Buzz
Folk games, passed down through generations, have become an essential spiritual nourishment deeply intertwined with the lives of the Vietnamese people. These games bring players a joyful, wholesome atmosphere, offering a fun and captivating playground while also honing various life skills. Below are some traditional folk games of Vietnam compiled and curated by Mytour.
1. Capture the Flag
This is a team-based game, consisting of two teams with equal numbers of players. Typically, each team will have 5-6 members, regardless of gender. During preparation, members of both teams will stand close to the starting line of their team, sequentially counting from 1 to the end. Players must remember their sequence number and the player on the opposing team with the same number.
The game starts when the game master calls out any number. The corresponding numbers of the two teams will run to the circle and capture the flag. At the same time, two, three, or four numbers can be called, but when the game master calls out a number, that number must immediately return to stand in front of their team's starting line.
When you capture the flag, you must quickly run back to the starting line. If the equivalent number of your team touches you, you lose, and the game master will not call you again. If you see a risk of being touched, drop the flag to the ground to avoid losing. While playing, players are only allowed to deceive opponents to bring the flag back; they are not allowed to hold each other for flag capture. The winning team is the one that safely brings the flag to the destination.
2. Five Stones Game
Before starting the game, players must draw a rectangular shape divided into 10 equal squares, with two semicircles drawn at both ends. These two squares correspond to two 'quans,' each containing 1 large stone; the remaining squares, each contains 5 small stones.
Two people, two sides. Players will select a square, take the stones from that square, and distribute them to the next squares clockwise. When all stones are distributed, the player will pick up stones from the next square and continue distributing. The player will stop when the last stone is one square away from the next empty square. The number of stones adjacent to that empty square will belong to the player. Then, the player opposite can start and perform the same as the first player.
Both players will continuously take turns playing. If anyone picks up the large square and takes all the stones from the opponent's squares, they will win. Then, the game will start over again.
3. Let Loose the Dog
This game is not limited in the number of players; however, players must rock-paper-scissors to determine the winner and loser. The winner will play the role of the owner, and the loser will play the role of the 'dog.'
At the start of the game, the owner will blindfold the 'dog' and say 'Xi bu khoai, xì bù khoài, sờ đâu sờ đó, sờ con chó, sờ con mèo, sờ vào…'. Some object like a tree, a chair over there, etc. The remaining players will quickly run to touch that object and then return to the owner.
After a sufficient amount of time, the owner will command to release the dog, and the 'dog' will have the right to chase everyone. Seeing the 'dog,' everyone must run fast to avoid being touched. If there is a risk of being caught, the player must squat down and cover their ears again; when the 'dog' is not nearby, they can run away. If the player fails to sit down in time and is caught by the 'dog,' they will become the 'dog' in the next round. The last player who cannot run back in time will also have to become the 'dog' in the next round.
If at the end of a round, the 'dog' does not catch anyone, it will remain as the 'dog.' The owner must calculate the timing of releasing the 'dog' reasonably so that players have a chance to avoid being caught or the difference is not too large.
4. Chi chi chành chành
This game is most suitable for preschoolers to develop quick reflexes. The number of players should be at least 3 and at most 7, not too crowded. If there are too many players, they can be divided into smaller groups.
To start the game, one person will open their hand, while the other players will place their index fingers inside the palm of the hand. The person with the open hand will quickly recite the folk rhyme:
'Chi chi chành chành
The whip blows fire
The horse died suddenly
Three kings and five emperors
Catch the cricket and search
Hey ho hey ho
Close the door shut.
When hearing the word 'shut', the person with the spread hand will quickly close it, while the other players will swiftly pull their hands out. If someone fails to do so in time, they lose and switch places with the one with the spread hand. The game restarts.
5. Jump in the sack
The organizer divides players into two, three, or four groups with equal numbers. There are starting and finishing lines. During preparation, players from each team line up vertically, with the first person stepping into the sack, holding its mouth with both hands.
Upon the start signal, the leader of each team swiftly jumps to the finish line and quickly returns to the starting line to pass the sack to the next person. This continues until the last person. The team that reaches the finish line first wins.
