Nostalgic games that were popular when we were kids

dodgeball

Serious Mode: We Played Dodgeball for Real — Kajisac Family vs. Tsune Family

When we were in elementary school, we all remember playing dodgeball from morning till night, don’t we? Looking back, there were times when the ball hit someone’s face and caused a nosebleed, or huge arguments over whether someone stepped over the line or not.

The boys would even give themselves handicaps, like throwing with their non-dominant hand… The stories are endless.

Even now, lots of YouTubers play dodgeball, so everyone must really love it.

By the way, the “dodge” in “dodgeball” means “to skillfully and quickly avoid” in English.

Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?

kick the can

What happened when 50 of us tried playing kick the can lol

Kick the Can is a classic kids’ game.

You draw a circle on the ground and place an empty can in the center.

Someone kicks the can to start the game.

While “It” is putting the can back and counting, everyone else hides where they can’t be found.

“It” guards the can while searching for the hiders.

When “It” finds someone, they say “Found so-and-so!” and step on the can.

If “It” finds everyone, “It” wins.

But if someone who hasn’t been found manages to kick the can without being noticed by “It,” the caught players are freed and the game restarts.

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sasashina

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kneaded eraser

If you really put your mind to it, how much kneaded eraser can you make during class?

Do you know “neri-keshi” (kneaded eraser)? In Japan, the first boom happened in the 1970s.

It’s an item shaped like a regular eraser; you chop it up into small pieces and knead it by pressing it between something flat like a ruler and your desk.

It takes patience to finish, but it’s quite rewarding when you do.

If you knead it thoroughly, you’ll get a stretchy, well-made kneaded eraser.

Just make sure you don’t make one during class by mistake…!

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sasashina

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Fruits Basket

Group game: Fruit Basket! The new Sumire class takes on the challenge together! Everyday life at Hachiman Kodomoen (Fukui City). April 2018.

In “Fruit Basket,” one person is chosen as “it,” and the other participants are each assigned the name of a specific fruit, then sit on chairs arranged in a circle.

The person who is “it” stands in the center and calls out a fruit name; anyone assigned that fruit must stand up and move to a different chair.

At this time, the “it” person also tries to sit in a chair.

It’s a game still beloved in kindergartens and nursery schools, and there are variations such as “Anything Basket.”

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sasashina

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Panpan Beam

This is a one-on-one game; I don’t know its official name, but I bet many people played it with friends when they were little.

After clapping your hands twice—pan, pan—you choose one of three moves: Beam, Charge, or Guard.

The basic rule is that if your opponent uses Beam while you’re Charging, you lose.

There’s also a rule where, after Charging a preset number of times, you can fire a Beam that breaks through a Guard and wins, so it’s actually a surprisingly strategic game! With moves like Beam and Guard, it’s a fun, very boyish kind of play.

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Hane Keisuke

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shrink plastic

[Craft] I tried making badges with DAISO shrink plastic ♡ Budget-friendly DIY

I remember “shrinky plastic” crafts being held as weekend events at elementary school after-school programs.

Many of you may have made them with friends, too.

These days you can get all the materials at 100-yen shops, so they’re easy to make.

Think of your favorite motif and create it.

If you color and decorate it, you can make an even cuter shrinky plastic piece.

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sasashina

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Beigoma (spinning top)

How to spin a beigoma (traditional Japanese spinning top)

Beygoma were a popular children’s game from around the Taisho era through the period of rapid economic growth.

Unlike regular spinning tops, they don’t have a notch in the center to catch the string, so you use a distinctive wrapping method.

Just remember to skip every other corner as you wind it.

Once you get used to it, it’s easy to wrap.

The trick when spinning is to apply force as you pull.

If you still have one, why not give it a try again for the first time in a while?

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sasashina

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