Top 20 Most Exciting Traditional Games for Preschool Children

Game Rules:

The mouse runs, and the cat chases. If the mouse runs two laps without being caught by the cat, the cat loses.

How to Play:

• The teacher has the children form two circles, with the smaller circle inside the larger circle.
• The teacher designates one child as the cat and another as the mouse to stand back-to-back in the small circle.
• One child from the inner circle and one from the outer circle stand facing each other, holding hands and raising them to form a den.
• When the teacher gives the signal, the child playing the mouse starts running, and the cat chases. Wherever the mouse runs into a den, the cat must follow into that den. Meanwhile, the children playing the den chant in unison:

“It’s the Cat, Must catch the Mouse, Catch the Mouse and win! It’s the Mouse, Sees the Cat, Must run away!”

When the cat catches the mouse in a den, the two children in that den switch roles as cat and mouse, and the original cat and mouse join hands to form a new den.

Requirements:

• The teacher allows the children to switch roles until all children have had a turn as either the Cat or Mouse.
• The game is played continuously for 10-15 minutes, with no limit to the number of times the children can play.

How to Play:

• The teacher will assign one child as the “owner” to sit still in one place.
• The rest of the children will line up behind each other, walking around in the yard while chanting:

Dragon and snake go up to the sky,
There’s a shaking tree,
There’s a house with a bell,
Is the owner at home?

When they reach the line “Is the owner at home?”, the children stop in front of the “owner”, who can respond with “yes” or “no”. If the response is “no”, the children continue moving while chanting the same lines. If the response is “yes”, the group answers the “owner’s” requests:

Owner: May I have the head?
Group: Just some bones,
Owner: May I have the middle?
Group: Nothing tasty,
Owner: May I have the tail?
Group: Try to catch us!

After the line “Try to catch us!”, the “owner” will chase the last person in the line (the tail), while the rest of the group tries to avoid being caught. The first person in line will extend their arms to protect the group. If the “owner” catches the last person, that child will switch roles with the “owner” and the game will restart.

Objective of the Game:

Develop teamwork, enhance attention and reflex skills, and engage in light physical exercise for the children.

How to Play:

• Everyone stands in a circle with one person in the center acting as the game master.
• The game master says “birds fly” while jumping up and spreading their arms like a bird flying. At that moment, the children must mimic the action and shout along with the game master.
• If the game master calls out objects that cannot fly, like “a flying house” or “a flying table”, any child who mimics flying or fails to mimic flying when the object can fly will be penalized by hopping around the circle on one foot.
• While hopping, the other children may clap and sing playful nursery rhymes teasing the child being penalized, such as:

Xấu hổ
Lấy rổ mà che
Lấy nong mà đậy
Lấy chày đập bóng.

This adds an engaging twist to the game, and you can introduce additional variations like “fish diving” or “duck diving” as a break from the main “birds and storks fly” game.

Objective of the Game:

Enhance children's quick reflexes.

How to Play:

• The teacher marks two lines about 3 meters apart (adjust based on the children's age) to represent the land. The child who is “it” will act as the crocodile, moving between these two lines and trying to catch anyone who is in the water or has one foot in the water.
• The other children stand outside the lines, on the “land,” teasing the crocodile by dipping one foot into the water while clapping and chanting “Crocodile, crocodile, come to land!”

• When the crocodile turns around, the children must quickly jump back to land. If a child is caught before reaching land, they become the next crocodile. If the crocodile catches two children at once, they will decide who becomes the next crocodile through a game of rock-paper-scissors.
• If the crocodile is slow to catch others, they must remain the crocodile until they “cry crocodile tears” or get too tired to continue.
• The game continues by selecting a new crocodile to begin again.

Objective of the Game:

• Develop quick reflexes and agility.
• Enhance language skills.

Rules of the Game:

Each rabbit (one child) has a burrow (a different child as the burrow). The rabbit must hide in its own burrow. Any rabbit who is too slow will be caught by the fox, or if the rabbit runs to the wrong burrow, they will be out for one round of play.