Any team member who jumps before the start signal or returns to the starting line after reaching the finish line is considered a rule violation. Also, dropping the sack before reaching the finish line results in disqualification.
6. Passing the parcel
This game is exclusively for girls to develop agility and flexibility. To start the game, players need to prepare 10 small sticks and a heavy round object, which could be a small ball, a potato, etc. The number of participants ranges from 2 to 5 people.
To start the game, players scatter small sticks on the ground and toss a ball into the air with their right hand, quickly picking up each stick with their left hand. This continues until the ball drops to the ground, then the turn passes to the next player. The game consists of multiple rounds, with the first round allowing players to pick up only one stick per toss. In the second round, players are allowed to pick up two sticks per toss, and so on until the tenth round, where they pick up all ten sticks at once. With each pick-up, players recite appropriate verses for each round: one, two, son, clam, ... Twin, sister, ... Three, four leaves, three, four. When all ten rounds are completed, players switch to passing with both hands: Passing one round, two rounds, three rounds, simultaneously reciting 'ducks head, over the river, plant trees, eat fruit, spit seeds, ...' Repeat this process 10 times to complete one passing round. A complete passing round is counted as one point.
If a player picks up more sticks than required or fewer sticks than required at each round, they lose their turn. For example, in round 3, if you pick up 3 sticks in two turns, and on the third turn, you only pick up 2 sticks or attempt to pick up the remaining 4 sticks, it's considered a loss, and the turn passes to the next player. If a player fails to catch both the ball and sticks simultaneously, they lose their turn.
7. Cat and Mouse
This is a group folk game, with no limit on the number of players. After selecting one person as the cat and another as the mouse, the mouse stands back-to-back with the cat. The remaining players join hands to form a circle around the cat and mouse, starting to sing:
'Cat chasing mouse
Inviting you here
Hands clasped tightly
Standing in a wide circle
The weasel sneaks through the hole
The cat runs behind
Then the little mouse
Plays the role of the cat again
The hare runs after, the old cat turns into a mouse.
When everyone sings to the last line, the mouse starts running, and the cat will chase after. Players raise their hands when the mouse runs by, lowering them to hinder the cat. The mouse must run exactly where it previously ran. The cat catching the mouse wins, and both switch roles for the next round. After finishing, the next cat player may choose someone else to take their place.
8. Tug of war
Similar to many other games, players are divided into two teams, each with equal numbers and comparable strength. At the start, the two teams advance towards a marked line, holding a rope so that the knot/rope tied in the middle is aligned with the marked line.
Upon the starting signal, both teams swiftly tighten the rope, pulling strongly towards themselves until the front player touches the marked line. The team that falls to the opponent's side first loses. To boost the game's spirit, spectators may cheer loudly, saying 'let's go' or 'keep it up' to encourage the players.
To determine the winner, players will play three rounds, and the team winning 2 out of 3 rounds will be the victorious team.
9. Dragon and Snake Ascending to the Clouds
One player will act as the doctor, while the others will play the role of the snake family going to ask for medicine. At the beginning of the game, the player behind will grab the shirt of the player in front and then start walking and singing simultaneously:
'Dragons and Snakes Ascend to the Clouds
There's a swaying tree
Asking the doctor
Is there a house?'
The person playing the role of the doctor will find every reason to reject the snake family, like having dinner, going out, etc. Each time rejected, the snake family will wander around and sing the folk song again. Until the doctor says 'there's a house,' both sides will start the dialogue as follows:
Doctor: Where did the dragon and snake go?
The head of the family replies: The dragon and snake went to get medicine for the child.
How many are there? - There's only one
The medicine isn't tasty - It's just two
....
Is it ten already? - The medicine must be good
The doctor begins to demand
Request the head verse. - Together with bone and broth
Request the middle verse. - Together with blood and marrow
Request the tail verse. - Chase as much as you like.
At this point, the doctor will try every way to catch the last person in line. The person at the front must extend their arms to protect the tail. Those behind must chase the person in front, holding on tight. If the tail is broken, the last person will replace the doctor and start a new round.
