Peruvian Children's Games

Peru is a diverse country, covered in rainforest and mountains. Like children all around the world, Peruvian children play traditional games that are passed down from older children. These games do not require extensive materials, and they are relatively simple and easy to remember. Some are traditional and found primarily in South America, while other games are practiced around the world and happen to be very popular in Peru.

Music games, circle games, and hand-clapping games are simple for a group of children or just a few children. Circle games involve jumping and dancing in a circle and in and out of the circle. These games include titles such as Esta Era Una Ninita and Ronda de Verano. Clapping and hand games involve complex clapping between children who move their hands back and forth in rhythm. Tortitas de Manteca is a Peruvian song used with clapping games.

Soccer or football is a very popular sport in Peru. It is simple and affordable for children because all it requires is a ball and a relatively flat place to play. While soccer is popular and is played in countries around the world, in Peru it is a game that both children and adults play and follow with great interest. Children who do not have access to a soccer ball may make one from found materials.

Rolling and playing marbles is popular in countries around the world. Pebbles are a less expensive version of marbles. In stone games, children use small stones to hit other stones or try to catch the stones with their hands. These games are similar to marbles but only require stones in order to play. In one game, the children try to catch the stones as another child tosses them, and by doing so, they capture that stone.

Sapo is a coin-tossing game in which the players try to toss a coin into holes on top of a box. There is also a frog on top of the box, and if a coin gets into the frog’s mouth, that player is the winner. If no coin goes into the frog’s mouth, the players toss all of their coins and then take the total of the boxes in which they have landed. This game is derived from a traditional Peruvian game.