Austrian Games for Children
Each country or cultural center has its own traditional children's games. The United States has its own set of children's games, such as dodge ball, freeze tag and "duck-duck-goose." Austria, in central Europe, also has a variety of children's games, some of which are similar to our own.
1 Third Player Chase
Play with 10 players and up in an open indoor or outdoor space. Except for two players, the rest sit in pairs, one player in front of another, within a large circle. The remaining two players are assigned as the "hunter" and the "game" respectively. The hunter chases the game in a game of tag, running through and around the circle. The game can forfeit being chased by sitting down with a pair of sitting players. One player from the pair then gets up and becomes the game, being chased by the hunter. The pair designates beforehand which player will go first. If the hunter catches the game, the roles reverse.
2 Two-Country Ball Game
Use 16 or more players. Players are divided evenly into two teams, which take up either side of a field. Use one rubber ball, such as a football. Each team must try to eliminate the other by throwing the ball at the other team in an attempt to hit them below the waist. If a player is hit, he must sit out in the other team's "prison." If a player catches a ball dealt by the other team, the person who threw it goes to the prison. Players in prison can try to get the ball and throw it at the opposing team; if an imprisoned player is successful, that person is freed and can return to his team. This continues until one team is completely imprisoned.
3 Snap Ball
Two teams with any number of players (the more the better) spread around an open, preferably outdoor playing field. A ball is thrown in the air at the start of the game. A team member catches it and must keep it in play by passing it to other team members. A point is earned for every catch a team makes. Running or stealing the ball from another player is not allowed. Players must escape from the opposing team's forces and be in an open position to catch the ball.
4 Statue Tag
This game is very similar to freeze tag, with a few exceptions. One player is designated as "it" while the other players run and spread out within a certain amount of space. When "it" touches another player, that player stands still in his original position. The player becomes "unfrozen" when another player crawls between his legs. The person tagging has won if all the players are frozen.
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