captured members of your group; no one gets left behind
3. Tenacity, if at first you don't succeed...try and try again
4. Sportsmanship, win or lose you accept both with good humour, at least everyone had a lot of fun!