How to Play:

The teacher selects one child to play the role of the fox, who hides in a corner of the room. The other children become rabbits and rabbit burrows. Each rabbit has a corresponding burrow (another child plays the burrow). The child playing the burrow chooses a spot and extends their arms to welcome the rabbit when the fox is chasing. Before starting, the teacher asks the rabbits to remember which burrow is theirs. When the game begins, the rabbits hop around looking for food, raising their hands to mimic rabbit ears and chanting the following rhyme:

On the grassland

The little rabbit
Looking for vegetables to eat
Happily hopping
But remember
There's a sly fox
Waiting there
So be quick
Or the fox
Will catch you soon.

Once the rhyme is finished, the fox will appear, growling and chasing the rabbits. At the sound of the fox, the rabbits must quickly race to their burrows. Any rabbit caught by the fox is out for one round. Afterward, the children switch roles and play again.

How to Play:

• The teacher divides the children into small groups (around 7-8 children per group, which can be split by gender).
• The children sit in a row within each group, with the child in the back placing their legs around the waist of the child in front, forming a boat.
• At the teacher's signal, the teams use the strength of their arms to lift their bodies and move forward toward the finish line.

Requirements:

• All boats must stay tightly connected to avoid breaking apart while moving.
• The teacher may prepare rewards for the top three teams to increase the excitement and motivate the children to participate in the game.

How to Play:

Everyone sits in a circle, and one person stands outside the circle, behind the others. Starting with any chosen individual, they walk while singing:

A shining star
Two shining stars
I challenge you to guess
To count them all
From one shining star
To ten shining stars.

Each word taps on someone's shoulder, and when the final word 'star' is said, the person it lands on must quickly recite in one breath: 'One shining star, two shining stars, three shining stars... until ten shining stars.' The counting must be done without stopping, alternating between 'shining star' for odd numbers and 'stars shining' for even ones. If they stop or make a mistake, they face a penalty.

How to Play:

Location: indoor or outdoor playground

Number of players: 5-10 children per group

The game leader draws small circles on the ground, with fewer circles than there are players. The children form a line, holding onto each other's shirts, and walk around the circles while singing:

"Dung dang dung de

Lead the children for fun,

Heading to the gates of heaven,

Meeting a godmother,

Let me go to my hometown,

Let the goat go to school,

Let the toad stay home,

Let the chicken scratch the kitchen,

Sit down here."

Once the last word is sung, the children quickly find a circle to sit in. One child will be left without a circle, and they must continue by removing one circle and playing as before. The game continues until only two players remain.

Rules: If a player does not find a circle to sit in, they lose. The two remaining players sit together in one circle, and whoever sits down last wins.

How to Play:

All players sit in a line on the ground, legs stretched forward. The player at the front starts by counting and passing the count to the player at the back, and the process continues with the last player passing the count back to the front. While counting, they recite the following folk song:

Make the coconut tree, leave the thin one

The bamboo tree (closed) the gourd vine

Which tree is tall, which tree is short

Wide leaves, ripe red

The rabbit jumps over the old woman

Uh uh, the bundle of leaves falls out

When the last part of the song is sung, the person at the end must pull their feet in. The person who manages to pull both feet in wins, and those who are last or who haven't pulled their feet in lose. The winners then get ready to run while the losers chase them. If a loser catches anyone, the game resets.

How to Play:

The game of Tug of War can take different forms depending on the region, but the goal is always the same: two teams compete to pull the opposing team across a line. The teams may consist of either all men, all women, or a mix of both. In the case of mixed teams, unmarried men and women are typically chosen by the villagers to compete.