10. Wrestling
This is a traditional folk game held annually in Mai Động (Hanoi) during the village festival. The competition takes place in an open area with a large number of wrestlers. During the match, wrestlers must go shirtless, only allowed to wear loincloths to cover the lower body. The reason for going shirtless is so that neither side can grab each other's clothes or pants to gain an advantage. The competition begins, wrestlers step onto the stage, stomp their feet, wave their arms to show their prowess, and wait for an opportunity to attack. They use tricks to deceive each other, using various techniques to defeat their opponents. The first, second, and third prize winners will be congratulated and awarded.
11. Blindfolded Goat Catching
This is a traditional folk game beloved by children aged 6 to 15, often organized in group activities or during leisure hours. At the start of the game, one person will be blindfolded with a cloth so they cannot see the people around them. The others will stand holding hands to form a circle around the blindfolded person. Their task is to move around until the blindfolded person shouts 'start' or 'stop.' When that happens, players must immediately stop moving, and the blindfolded person will move around, trying to catch someone.
People around must try to avoid being caught by sitting down when the blindfolded person approaches, making the blindfolded person think that area is empty, or by creating noise to misdirect them. If someone is caught and the blindfolded person guesses their name correctly, they will switch places. If the guess is wrong, the person remains blindfolded and the game continues.
During the game, if someone wants to join, they must take the place of the blindfolded person. If multiple people want to join, a game of rock-paper-scissors will determine who becomes blindfolded.
12. Capture the Flag
This is a traditional folk game that has become a custom at many festivals and in many regions. It can be considered a ritual activity in the agricultural seasonal ceremony of rural residents, venerating nature.
The ball used in this game can be a wooden sphere, sometimes a pomelo, or even a coconut, painted in shiny gold. Before the ball is brought out for the game, it must undergo sacred rituals.
After performing the necessary rituals, the ball is thrown into the temple courtyard. The participants - the sturdy young men of the village - strip to the waist, don colorful loincloths, and begin to snatch the ball. The competition is fierce amid the constant beat of drums and cheering. Players must use strength, wit, strategy, and bravery to seize the ball. In the end, whoever snatches the ball will quickly run into the temple as the victor.
In some places, players are divided into two teams, and the team that throws the ball into the pit dug in the opponent's direction more often will be the winner. In other places, the ball is thrown into a basket arranged in advance, and the team that throws the ball into the opponent's basket first will be the winner.
13. Can Toss
To start the game, players need to prepare a can, which could be a condensed milk can, a soda can, or any other similar container. Draw a circle around the can. One player will be tasked with guarding the can to prevent it from being knocked over, while the others need to prepare a slipper to throw at the can. Standing at a line drawn 3-5 meters away from the can, players will take turns throwing the slipper at the can. Each player is only allowed to use one slipper for throwing. If the slipper fails to knock over the can, the player must retrieve the slipper without being caught by the guardian.
When a player successfully knocks over the can, the guardian must quickly pick up the can and place it back in its original position. Other players can take advantage of this opportunity to quickly run up and retrieve their slippers. If someone is caught while running to retrieve the slipper, they must replace the guardian as the new can guard. The game continues in this manner.
14. Can Knockdown
This is a game traditionally enjoyed by boys, popular among the generations born in the 1980s and 1990s. The number of participants can be from 2 people upwards, and if there are many, they can be divided into several small groups.
To participate, players need to prepare a toy with an iron base and a wooden body called a spinning top or a spindle, depending on the local terminology. Using a string wrapped from bottom to top, hold one end of the string and release it strongly to the ground to make the top spin rapidly. The player whose top spins the longest wins. It's possible to use another spinning top to hit the one that's already spinning and if it keeps spinning, it's considered the winner.
15. Jump Rope
A traditional game suitable for both boys and girls, helping to develop high jumping ability and body flexibility. There are two ways to play: as a group or individually competing against each other.
