Hopscotch game
It is one of the most popular folk games in the Arab world, especially in societies that are interested in traditional games.
Overview
A game played by girls in the yard by drawing hopscotch in the sand, or on the roof with chalk. It's usually played by 2-4 girls, and they enjoy playing it in the spring or summer. The girls choose a rectangular area of land, about four square meters, which is then divided into smaller squares or rectangles.
How to play
The game begins with each girl taking turns holding a coin and choosing one side, then throwing it into the air. If the side she chose appears, she is the first to start playing; otherwise, her colleague who chose the other side has the right to start the game. The girl playing hopscotch chooses a piece of pottery or stone and places it on the ground in the first square of the rectangle. The girl pushes the piece forward with one of her feet, while the other foot is raised off the ground, so that it never touches it. The girl tries to make the piece settle in the next square, then the one after that, and so on, so that it passes the turn. If the girl stops on the line that separates the square from the one after it, or touches her foot that is raised off the ground, or steps on the foot that she uses to push the piece on that line, then she has lost the game, and her colleague has the right to take her place.
Skills that the game develops
- 1Balance: Because it requires jumping and standing on one foot.
- 2Concentration: Identifying paths and moving between squares.
- 3Flexibility and physical ability: Running and jumping help strengthen muscles and improve flexibility.