Laba is a Chinese festival that has traditionally started off the Chinese New Year preparations. It’s on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. Agnes wrote about it from China: "We eat Laba Rice Porridge and Laba Garlic for the Laba Festival. Laba Porridge is made of mixed grains and corns, like peanuts, chestnuts, dates...

One step at a time we can help change the world.  Take the example of Playpower… "People need affordable learning games.  Worldwide, 4.1 billion people earn under $3,000 per year, meaning that even a $100 computer is often out of reach for the world’s emerging middle class. Playpower is targeting a $10 platform that makes learning...

The Ring on a String Game is a traditional game that’s played in many countries.  Sometimes it’s called Hunt the Ring.  Here’s how you play… 1. Slip a ring on a long string and tie both ends. To determine the length of the string, you need to use about 24" of string (50cm+) per player. 2....

We’ve been without electricity, and have had only intermittent internet connections, since last Monday due to Hurricane Sandy.  There are many people in similar situations (or worse) in the areas affected by the hurricane.  This is the most we’ve been without electronical devices and computers since they became widespread in the 1990’s.  I’ve found we’re...

Many cultures have a Peek-a-boo Game that’s played with little kids.  First you hide the child’s face behind a cloth, a hand or another object.  Then you say "Peek-a-boo!"  Next you quickly take the object away from the child’s face and say, "I see you!" A similar game called "Bo-peep" has been around since at least...

Here’s a video of the French rhyme and hand play, J’ai deux mains (I Have Two Hands), with the French lyrics and an English translation. J’ai deux mains J’ai deux mains, Elles sont toutes propres, Elles se regardent, Se tournent...

I love this video! "There are all these simple little games that people play using their surroundings: don’t step on the cracks, balance beam railroad tracks (or curbs), bicycle slalom, etc." –Jason Kottke I remember being stuck at red lights and trying to shoot them so they would turn green. What games did you make up as a...

Here’s a video Lego put out for its 80th birthday about how the company got started and how Legos came to be made.  It’s about 17 minutes long… The LEGO company is still owned by the Kirk Kristiansen family who founded it in 1932 in Denmark. Photo: Wikipedia

Kristy shared this broom game with us that she played with her family while growing up in Chicago about 50 to 60 years ago… “We had a few games growing up that we played with children and guests that didn’t involve cards. One was sitting in a circle in the living room and passing a broom....

Maypole Dances were traditionally done on May 1st for May Day.  One type of Maypole Dance is called a Ribbon Dance. The dancers each hold a ribbon that’s attached to the Maypole.  They then dance around the pole, sometimes intertwining ribbons.  Below is a video of a simple and pretty Maypole Dance in the style...

Ooh La! Ooh La! is an animated video by the band They Might Be Giants.  It’s about Double Dutch jump roping Double Dutch jump roping is done with two long jump ropes turning inwards at the same time.  The phrase Double Dutch is old slang meaning “to talk nonsense”.  It may be a coincidence, but the...

“One, Two, Three, Weeeeee” is an expression you say to young kids when you’re going to do something that’s fun, but that has a feeling of anticipation… like going down a slide.  I remember my older sisters playing a “1, 2, 3, Weeee” game with me when I was a little kid.  It takes three...

Maryam wrote from Iran explaining about the Persian tradition of “divination” by consulting the Oracle of Shiraz Hafiz for guidance.  Divination is a way to find out an answer to a question you have about your future (will you marry the one you love, will you get that job, etc.) To understand about the “Oracle of...

I saw a note on Facebook about the saying “Mama had a baby and its head popped off”.  It’s said when you see a dandelion.  While saying it you pop off the dandelion head like in the video below.  I had never heard this one. It’s a bit like what kids say when they walk on...

Rock – Paper – Scissors is a game used to decide something between two kids… like who goes first, who gets something, etc.  Two players say together at the same time, "Rock, Paper, Scissors and Shoot!".  Then  put their hands out at exactly the same time in one of three signs, "rock", "Paper" or "Scissors" that...

Jewish children play the dreidel game for Hanukkah. Dreidels are tops with four Hebrew letters on them – one each side of the dreidel. The letters are nun, gimel, hay, and shin. Legend has it that dreidels originated from a time when the Jewish people were forbidden to practice their religion.  The game was invented...

Nyango M. Nambangi sent us this Cameroonian song from her childhood in Africa. It’s a lovely song to sing with children and they can even dance while singing! Like many African songs, it’s a call and response song.  In the recording below, Nyango explains how to sing and dance to the song.  Then she sings...

Wherever you live, you’re probably familiar with Tug of War.  Tug o’ War is a game played all over the world pitting 2 teams against each other.  Each side pulls on one end of a thick rope and tries to get the middle of the rope to cross a line. To play Tug of War, a...

Nancy Silverrod, a Librarian, wrote to me about a variation of the rhyme Miss Lucy Had a Baby called Miss Lulu.  She was wondering if it has a connection to Susan B. Anthony and her alligator purse!  Susan B Anthony was a leader in the women’s suffrage movement. Here’s what Nancy wrote: There are numerous variations...