1-2-3 Block

-

 The game is called 1-2-3 Block.

The game does not require any materials, but it does need a big space/ area in which to play it. 

This game is similar to hide and seek but a bit more active and exciting. 

Before the game begins all the players agree on an item to be the ‘blocking post’. This item must be relatively large and accessible from multiple directions e.g. a tree, chair, or part of a wall (etc.). 

After this has been decided, a chosen ‘seeker’ must count to 50 with their eyes shut next to the ‘blocking post’ and everyone else hides.

Once done counting, the person must try and find everyone BUT the game does not end when they are spotted…

Rather, when spotted, both the hider and the seeker must run back to the ‘blocking post.’

If the hider gets to the post, touches it and shouts “1-2-3 Block” before the seeker, they are safe.

But if the seeker gets there first and shouts “1-2-3 Block” then the hider has lost and will become the next seeker. 

The game continues until the players get bored or until someone has a meltdown because they are tired of being the seeker. 

In my experience I always played this game with a range of people, girls and boys. We would most often play in the garden or playground but sometimes within the house as well.

Comments

  1. BenadetteDecember 13, 2023 at 12:10 AM

    I played this game too. We called it Tapo. The hiders and the seeker had to run and tap on the spot selected and shout 'Tapo'. If it is not loud enough, it would not be considered. If the spot selected was movable, some hiders would run away with it or the seeker would hide it before going to search for the hiders.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousDecember 15, 2023 at 7:29 AM

    This game is called blackmybhadilo here in Swaziland its played by a group of people where one is supposed to count until 10 or 20 then the rest go and hide once the count reaches 10 then this one person will go and look for the others and the others will run to tap to say my save meaning they are safe and they wone it's quite an interesting game which encourages mostly on physical aspects as the children will be running to try and save themselves

    ReplyDelete
  3. BenadetteDecember 15, 2023 at 8:36 AM

    The afrocentric ubuntu philosophy that the game fosters is communal decision making through selecting the blocking spot.

    ReplyDelete
  4. ProscoviaDecember 16, 2023 at 9:43 AM

    In Uganda, we played this game, it was very enjoyable. We played it both boys and girls. The rules described above are the same as the ones we had when we played the game. The game is called "tapo." It is one of the games I contributed to the OERIGA project.

    ReplyDelete
  5. SellaDecember 16, 2023 at 10:03 AM

    There are two versions of this game. One is called TAPO and the other is called Kirikicho. The person counting with closed eyes calls out "Kirikicho" and the hiders reply " Banture" and the person asks " Are you Ready" and the hiders respond with a " No" if they are not ready and a "Yes" when they are ready. The person then starts the search.

    The Ubuntu Philosophy in the game is the teamwork, cooperation and communication.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DorothyDecember 17, 2023 at 11:56 PM

      This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
  6. AnonymousDecember 17, 2023 at 10:03 PM

    Like Proscovia mentioned earlier, the traditional name of the game in Uganda is ‘Tappo’ The game can be played by both the young and the adults. Tappo game involves human beings looking out for each other in hiding places, ‘Hide and Seek’. This brings out the Afrocentric Ubuntu philosophy of, a person is a person because of others (Tutu, 2004). In Uganda the Ubantu derivative is ‘abantu’ actively participating in a game of hiding and seeking out for each other as humans with happiness derived from finding and picking on another ‘muntu.’ The Afrocentric philosophy of the game is humanity, team work, compassion, joy and happiness in finding another 'omuntu' in a hiding space.

    ReplyDelete
  7. NtozaDecember 18, 2023 at 8:53 AM

    I played this game as a child, we called it Undize, meaning can I come to look for you. After everybody goes to hide the seeker, must shout “Ndize”Ndize! and those in hiding will shout ‘back, Hoyi!Hoyi! meaning “No” don’t come until they are safe in their hiding places and tell him or her to come look for them. We had fun, physical fitness, whilst running to the spot to block the seeker first, determination to make sure you not blocked and be the next seeker, team work.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Nhodo

-
In Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe we used to play an indigenous game called Nhodo. I did not realise this was teaching us counting and mathematical literacy. So, in a group we could play e.g., 5 players. The game involves each player choosing 5 small round stones to contribute. All the stones are put in a circle. The first player will use a lead stone to throw in the air while taking out all the stones from the circle. The player will then throw the lead stone into the air and take one stone from the stones and push all the stones into the circle. If some stones remain outside that is an infringement and the next player takes over…. Taurai Mutanda
Read more

The Sansa Kroma Game

-
The Sansa Kroma game is/was commonly played in Ghana. Sansa Kroma means 'hawk' in Fante or Twi. Hawk is a bird.  Rules  The game is played with the Sansa Kroma song and stones. Every participant has a stone in front of him or her. As all participants sing the song, every one moves the stone in front of them in the songs rhythmic pace to the next participant to their right side. The song increases in pace after every round of stones.  The stones must be moved in such a way that you always have only one stone to move at a time as the pace of the song increases. If a participant is not able to keep the pace of both the song and the movement of the stone, and thereby having two stones in front of him s/he is kicked out. The game continues until only one person emerges as a winner. The author is grateful to Ralitsa from Ghana who provided the explanation of this game.
Read more