11 childhood games today's kids are unlikely to play

Nowadays, kids are hooked onto their iPads and Playstations as opposed to running and jumping

In today's day and age, many of us who are no longer children find that everything is now electronic or digital. Children today don't play actual physical games or participate in sports like running, jumping, cricket, hockey and football and so on as much as they play all these games on the X-box, iPad or the mobile phone.

It was different when those in their 30s and 40s were growing up; just a generation ago, games played often entailed vigorous physical movement and exercise, which is much more preferable than sitting on the couch all day long and playing a video game.

Here are 11 Desi childhood games that today's kids are unlikely to play:

1. Carom

PHOTO: DHAKA TRIBUNE

At one time, teenagers would play at carom 'clubs' specifically set up for this purpose, especially in Karachi and Lahore -- you would have to get boric powder for the board and learn the intricacies of how to take as many 'goatees' in one 'baari'.

 

2. Kho kho  

PHOTO: SPORT KID NET

A team game that would involve a lot of running around.

 

3. Baraf paani

PHOTO: APP

Literally 'Ice, Water'. In this game, there would be one ‘den’ who would set out to ‘freeze’ his opponents.

 

4. Pitthu

PHOTO: ONLINE

You would have to first find a 'gamla' (with apologies to Imran Khan), break it into several pieces and then stack these up in towers of seven. You would also need a tennis ball and then play by making two teams.

 

5. Dark Room

PHOTO: ONLINE

How many of you remember playing this as a kid? This was basically hide-and-seek but adapted to playing in a room that was pitch dark.

 

6. Ludo 

PHOTO: ONLINE

A classic that maybe our parents even played when growing up -- kids, if they play it at all, these days, usually do it on the iPad.

 

7. Oonch Neech

PHOTO: INDIA DAILY

(Literally 'Up Down') This involved one person catching the others who all could take refuge on a surface that was above the ground. Could even be played in the bedroom, with the bed, chairs, furniture etc being used as 'oonch' by players.

 

8. Langri Pala

PHOTO: REUTERS

Catching others with one leg raised.

 

9. Pakran Pakrai

PHOTO: APP

A game that involved a lot of running around and basically catching others.

 

10. Safe Safe

PHOTO: AFP

Two teams -- one would catch the other team and take them to a place called 'Safe' -- other teams members not caught could raid the 'Safe' and free others by saying 'Safe Safe'.

 

11. Chhupan Chhupai

PHOTO: STORY BABA

The desi kids version of 'hide and seek'.