A central pole is placed in the middle of the play area, with a rope tied to it—usually made from materials like hemp, bamboo, or other strong materials—about 20 meters long, evenly stretched to both sides. Each team gathers at the ends of the rope, pulling with all their might. A village elder or leader calls the shots and signals the start of the game. The aim is for one team to pull the pole towards their side. Spectators cheer loudly for their teams, shouting words of encouragement like “Dô ta!” and “Cố lên!”

In some areas, players may directly link arms and use their physical strength to pull. The person at the front of each team holds hands with their counterpart, while the others hold onto the person in front of them. If a team’s rope breaks during the game, that team loses. Tug of War is typically played in three rounds, and the team that wins two out of the three rounds is declared the winner.

How to Play:

Two players sit facing each other, holding hands firmly. As they sing, they pull and push each other's hands back and forth, resembling the motion of sawing a log between them. With each word sung, they either push or pull. The song can go as follows:

Pulling and sawing

Which carpenter is strong?

Go eat the king's meal

The one who loses

Goes back to their mother’s arms

Alternatively:

Pulling and sawing

Do less, eat more

Sleep wherever you like

It stole from me

What can I use to pull?

Objective of the Game:

Playing Rock-Paper-Scissors helps children improve their judgment and quick reflexes.

How to Play:

The game is played with two or more participants, swinging their hands to the rhythm of the song:

"Rock-paper-scissors,

What's it going to be?

It's going to be this!"

When the song ends, everyone opens their hands in one of the shapes: a fist for rock, two fingers for scissors, or an open hand for paper. The winner is determined by the rule: rock crushes scissors, scissors cuts paper, and paper covers rock.

How to Play:

One player acts as the "dog", another as the "owner", and the rest of the players are the "rabbits".

The group sings the following song:

"Ve ve chùm chùm

Fish balloons catch fire

Three fire animals run around

Three elephants for the king

Three crickets go looking

Ù a ù ịch"

The owner opens their right hand, and the players form a circle around them, placing their left fingers in the owner's palm. When the song says "Ù a ù ịch", the players pull their hands back, and the owner claps their hand shut.

Game Rules:

• If a player’s finger gets caught by the owner, they become the dog, while the others remain rabbits.
• If the owner mentions an object, the rabbits must rush to touch it within a time frame, and the owner will release the dog.
• When the dog appears, the rabbits must quickly run to the object, touch it, and return to the owner.
• If a rabbit is caught, they must assume a hunched position with their arms crossed, placing their hands over their ears. If they fail to do so and are caught, they become the dog instead.

Game Rules and Play Instructions:

Each participant must link their hands together in a stacked formation, ensuring no two hands of the same person are adjacent. The first person to place their hand is considered 'it' and will only use one hand for the game, while the other hand is used to point at each word in the rhyme, corresponding to one closed fist. Together, the group sings the following rhyme:

Chùm nụm chùm nẹo

Tay tí tay tiên

Đồng tiền chiếc đũa

Hạt lúa ba bông

An trộm ăn cắp

Trứng gà trứng vịt

Bù xe bù xít

Con rắn con rít

Nó rít tay này

When the final word 'này' lands on someone's hand, that person must remove their fist or have their hand 'cut' by the person pointing. The game continues with the 'it' person pointing and singing as everyone else closes their fists. The game ends when all fists have been 'cut'.

Game Instructions:

Participants are divided into at least two teams, with each team consisting of an equal number of players. Typically, there are two or three teams. Each team has a designated vertical lane to jump through, with a start line and a finish line. Players line up in a row, and the first person in line steps into a sack, holding the opening with both hands. Once the start signal is given, the first player of each team jumps to the finish line and then returns to the start line to pass the sack to the next player. Only when the first player reaches the finish line can the second player begin. This continues in sequence until the last person in the team completes the race. The first team to finish wins.

Rules:

Any player who jumps before the start signal violates the rules. Also, a player who turns back before reaching the designated point is also violating the rules. If a player removes the sack before reaching the finish line, they are penalized and may be disqualified from the game.

