14 PARADOXICAL GAMES FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS - DUDAS - 2025

The Paradoxical games are those in which the ambivalence between cooperation or opposition is presented. At any time the player can decide if he wants to cooperate or wants to oppose. This means that the same person can intervene as a partner or opponent within the same game.

There are many traditional games that are paradoxical, but it can also be applied to sports such as cycling, or skiing. The participants of these games make a series of pacts and alliances, but they are not necessarily fulfilled throughout the game, which generates mistrust since it is not known if the pact will be fulfilled or not.

Unlike traditional games, paradoxical games propose a network of motor interactions for participants to act with each other as they please. In addition to fulfilling important social and educational roles, they are games that are used for fun, since they have an established dynamic for fun.

There are various classifications of the games depending on the logic of the game and the rules. If we characterize them by the motor situation, they can be psychomotor or sociomotor. In psychomotor the performance of the game depends on the player, so as a general rule he will act alone.

On the other hand, in sociomotor, the participants must interact with each other. And we can also classify them as:

• Cooperatives or communication: where alliances are formed.
• Oppositive or countercommunication: where there is an adversary
• Oppositive-cooperative: where there are two sides, one of allies and the other of rivals.

Examples of paradoxical games

1- Cycling

This sport, which consists of riding a bike, can be considered from the paradoxical point of view. If relays are formed, or even teams, even if there is a clearly defined side, only one will cross the finish line.

So despite the alliances that may have been established previously, a participant could change his mind and go against his team in order to win

2- 1X2

Players use a ball, while players count aloud: "one", "X", "two" must pass the ball.

Whomever it is called to count the "two" must throw the object to another partner: if it hits him, he wins, if instead that partner catches the ball without dropping it, he will lose the first. Whoever gets the most points will win.

3- Climb the horse

A player rides a horse on top of another player and they have to run trying to catch the rest. When someone is caught, she has to get on horseback on top of another player to continue the game

4- Fill the field

This game consists of dividing the field in equal parts, in each division there must be the same number of balls.

When the whistle blows, the players have to try to get rid of as many balls as possible by throwing them into other fields. When time is up and the whistle blows again, the team with the fewest balls in their field will win.

5- The stain

This classic chasing game consists of a player who has "the stain" chasing the rest and passing "the stain" to another player in order to swap roles.

6- Tapaculo

In a group of players, near a wall, it consists in that another player does not touch your ass. The barrier can be used as a protector. The last one left without the butt touched wins

7- Burned (dodgeball)

Two teams are formed that face each other with a line on the ground that they will not be able to cross. With a ball they will try to "burn" a rival.

If the ball touches the opponent and he is not able to catch it before it hits the ground, it will be eliminated. If, on the other hand, the opponent is able to catch the ball on the fly, the thrower will be eliminated.

The team that is left with a player on the court will win. This game is the paradoxical game par excellence, since the alliance pact with your team is established.

But as the opposing team's players begin to dwindle, a player can establish a strategy in which he is the ultimate winner, and not his team.

8- The King

Marking a circle on the ground, all the players get inside. The game consists of taking the players out of the circle by pushing only with their back and ass.

This game needs an initial agreement to be able to carry out, otherwise the game is almost impossible to win. Once the allies have managed to get ahead, the pact must be broken for one player to become king.

9- King of the sands

It is a variant of the chase games. In this case, there is only one part of the floor that can be walked on that will be agreed in advance, for example, the stripes painted on the floor. Whoever steps outside the delimited area will automatically lose and keep it

10- The hiding place

This classic game that we all know, consists of one person being in charge of counting while the others hide. Once the account is finished, you will go to find your colleagues.

If these arrive "home" before the counter, they will be saved. If everyone makes it home before the accountant, he will lose. The accountant has to find as many people as possible and get home before they do.

11- The handkerchief

In this game two teams are formed located at a distance of at least five meters separated by an imaginary line.

Another player will stand at the beginning of the imaginary line holding a handkerchief. Each player will receive a number, the person in charge of the handkerchief will say a number and they have to run to get the handkerchief before the other.

If a player takes the handkerchief, but the opponent catches him before reaching the starting position, he will lose.

12- Online Shooting Games

Shooting video game sagas like Counter Strike, Call of Dutty or Fortnite may sound familiar to you. The aim is, through alliances or individually, to eliminate the enemy.

The funny thing is that during the entire battle you can change sides according to your interests and thus be able to take first place.

13- Age of Empires

Another classic online game. In this case, it is a real-time strategy video game in which you must guide your civilization to conquer the world. For this you will need to ally or face other peoples led by other online users.

This assumes that the one who gave you a series of victories, finally becomes your executioner or vice versa.

14- Quadrilateral

The ring is a game in which four people stand in the four corners of a ring formed on the ground. The objective is to displace (without using violence) the rest of the rivals from the lines that define the ring and remain as the only person within it.

To obtain victory, it is normal for alliances to arise to eliminate rivals one by one. The paradox is that, although it may seem like a game of strength, it is intelligence that will determine the winner, so there is no weak rival.

References

1. BURGUÉS, Pere Lavega. Traditional popular sports and games. Inde, 2000.
2. PÉREZ SAMANIEGO, Victor. Understanding the paradox. Ambivalent network games as a proposal for sports education. Tandem: Didactics of Physical Education, 2004, vol. 4, no 15, p. 83-95.
3. PARLEBAS, Pierre. I HEALTH AND RELATIONAL WELL-BEING IN TRADITIONAL GAMES. TRADITIONAL GAMES AND SOCIAL HEALTH, 2009, p. 84.
4. Encyclopedia of Examples (2017). "10 Examples of Paradoxical Games". Recovered from: examples.co.
5. GUILLEMARD, G. et AL. (1988) The four corners of the games. Agonos: Lleida; (1988) original version in French: Aux 4 coins des jeux. Ed. Du Scarabée.
6. SACO PARRAS, M (2001) The Popular and Traditional Games. Extremadura joint.