For group play, two players hold the ends of a long stretched rope on both sides, while the rest take turns jumping over the rope from a low to high level of tension. The difficulty increases gradually. Whoever fails to jump over or gets tangled in the rope will switch with one of the two rope holders, depending on who has been holding the rope longer.
16. Hide and Seek
The game is organized in areas with spacious playgrounds and plenty of hiding spots. Players negotiate to determine who will be the seeker, who then counts to a certain number before searching. Meanwhile, the other players quickly find hiding spots.
After finishing the count, the seeker begins searching. Upon discovering a hider, they loudly call out their name and location, then rush back to the starting point to tag it. If the hider touches the starting point and shouts 'freeze' before being tagged, they win; otherwise, they lose. Other players who haven't been discovered take the opportunity to run and touch the starting point while the seeker is away.
In the event of only 1 or 2 remaining players and the seeker can't find them after searching for too long, the seeker calls out 'release the frog, frog doesn't come out, frog dies.' Upon this signal, the remaining players come out; failure to do so results in losing. If no one loses in a round, the seeker continues to seek, otherwise, the loser becomes the new seeker.
17. Walking the Bamboo Bridge
This is a traditional team game often organized in open fields or at the beach, pitting two teams against each other. Players walk on bamboo bridges to compete. The bamboo bridge is made of bamboo, about 3m high with footholds about 1.5-2m above the ground. During the competition, anyone who falls or fails to complete the course in time will be penalized according to the rules.
18. Releasing the Dragonflies
This is a group game, with a number of players ranging from 10 to 12. It's best played in playground areas, where one side has a porch and the other side has a field edge, or if not, two lines are drawn about 3m apart to serve as the edges. Players stand side by side to form a circle facing inward. One person is chosen from the circle to start reading the nursery rhyme:
'Releasing the Fireflies
Do not capture women
Men are to blame
White rice as fluffy as cotton
Rice money flows like water
Crossing rivers on a ferry
Pouring handfuls of rice and salt
Pouring bananas and peppercorns
Pouring water into the tea pot
Pouring into whose house
That house must endure.'
As each line is read, the person points to another person clockwise, and when the line 'That house must endure' is uttered, whoever is pointed at will play the role of the catcher.
'The cricket' will stand in the middle of the river, and players must find a way to run from one bank to the other, not allowed to run halfway and turn back, singing 'The cricket goes far to cool off' while wading. When the cricket sees someone under the river, it must quickly run to catch them. If they touch anyone (a player who hasn't made it to the bank yet), that person is considered to have lost and must become the cricket. The game continues.
19. Nu na nu nống
The game is usually played in groups of 3-5 people. The players sit in a line, two individuals stretch out, holding hands while pointing at each other's thigh and reciting the nursery rhyme:
'Nu na nu nống
Beating the drum and waving the flag
Opening a racing competition
Competing for beautiful feet
Whose feet are clean and tidy
Pink heels so rosy
Not a speck of dirt
Qualified to play the drum.
As skilled as:
Nu na nu nong
The drain lies within
The bee nest lies outside
Dip potato in honey
Buddha sits, Buddha weeps
The frog jumps out
The hen clucks cheerfully
The old lady blows on the sticky rice
In my house we cook sweet soup
Giggling, feet tucked in
Each word in the nursery rhyme corresponds to a foot in order from start to finish and then reverses. The nursery rhyme varies in each region, but when the last word is heard, the foot corresponding to it will retract until all are retracted. Then the game starts over from the beginning.
20. Pulling, sawing, tricking, splitting
This game is for two people. The two players sit facing each other, holding hands, singing and pulling hands back and forth like sawing a piece of wood. Singing one word, then pulling or pushing once. Depending on the region, there may be some variations, here is the song:
'Pulling, sawing, tricking, splitting
Which craftsman is strong
Returning to eat like a king
Whoever loses the game
Must go suckle from their mother.
Above is a compilation of traditional folk games of Vietnam, many of which have become customs during village festivals, holidays, and are a spiritual dish inseparable from countless generations of Vietnamese people. Hopefully, this article will help you understand more about the culture as well as traditional games.
