20 TRADITIONAL COLOMBIAN GAMES VERY FUN - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Some of the most prominent traditional games in Colombia are the yew, the old mother, the frog, the spinning top and the marbles, among others. Games that have put the skills and abilities of its inhabitants to the test throughout history.

Traditional games are an important part of the culture, and can be enjoyed by adults, children or entire families, since most combine enough fun to create an activity with which all people can be entertained.

Colombia is a Latin American country with great European and Amerindian influence, two elements that have a great influence on its cultural background and for which traditional games are no exception to this fact.

List of traditional Colombian games

1- Top

It is one of the most popular street games in all of Colombia. It consists of a top that is turned by a rope that is tied around its body before being thrown.

Top players compete against each individual by demonstrating difficult tricks such as the roller coaster, the screwdriver, the drum roll, and the "stairway to heaven."

2- Fuchi

Fuchi is a game in which people use their feet to perform tricks with a hacky sack or small cloth ball without letting the ball touch the ground.

People toss the ball from one foot to the other, performing complex tricks as they do so. Many people can practice their tricks alone, while others can meet and challenge each other.

Players often choreograph their routines to music, executing the movements in sync with the beat.

3- Yermis (Jimmy)

In this game, the group is divided into two teams. The first team will attempt to collect a group of 15 bottle caps before the opposing team members hit them with a small ball.

If a team can build a column that will stand with the tops and will not topple over, they are the winners.

4- Marbles

This game is practiced throughout Colombia, particularly in Cali where a vocabulary of its own has been created for the game.

Marbles are balls, usually made of glass, that come in different sizes and colors. There are many ways to play and the usual goal is to capture all of the opponent's marbles.

5- Tingo, tingo, tango

In this game, the players are separated in a circle, one player being assigned the category of 'it'. The person who is 'it' covers his eyes while standing some distance from the circle and repeats 'tingo, tingo, tingo, tingo'.

While 'that' continues to say 'tingo', the other people pass a small object from hand to hand around the circle.

At some point, the player who is 'that' shouts 'tango'; the player holding the object has to pay a penalty.

This player must perform a task, such as singing a song, hopping around the circle, running for a minute, etc., suggested by 'it'. The player who paid the penalty becomes 'it' in the next round.

6- Balero (Coca or pirinola)

This game has indigenous roots. It is very popular in Antioquia, Boyacá, Nariño, Santander and Valle del Cauca.

It consists of a small ball attached to a wooden stick by a string. This ball is perforated by a hole that fits in diameter with the wooden stick, so it is used to catch it.

The idea of ​​the game is to get the ball into the stick through the movements of the hand.

7- takes it

The person 'carrying' it has to try to catch the other players by touching them. If the person touches an individual, he becomes the one who 'carries' it.

In turn, now this individual who 'carries' her has to try to catch a different person.

8- Oba

This game involves a ball. The ball is thrown to a wall, but each time it is thrown a different movement must be performed while singing a song.

The ball can be thrown with one arm, with two, throw it and try to catch it when turning, backwards, jumping, standing on one leg, etc.

9- The heart of the pineapple

You have to choose an individual to be the 'heart of the pineapple'. While the other people form a line holding hands, the 'heart of the pineapple' stands in the middle of the line while the others roll it up while they sing 'we roll the pineapple'.

When the line of people has completely rolled up, everyone sings 'we roll up the pineapple… and they all fall down'. Finally everyone falls to the floor.

10- Parquets

Source: pixabay.com

The object of the game is for each player to carry their pieces to the finish based on the roll of the dice. Two dice are used in this game and typically consist of between 2 to 8 players.

Although the moves depend on the die, players should consider possible strategies before executing their move.

People often play on tables that reflect their local variations and customs in the way they decorate their own tables.

11- Five holes

This classic street game is best played on dirt-covered streets or streets with holes. Five players must make four holes in a circle and one in the center, then they must retreat to a distance of around 2 m.

Players will try to toss coins into the holes, ultimately winning the person with the most coins in the holes.

However, if one person tosses all five coins in the center of the hole in one go, they win.

12- Four, eight and twelve

Source: pixabay.com

In this game, one player is chosen as the pursuer, who must catch the other players by touching them.

Additionally, when touching someone, the individual should yell 'four, eight and twelve' as fast as they can while touching their back.

If you can't do it in the required time, you should try to catch someone else and so on.

13- Let the king pass

It is played with at least six people. Two players spread their hands while the others pass under the human bridge while singing a song.

When the song ends, the last person in line must choose between two different fruits that represent each of the members of the bridge.

After the participant chooses the side they want to be on, everyone stands in a line and has to pull to their side, trying to unbalance the opponent.

14- I-I

This game uses gravity or the force of a throw to ensure that two pucks (connected by a shaft) move up and down on a piece of string attached to a pitcher's finger.

Yo-yo is one of the most popular games in Colombia and individuals try to complete difficult tricks.

15- Stop

Source: pixabay.com

This game is made for fast minds. The stop is a good way to practice the letters of the alphabet, numbers and vocabulary.

It can be played by two people or more. Each player needs a pencil and paper. The game begins with one player prescribing a letter of the alphabet, after a few moments another player must yell 'stop'.

All players must play the game with the last letter spoken by the player who recited the alphabet.

Next, all players must write a word starting with the given letter in the following categories: city, country, name, food, animals, plant and color. The first player to finish all categories yells 'stop' and everyone must stop.

All players share their answers and are assigned a point for each written word.

16- Frog

David Berkowitz from New York, NY, USA / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

You need a game table and 10 chips to play. Each player must stand 12 feet (300 cm) away from the table to take turns tossing the chips. Points are assigned according to where the thrown tile ends up.

17- old mom

Two safe zones should be located on opposite sides. The moderator stands in the middle of the room while the other players stand on one side.

When the facilitator yells 'old mom', the children should run to the opposite side; while outside the safe zone, they can be trapped.

If a player is caught, they become another 'old mom' and will also collaborate by catching the other players. The idea is that each time the 'old mom' team gets bigger.

18- The firing squad

A table should be created on the floor with the names of the players. A player will throw a rock on the board and if it falls on a name, that person will need to catch a ball and try to throw it to the other players.

19- The hidden

In this game, players try to hide their location while someone else tries to find them.

20- Yew

In this game, players throw a metal disc (the yew) along a 20 m tunnel that protects the diameter of the target.

In the center of this target, a metal pipe is equipped with small targets that explode (wick). When they hit the yew, the wicks explode strongly. This indicates a successful launch.

Benefits of traditional games for children

Traditional games bring a series of benefits that, in many cases, more modern games that are based on digital cannot provide in the same way. Some of these virtues to review are:

- They help to keep children fit and in good health, since in most cases they are games that require exercise.

- Greater muscular development, coordination and rhythmic sense.

- Better capacity for socialization, being a more humane treatment and closer to what can be established with online games. This creates closer ties of friendship.

- Development of imagination and creativity.

- Emotional learning how to manage victory and defeat. Development of empathy with the "rival" of the game.

- Self-confidence.

Themes of interest

15 Traditional Games of Ecuador for Children and Adolescents.

Traditional games of Guatemala.

Traditional games of Mexico.

References

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2. Parks Recovered from wikipedia.org.
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5. Traditional children's games: games played with balls. Recovered from topics-mag.com
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7. How top lay Colombia's favorite childhood games (2011). Recovered from colombia.co.
8. Traditional Colombian games - no electricity needed. Recovered from barranquillalife.com.
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