How to Play:

• Divide the children into two teams, one acting as the doctors with only one person, while the rest form the 'dragon-snake' team, holding onto each other's waist, collar, or shoulder to form a long line resembling a snake. The first person must spread their arms wide.
• The doctor faces the snake team. When the snake team asks the doctor, if the doctor refuses by saying "out" or "busy", the snake team walks around in a circle before asking again.
• The game starts with the rhyme:

Dragon snake climbs up the clouds

There is a tree called Núc Nác

There is a house with a general

Asking the doctor

Is the doctor at home?

Doctor:

The doctor is out

The doctor is eating rice
(Or the doctor is at the market, sleeping...)

• At this point, the doctor will try to catch the last player in the snake. The player at the front will use their arms to block the doctor, while the others try to avoid the doctor by weaving through the snake. If the snake breaks, or the doctor catches the last player, the team loses.

Rules:

If the snake breaks or the doctor catches a player, the team loses.

Game Objectives:

• Develop skills in walking, jumping, movement, and evading.
• Build agility, strength, and dexterity.
• Foster teamwork and courage.
• Gain knowledge about animal environments and human activities.

How to Play:

The teacher should draw a large circle in the middle of the field to represent the pond, while the children stand in a circle to act as frogs. One child stands about 3 to 4 meters from the circle holding a stick, pretending to be the frog catcher. When the teacher claps to signal the start of the game, the frogs start singing the following song together:

The frog in the pond
Just after the rain
Leaps out with a splash
The frog croaks "op op"
The frog croaks "ap ap"
Seeing the fisherman
They run away in a hurry
The frog croaks "op op"
The frog croaks "ap ap"

The frogs leap out of the pond, singing and hopping around the circle. The frog catcher chases them, and if the stick touches any frog's shoulder, that frog must replace the frog catcher. Any frog that makes it back into the pond is safe.

Game Objective:

Develop children's agility, enhance their ability to socialize and enjoy playing together with those around them.

How to Play:

• Children play in groups or as a whole class, standing in a circle in the middle of the yard.
• The teacher will choose one child to be the "leech". After selecting, the group will chant the rhyme "Release the Leech" together.

Release the leech
Don't catch the women
It's a sin for the men
Rice as white as cotton
Soft rice like water
Pour the fish sauce, pour the salt
Pour the banana and pepper
Pour the teapot of tea
Pour into any house
That house must bear it

The leech goes around the circle, and with each verse, the leech points at a child. The first verse points at the leech itself, the second to the next child, and so on. If the last verse lands on a child, that child must stand in the "river" and become the leech. The others quickly run to the "riverbanks", and if someone is too slow and gets "caught" by the leech, they must join the leech in the "river". The game continues as such...

Game Objective:

Enhance children's listening skills and judgment.

First Variation:

• The children first play a game of "Rock Paper Scissors" to eliminate two players. The two eliminated children then play "Rock Paper Scissors" again, with the loser becoming the blindfolded player who tries to catch the goat, and the winner becomes the goat.
• The remaining children form a circle. The goats must continuously bleat "baa, baa" and dodge the blindfolded player attempting to catch them. The goats cannot leave the circle. If they break this rule, they are blindfolded. When the blindfolded player catches a goat, roles are swapped.

Second Variation:

• The players also start with "Rock Paper Scissors" to decide who will be the blindfolded one and who will be the goat.
• The goats must constantly bleat "baa, baa" or tease the blindfolded player while avoiding being caught. If the blindfolded player touches a goat, that goat becomes the next blindfolded player.
• Once the blindfold is in place, the goats run around the blindfolded player, tapping their shoulders or brushing their cheeks before running away. If the blindfolded player catches someone, they must guess who it is. If the guess is correct, the caught player becomes the blindfolded one. If the guess is wrong, the game continues. A little trick: the caught player can pretend to be shorter by squatting or taller by standing on tiptoe, making it harder for the blindfolded player to guess. (The teacher can guide the children on these tricks.)